Chapter 8: The Son My Brother Left Behind
I stood in the storage unit, unable to move.
Two men.
A locksmith.
My house.
My children.
Margaret immediately called the police and explained that we had reason to believe someone was attempting unauthorized entry into my residence.
Renee grabbed her handbag.
"We need to get the boys.""
"They're with Hannah," I said.
I had arranged for Hannah to watch them at the hotel while we visited the storage facility.
I called her immediately.
She answered on the first ring.
"Darius?""
"Listen carefully. Keep the boys inside your room. Don't open the door for anyone.""
"What happened?""
"Tiana may be coming.""
Hannah's voice tightened.
"She called here twenty minutes ago.""
My heart stopped.
"What did she say?""
"She said she was bringing some of Micah's belongings.""
"Did you let her in?""
"No. I told her the children were resting.""
"Good. Stay where you are. Margaret is contacting security.""
I ended the call.
Then I looked at the photograph again.
Marcus had believed Micah was his son.
Tiana had known.
And she'd married me anyway.
I didn't know what hurt more.
The possibility that my brother had been betrayed.
Or the possibility that the woman I had trusted with my children had built our entire family around lies.
We returned to the hotel under police guidance.
The boys were sitting on the carpet, watching a cartoon.
Micah ran toward me.
"Dad!""
I picked him up.
"Hey, buddy.""
He wrapped his arms around my neck.
"Can we go home now?""
I looked at Jalen.
He was watching me carefully.
"Not yet," I said.
Jalen lowered his eyes.
"Because of Mom?""
I nodded.
He didn't ask anything else.
Later, when the boys were eating dinner, Daniel Reeves arrived.
He was in his early sixties, with gray hair and a deep scar running along his jaw.
He carried a thick brown envelope.
"Darius Carter?""
"Yes.""
He shook my hand.
"I knew your brother for fifteen years.""
We sat at a small table.
Daniel placed the envelope between us.
"Marcus was investigating a series of financial transactions before he died. He discovered that someone had been redirecting money from an insurance account and a property investment.""
"Was Tiana involved?""
"She was receiving payments.""
"Why?""
Daniel leaned back.
"Because Marcus believed she had been using him.""
I stared at him.
"Using him for what?""
"Money. Connections. Access to your family.""
I thought about Vanessa's letter.
The inheritance.
The threats.
Everything was connected.
Daniel opened the envelope.
Inside were several documents, including a laboratory report.
He pushed it toward me.
"Marcus ordered a paternity test shortly before his accident.""
I looked at the result.
The report stated that Marcus was the biological father of the child tested.
The child's name was listed as Micah Brooks.
I felt a strange pressure behind my eyes.
"Why didn't Marcus tell me?""
Daniel's expression softened.
"He planned to. He wanted to confront Tiana first.""
"Did he know she was pregnant?""
"Yes. He believed she had concealed the pregnancy from him initially. When he discovered the truth, he wanted to take responsibility.""
I stared at the document.
"Did he love Micah?""
Daniel nodded.
"He had already opened a savings account for him. He had purchased a small house in his name, too.""
"What happened to it?""
"Transferred shortly after Marcus died.""
"To whom?""
Daniel placed another paper on the table.
Tiana.
I closed my eyes.
"How much?""
"Two hundred and ten thousand dollars, including the insurance payout and property proceeds.""
I looked toward Micah.
He was sitting beside Jalen, carefully cutting a piece of chicken into tiny pieces.
Jalen helped him reach the vegetables.
They looked like brothers.
They were brothers.
That much hadn't changed.
But the truth was enormous.
I turned back to Daniel.
"Why didn't you come forward?""
"I tried. Tiana threatened to accuse me of stealing from Marcus's company. She had documents with my signature. I spent years trying to clear my name.""
"Are you still fighting that?""
"Yes.""
Margaret entered the conversation.
"Do you have evidence that the documents were forged?""
Daniel nodded.
"I have the originals.""
He handed her another folder.
"Marcus had made copies before his death.""
Margaret examined them.
"This is significant.""
Daniel looked at me.
"There's one more thing.""
I was almost afraid to ask.
"What?""
"Marcus didn't die immediately after the accident.""
I stared at him.
"What are you talking about?""
"He was conscious when emergency services arrived. He asked for his phone. He tried to call someone.""
"Who?""
Daniel opened his notebook.
"The last number he dialed belonged to Tiana.""
My blood went cold.
"Did she answer?""
"According to the phone records, yes.""
I stood.
"What did she say?""
Daniel shook his head.
"I don't know. But Marcus left a voicemail.""
"Where is it?""
Daniel took out a small flash drive.
"Here.""
Margaret connected it to her laptop.
A recording began.
There was static.
Then Marcus's voice.
Weak.
Strained.
"Tiana... please... tell Darius...""
A loud noise interrupted him.
Then he spoke again.
"The money... wasn't yours...""
The recording ended.
I stared at the screen.
Daniel lowered his head.
"He died before he could finish.""
I couldn't speak.
Then my phone vibrated.
A text message from Tiana.
*I know Daniel is with you. Ask him what he did with the second recording.*
I looked up.
Daniel's face had changed.
He was no longer looking at me.
He was staring at the flash drive.
"There's another recording?"" I asked.
He slowly nodded.
"Yes.""
"Where is it?""
Daniel swallowed.
"With the police.""
"Why?""
"Because it contains something that could change everything.""
Margaret leaned forward.
"What does it contain?""
Daniel looked toward Micah.
May you like
Then he whispered:
"Marcus didn't just identify Tiana as the person in the car. He identified someone else who was there that night.""
