Chapter 6: The Case
Vanessa's scream cut through the showroom.
Jordan spun around.
“What is it?””
Nobody answered.
The black case sat open inside the luxury sedan's trunk.
Marcus stared at it.
Mrs. Reed stood motionless beside the attorney.
Vanessa covered her mouth with both hands.
Jordan moved closer.
“What's inside?””
Mrs. Reed grabbed his arm.
“Don't.””
He looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because I said so.””
Jordan pulled his arm free.
“You're all acting like someone died.””
Marcus looked at him.
“No one said anyone died.””
Jordan stopped.
The attorney turned sharply toward Marcus.
“That's enough.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because you're deliberately provoking everyone.””
Marcus nodded.
“Maybe.””
“Maybe?””
“Yes.””
The attorney stepped closer.
“You walk into this showroom, activate a recording device, trigger a vehicle system, and now you're standing here pretending you don't know what's happening.””
Marcus looked toward the case.
“I know exactly what I did.””
“Then explain it.””
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because you haven't earned the answer.””
The attorney stared at him.
Mrs. Reed spoke quietly.
“Let him.””
The attorney turned.
“Ma'am—”
“Let him.””
He stepped back.
Mrs. Reed approached the vehicle.
Marcus didn't stop her.
She looked inside the case.
Her face changed.
Not fear.
Recognition.
Marcus noticed.
“You've seen it before.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“You recognized it.””
“I recognize what it means.””
Marcus waited.
Jordan looked between them.
“What does it mean?””
Mrs. Reed closed her eyes briefly.
Then she said, “It means someone has been inside my private records.””
Vanessa's breathing became uneven.
Jordan turned toward her.
“Vanessa?””
She didn't answer.
“Did you know about this?””
“No.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
“Look at me.””
She did.
Marcus studied her face.
“Say it again.””
Vanessa swallowed.
“I didn't know.””
Marcus nodded.
“Okay.””
Jordan pointed toward the case.
“Then what's in it?””
Mrs. Reed looked at him.
“Evidence.””
“Evidence of what?””
“Fraud.””
The word dropped into the showroom.
Jordan stared.
“Fraud?””
Mrs. Reed nodded.
“Financial records. Contracts. Transaction logs.””
The attorney looked at her.
“Ma'am, we shouldn't discuss this here.””
She ignored him.
Marcus glanced at the key fob.
The red light was still blinking.
“There's more.””
Mrs. Reed looked at him.
“Yes.””
“What?””
She stared into the open case.
“Someone copied information from inside this dealership.””
Vanessa's face tightened.
“Who?””
Mrs. Reed looked at her.
“That is what I want to know.””
Jordan shook his head.
“Wait. You think someone here stole customer information?””
“I know someone did.””
The attorney's voice was tense.
“Mrs. Reed, please.””
“No.””
She turned toward him.
“You've been telling me for three months that everything was secure.””
He said nothing.
Marcus watched him.
Three months.
That number seemed to matter.
Marcus turned toward Vanessa.
“How long have you been manager?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“Four years.””
“And you've never seen that case?””
“No.””
“Never?””
“No.””
Marcus nodded.
Jordan stepped closer.
“Why are you questioning her?””
Marcus looked at him.
“Because somebody has to.””
Jordan frowned.
“Why her?””
“Because she's in charge.””
Jordan shook his head.
“That doesn't mean she did anything.””
Marcus nodded.
“Correct.””
Vanessa looked relieved for half a second.
Then Marcus added:
“But it means she should know.””
The relief disappeared.
Mrs. Reed reached toward the case.
Marcus said, “Wait.””
She stopped.
“What?””
Marcus pointed at the inside lid.
A tiny green light was blinking there.
Mrs. Reed leaned closer.
“What is that?””
Marcus looked at the key fob.
Then the case.
Then the cameras above the showroom.
“Another recording device.””
Vanessa whispered, “There are two?””
Marcus nodded.
The attorney immediately stepped back.
Jordan looked around.
“Then who's recording us?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Mrs. Reed did.
“Whoever put it there.””
Jordan's breathing quickened.
“So someone knew he was coming.””
Marcus looked at him.
“That's one possibility.””
“And the owner?””
Marcus turned toward Mrs. Reed.
“You're the owner.””
“Yes.””
“You didn't send me the message.””
“No.””
Marcus nodded.
“Then somebody else used your name.””
Mrs. Reed's expression hardened.
“That shouldn't be possible.””
Marcus looked at the phone in her hand.
“Yet it happened.””
She stared at the screen.
Another message appeared.
This time, it wasn't from the showroom owner.
It came from an unknown number.
Mrs. Reed opened it.
Her eyes moved across the screen.
Then she slowly looked at Marcus.
“What?””
Marcus asked.
She didn't answer.
“Mrs. Reed.””
She held the phone out.
Marcus read the message.
*YOU FOUND THE CASE.*
A second message appeared beneath it.
*NOW ASK MARCUS WHY HE REALLY CAME.*
Jordan looked at Marcus.
Vanessa looked at Marcus.
The attorney looked at Marcus.
For the first time, all four were staring at him for the same reason.
Marcus slowly lifted his eyes from the phone.
Nobody spoke.
Mrs. Reed's voice was barely audible.
“Why did you really come here?””
Marcus looked at the old key fob.
The red light stopped blinking.
It turned solid.
Then the showroom's main security monitor switched on by itself.
Every camera feed appeared at once.
But one screen was different.
It showed Marcus entering the showroom.
The timestamp was from *yesterday*.
Jordan stared at the monitor.
“That can't be him.””
Vanessa whispered, “He wasn't here yesterday.””
Marcus watched the footage.
On the screen, another Black man wearing the exact same dark work shirt and faded jeans walked through the showroom.
He stopped beside the same luxury sedan.
Then he turned directly toward the camera.
Marcus's face became completely still.
Mrs. Reed looked at him.
“Who is that?””
Marcus didn't answer.
The man on the screen slowly raised one hand.
In it was an identical worn black key fob.
May you like
Then the footage abruptly stopped.
And every screen in the showroom went dark.
