Chapter 4: The Man Who Took His Daughter
“Andrew took my daughter?””
Marcus's voice was so quiet that Margaret Ellis immediately stopped speaking.
He stood in the middle of her office, phone pressed against his ear, staring at the school attendance report Daniel had just forwarded.
“Yes,” Maya's teacher repeated nervously.
“He showed the receptionist a document saying you had authorized him to collect her.””
“What document?””
“I haven't seen the original, Mr. Carter. He told us it was a family emergency.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Did Maya leave willingly?””
Another pause.
“She seemed confused. She asked whether you were coming too.””
Marcus's chest tightened.
“What did Andrew tell her?””
“He said you were waiting for her somewhere.””
Marcus ended the call.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Margaret reached for her phone.
“I'll contact the police.””
“Do it.””
“Marcus, listen. Don't confront Andrew without understanding what authority he may be claiming.””
“My daughter is eight years old. My brother just took her from school without my permission.””
“I understand.””
“No, Margaret. You don't.””
His voice cracked.
“My wife is dead. My daughter has already spent years watching adults decide where she belongs. And now my own brother has taken her?””
He grabbed his car keys.
Margaret stood.
“Where are you going?””
“To find my daughter.””
His phone rang.
Andrew.
Marcus answered immediately.
“Where is Maya?””
“Good morning to you too, little brother.””
“Where is she?””
Andrew laughed softly.
“She's perfectly safe.””
“Put her on the phone.””
“She's having breakfast.””
“Put. Her. On.
The. Phone.””
A few seconds passed.
Then Marcus heard a small voice.
“Daddy?””
His knees nearly gave way.
“Maya, sweetheart. Are you okay?””
“Daddy, Uncle Andrew said you wanted me to come with him.””
Marcus gripped the desk.
“I didn't, baby. But you're going to be okay. Do you understand?””
“Can I come home?””
“Of course.””
Andrew took the phone back.
“She's fine, Marcus. Stop frightening her.””
“You have no right to take her.””
“Actually, that's something we need to discuss.””
Marcus lowered his voice.
“If you don't tell me where she is, I'm calling the police.””
“Go ahead. I'm at the house.””
“What house?””
“Our mother's old estate. The one you never visit anymore.””
Marcus went still.
The Carter family estate sat outside the city, surrounded by woodland and a high stone wall. Their mother had died years earlier, and the property had remained largely unused.
“What are you doing there?””
“Trying to protect this family.””
Marcus almost laughed.
“By kidnapping my daughter?””
“Don't use dramatic words. You're making yourself look unstable.””
Andrew paused.
Then he added, “Come alone. We need to talk about Elena's trust.””
The call ended.
Marcus immediately called Daniel.
“Get the security team to the old estate. Have them coordinate with the police. Nobody approaches Maya without my authorization.””
“Understood.””
“And Daniel?””
“Yes?””
“Find out everything you can about Andrew's legal authority. I want every document he has ever filed concerning Maya.””
Marcus drove toward the estate.
His hands were tight on the steering wheel.
The morning sky was gray, and rain began tapping against the windshield.
He remembered the last time he had visited that house with Elena.
Maya had been barely three years old. She had run through the garden carrying a stuffed rabbit while Andrew chased her, pretending to be a monster.
Back then, Marcus had thought his brother adored his daughter.
Perhaps Andrew had simply been waiting.
When Marcus reached the estate, two security guards stood beside the entrance.
One of them opened the gate.
“Mr. Carter.””
“Where's my daughter?””
“Inside, sir.””
Marcus entered without answering.
He found Maya sitting at the kitchen island, eating strawberries from a small bowl.
Andrew stood nearby, wearing a charcoal sweater and holding a cup of coffee.
Maya looked up.
“Daddy!””
Marcus crossed the room and pulled her into his arms.
“I'm here, baby.””
She hugged him tightly.
“Uncle Andrew said you were busy.””
Marcus kissed the top of her head.
“I will never be too busy to come for you.””
Andrew placed his coffee down.
“Can we have an adult conversation now?””
Marcus kept one arm around Maya.
“Not in front of her.””
Andrew shrugged.
“Fine. There's a sitting room upstairs.””
Marcus looked at the security guard.
“Stay with my daughter. Don't let anyone take her anywhere.””
Andrew smiled.
“You're acting as though I'm a stranger.””
Marcus turned.
“Today, you are.””
They walked into the sitting room.
Andrew closed the door.
Then he placed a folder on the table.
“Before you start accusing me, read this.””
Marcus didn't touch it.
“What is it?””
“A temporary guardianship petition.””
Marcus stared at him.
“You filed for guardianship of my daughter?””
“Not exactly.””
“Explain.””
Andrew opened the folder.
“The petition concerns the administration of Maya's inheritance. Given the recent financial irregularities and your increasingly erratic behavior, there are concerns about your ability to protect her interests.””
Marcus stared at him.
“Erratic behavior?””
“You walked out of a major business event yesterday. You canceled contracts. You accused your wife of financial misconduct without evidence.””
“I have evidence.””
Andrew's expression flickered.
“From whom?””
“Daniel.””
Andrew's jaw tightened.
“Daniel doesn't understand the family situation.””
“He understands accounting. That's enough.””
Andrew sat down.
“Marcus, listen to me. You are overwhelmed. Elena's death affected you more than you admit. Vanessa has been trying to hold everything together, and now you're destroying your marriage over a seating arrangement.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Don't talk about my daughter's tears as though they're an inconvenience.””
Andrew rubbed his forehead.
“That's not what I'm saying.””
“Then tell me why you transferred 1.2 million dollars from her trust yesterday.””
Andrew went completely still.
For the first time, his confident expression disappeared.
Then he smiled.
“Ah. So you've seen that.””
“Where did the money go?””
“It's invested.””
“In what?””
“An asset management project.””
“Under whose control?””
Andrew didn't answer.
Marcus leaned forward.
“You took money from an eight-year-old child's inheritance.””
“I protected it.””
“You stole it.””
Andrew slammed his palm against the table.
“Enough!””
The sound echoed through the room.
He took a breath and lowered his voice.
“You have no idea what Elena was involved in before she died.””
Marcus stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
Andrew opened the folder again and removed a photograph.
It showed Elena standing outside a hospital.
Beside her was a young woman Marcus didn't recognize.
Andrew pushed it across the table.
“Your wife was keeping something from you.””
Marcus picked up the photograph.
On the back, someone had written a date.
Three days before Elena died.
“Who is this woman?””
Andrew looked directly at him.
“Someone who knows why Elena changed Maya's trust.””
Marcus felt a cold sensation move through his chest.
“Where is she?””
Andrew smiled faintly.
“That's what we're going to discuss.””
Then his phone vibrated.
He glanced at the screen.
His expression changed.
“What?”” Marcus demanded.
Andrew turned the phone facedown.
“Nothing.””
But Marcus had already seen the notification.
It contained only four words.
*Vanessa says the girl knows.*
Marcus looked at his brother.
“What does Maya know?””
Andrew didn't answer.
And suddenly Marcus understood that his brother wasn't simply trying to take control of the inheritance.
He was afraid of something Maya might say.
May you like
Something an eight-year-old girl had witnessed.
Something the adults around her had spent years trying to bury.
