Chapter 8: What Tasha Knew
“No.””
The word came out of me before I could stop it.
Tasha nodded through her tears.
“Yes.””
Jordan stared at the photograph.
“That can't be true.””
Tasha looked at him.
“I wish it wasn't.””
Marcus took the photograph from my hand.
He studied it.
“You're saying Lena is your daughter?””
“My biological daughter.””
“Then why doesn't she live with you?””
Tasha looked away.
“Because David made sure she didn't.””
The kitchen felt suddenly too small.
I pulled out a chair.
“Sit down.””
Tasha obeyed.
Jordan remained standing.
“How old were you when she was born?””
“Twenty-eight.””
“And David?””
“Thirty-one.””
Marcus leaned against the counter.
“Was he her father?””
Tasha shook her head.
“No.””
Jordan's eyebrows pulled together.
“Then why did he have anything to do with her?””
Tasha looked at me.
“Because I knew about the money.””
The old photograph trembled in my fingers.
“Start at the beginning.””
Tasha nodded.
“David hired me because I was good with numbers. At first, I thought I was working for a legitimate construction company. Then I started seeing transfers.””
“The shell companies,” I said.
“Yes.””
“Account 4721.””
“Yes.””
“Where did the money go?””
Tasha lowered her voice.
“Some went into properties. Some went overseas. Some went to people who helped David.””
“Who?””
“I never knew all of them.””
“But you knew enough.””
“Yes.””
Marcus folded his arms.
“And Lena?””
Tasha swallowed.
“I found out I was pregnant after I started working for him.””
“Did he know?””
“Yes.””
“Was he angry?””
“He wasn't angry.””
Tasha looked at me.
“He was pleased.””
That answer made my skin crawl.
“Why?””
“Because he realized he could use her.””
Jordan's face tightened.
“Use her for what?””
“Leverage.””
Marcus's jaw clenched.
“Against whom?””
“Anyone who knew too much.””
I stared at Tasha.
“Me?””
She nodded.
“David knew you were investigating the books.””
“I wasn't investigating him. I was an employee.””
“You were the first person who noticed the missing transfers.””
I remembered.
The late nights.
The spreadsheets.
The discrepancies.
The numbers that refused to balance.
Tasha continued.
“You were supposed to make copies of the records.””
“I did.””
Marcus looked at me.
“You did?””
I nodded slowly.
“I made copies because I was afraid the originals would disappear.””
“Where are they?””
I stared into space.
The answer was buried somewhere behind years of life.
A storage box.
A blue metal box.
My father's old garage.
No.
Not the garage.
The attic.
I suddenly remembered.
I had taken the copies home.
Then, after David's threat, I had hidden them somewhere I knew he would never look.
I whispered, “They're still in my parents' old house.””
Marcus stared.
“Your parents sold that house years ago.””
“I know.””
“Then how could they still be there?””
“Because…”
I stopped.
A memory surfaced.
My mother had given me a key before she died.
She had said, You left some boxes in the attic.
I had never gone back.
Marcus looked at me.
“Where?””
I told him.
Tasha's eyes widened.
“You kept them?””
“I think so.””
She leaned forward.
“Then David will come for them.””
“I know.””
Jordan looked at Tasha.
“Why did Lena contact me?””
Tasha hesitated.
“She didn't choose you.””
“You already said that.””
“I need you to understand what I mean.””
Tasha took a breath.
“David told Lena to find the son of the woman who exposed him.””
Jordan stared.
“Why?””
“Because he wanted someone close enough to Evelyn to make her afraid.””
Jordan's face fell.
“So she was supposed to hurt my mom?””
“No.””
“Then what?””
“She was supposed to make you trust her.””
Marcus's expression darkened.
“And once Jordan trusted her?””
“David would use that connection.””
Jordan sat down.
He looked devastated.
“She said she liked me.””
Tasha's expression softened.
“I believe she does.””
“How can you know?””
“Because I know my daughter.””
Jordan looked up.
“You're her mother.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did she never tell me?””
“Because David told her what would happen if she did.””
“What?””
Tasha's eyes dropped.
“He threatened to kill me.””
Silence.
Jordan looked at Marcus.
Marcus said nothing.
I sat beside Jordan.
“I'm sorry.””
He shook his head.
“I should've known.””
“No.””
“I gave her money.””
“You were trying to help.””
“I gave her our address.””
“You didn't know.””
“I showed her my school ID.””
“You trusted someone.””
He looked at me.
“I thought that was what being a good person meant.””
My throat tightened.
“It is.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“But being a good person doesn't mean ignoring danger.””
Jordan nodded.
Then his phone buzzed.
Everyone froze.
The phone was on the counter.
Marcus picked it up.
A message from Lena.
*Please don't trust Tasha.*
Jordan stood.
“What?””
Another message appeared.
*She is not telling you the truth.*
Tasha went pale.
Jordan looked at her.
“What isn't she telling us?””
Tasha shook her head.
“Nothing.””
A third message arrived.
*Ask her about the night your mother died.*
I looked at Tasha.
“What?””
She stared at me.
Marcus slowly turned.
“What does that mean?””
Tasha's lips parted.
“I…”
I stood.
“My mother?””
Tasha looked down.
“I knew your mother.””
“When?””
“Before she died.””
“How?””
“I used to clean houses in your neighborhood.””
“That doesn't explain anything.””
Tasha began crying.
“I was there.””
“Where?””
“The night she died.””
The room went silent.
My mother's death had always been called an accident.
She had fallen down the stairs.
At least, that's what I'd been told.
I had been twenty-six.
David had gone to prison shortly afterward.
And I'd never connected the two.
“What did you see?”” I whispered.
Tasha shook her head.
“I wasn't supposed to be there.””
“What did you see?””
“I saw David.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“Inside the house?””
“Yes.””
My breath caught.
“You saw David the night my mother died?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you tell anyone?””
“He found me.””
“What did he say?””
“He said if I talked, Lena would disappear.””
I stared at her.
“Lena was a baby.””
“Yes.””
“Where was she?””
“With me.””
I stepped closer.
“My mother knew you?””
Tasha nodded.
“She knew what David was doing.””
“What did my mother know?””
Tasha looked at the floor.
“She knew where the money was.””
Marcus's eyes widened.
“Where?””
Tasha whispered, “Your mother took it.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“She did.””
“My mother would never steal.””
“She didn't steal it.””
“Then what?””
“She moved it.””
“Where?””
Tasha looked at me.
“Somewhere David couldn't reach.””
The room went silent.
Then I understood.
The account hadn't simply disappeared.
Someone had moved the money before the investigators arrived.
Someone who knew exactly what David had been doing.
Someone who had access to the records.
Someone my mother trusted.
I whispered, “My mother.””
Tasha nodded.
“She moved the money to protect it.””
“From David?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn't she tell me?””
“Because she thought you were being watched.””
I felt tears burn my eyes.
“What happened that night?””
Tasha's voice broke.
“Your mother told David she'd never give him the account information.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“And then?””
“He got angry.””
“How angry?””
Tasha closed her eyes.
“I heard them arguing.””
“What happened?””
“I left.””
“You left her there?””
“I was terrified.””
“Tasha.””
“I had a baby!””
Her voice cracked.
“I thought he'd kill all of us.””
I stared at her.
“Did he?””
“I don't know.””
“But my mother died.””
Tasha nodded.
“Yes.””
“Was it an accident?””
Tasha looked at me.
“No.””
The word hit like a gunshot.
Jordan covered his mouth.
Marcus whispered, “What are you saying?””
Tasha looked directly at me.
“Your mother didn't fall down those stairs.””
I couldn't breathe.
“Then who pushed her?””
Tasha's eyes filled with tears.
“I never saw the person.””
“Then how do you know?””
“Because I heard your mother's last words.””
“What did she say?””
Tasha looked toward Jordan.
Then at me.
“She said, ‘Evelyn will know where I put it.’”
My knees nearly gave out.
Marcus caught me.
“Where did she put what?””
Tasha opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, headlights swept across the living room wall.
A car had stopped outside.
Tasha looked through the blinds.
Her face went white.
“It's David.””
Marcus moved toward the front door.
“No.””
Tasha grabbed his arm.
“Don't.””
“Why?””
“He isn't here to talk.””
A shadow crossed the frosted glass.
Then the doorbell rang.
Once.
Twice.
Jordan stepped backward.
A third ring.
Then David's voice came through the door.
“Evelyn.””
I closed my eyes.
He spoke calmly.
Almost gently.
“Your mother left you a message.””
I stared at the door.
May you like
David continued.
“And you finally remembered where to find it.””