Chapter 8: The Detective’s Warning
Nobody spoke.
The detective’s words hung in the air.
The last person who tried to access that recording ended up dead.
Nia stared at her.
“Who?””
Detective Brooks looked around the chapel.
“I can’t discuss that here.””
Nia almost laughed.
“Here?””
She looked around.
“At my fiancé’s funeral?””
Her voice trembled.
“Everyone here already knows more than I do.””
The detective studied her.
For a moment, she looked less like an investigator and more like someone who understood grief.
“I know this is difficult.””
“No.””
Nia shook her head.
“You don’t know.””
She lifted the phone.
“This is my fiancé talking to me after he died.””
The detective softened.
“I understand.””
“No, you don’t.””
Nia looked at the screen.
“He knew something was going to happen.””
A pause.
“And he trusted me to finish what he started.””
Detective Brooks nodded slowly.
“That’s exactly why you’re in danger.””
The room reacted.
Daniel frowned.
“Danger from who?””
The detective didn’t answer.
That scared Nia more than if she had.
Terrence stepped forward.
“You knew about Marcus’s video.””
Detective Brooks looked at him.
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t you stop this?””
Her expression hardened.
“Because I didn’t know who I could trust.””
That sentence changed everything.
Even Evelyn looked surprised.
Nia noticed.
“You don’t trust them either.””
Detective Brooks looked toward Evelyn.
“No.””
The older woman lowered her eyes.
Nia’s heart raced.
Finally.
Someone was saying it.
Someone was admitting the truth.
Detective Brooks opened her folder.
Inside were several photographs.
She handed them to Nia.
The first picture showed Marcus.
Standing outside a building.
The second showed Marcus talking to someone.
The third made Nia stop breathing.
It was Evelyn.
Her hand was on Marcus’s shoulder.
Both of them looked serious.
“When was this?”” Nia asked.
“Two nights before he died.””
Nia looked at Evelyn.
“You said you only saw him the night before.””
Evelyn looked shocked.
“I did.””
The detective shook her head.
“No.””
The chapel became silent again.
“You met Marcus two nights before his death.””
Evelyn stared at her.
“How do you know that?””
Detective Brooks didn’t answer.
Instead, she looked at Nia.
“Because Marcus told me.””
Nia froze.
“You knew Marcus?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
The detective looked uncomfortable.
“Before he died.””
Nia’s expression changed.
Another secret.
Another person.
Another piece of Marcus’s hidden life.
“How long were you working with him?””
Detective Brooks looked at the coffin.
“Three months.””
The room erupted.
“What?””
“Three months?””
“Who is she?””
Nia barely heard them.
She only heard one thing.
Marcus had a secret relationship with a detective.
And he never told her.
Detective Brooks raised her hand.
“Listen to me.””
Nobody moved.
“Marcus came to me because he discovered financial records connected to his company.””
Nia frowned.
“His company?””
“Yes.””
“He didn’t own a company.””
Detective Brooks looked at her.
“That’s what he wanted people to believe.””
A cold feeling moved through Nia.
“What are you saying?””
The detective lowered her voice.
“Marcus was investigating someone close to him.””
Nia already knew the answer.
But she asked anyway.
“Who?””
Detective Brooks looked toward Evelyn.
Then Terrence.
Then back at Nia.
“Your fiancé believed someone in his family was stealing from him.””
Evelyn whispered:
“That’s not true.””
The detective looked at her.
“Then why did Marcus send me copies of your bank records?””
Everyone turned.
To Evelyn.
The older woman looked horrified.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.””
Nia felt like she was falling.
Her perfect image of Marcus’s family was breaking apart.
The detective stepped closer.
“I came here because I knew someone would come looking for the phone.””
“Who?””
Detective Brooks looked toward the entrance.
Before she could answer—
The chapel lights shut off.
Complete darkness.
Someone screamed.
A chair scraped across the floor.
Nia felt a hand grab her shoulder.
She spun around.
“Who’s there?””
No answer.
Then a voice whispered in the dark.
Close.
Too close.
“Nia…”
Her blood froze.
Because she knew that voice.
May you like
It was impossible.
It was Marcus.
