Chapter 8: The Man Next Door
Nobody moved.
Raymond stood on the porch.
His right hand hung at his side.
The gun was visible.
Not pointed at anyone.
Not yet.
Dad quietly stepped away from the window.
“Everyone get down.””
Isaiah dropped behind the kitchen island.
I crouched beside him.
Derek moved toward Vanessa.
She whispered, “Don't.””
He stared at her.
“Why?””
“Because he'll shoot.””
Dad looked at Vanessa.
“How do you know?””
“Because I know him.””
A knock sounded.
Three times.
The same rhythm as before.
Raymond's voice followed.
“Marcus, open the door.””
Dad shook his head.
Nobody spoke.
Raymond knocked again.
“I know you're in there.””
Isaiah whispered, “Call the police.””
Dad pulled his phone from his pocket.
Vanessa grabbed his wrist.
“Don't.””
He stared at her.
“Move.””
“If you call them, he'll run.””
“That's the point.””
“No.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“He won't run.””
Her voice dropped.
“He'll come inside.””
Another knock.
“Marcus.””
Dad raised his phone.
“Raymond, leave my property.””
Silence.
Then Raymond laughed.
“You really think this is your property?””
Dad's face hardened.
“What do you want?””
“The drive.””
Everyone looked at the laptop.
Raymond's voice came through the door.
“You don't understand what you've found.””
Dad said, “I understand enough.””
“No, you don't.””
“Then explain.””
“I can't do that from outside.””
“You're staying outside.””
A pause.
Then Raymond said, “Nia deserves to know what happened to her mother.””
I looked at Dad.
My heart was pounding.
Dad called back.
“Then tell her.””
“I will.””
“When?””
“After you give me the drive.””
Dad glanced at me.
Raymond continued.
“There are things on that drive that can destroy people.””
Derek whispered, “He's scared.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Of what?””
“Us finding out the truth.””
Raymond suddenly shouted.
“Vanessa!””
She flinched.
“You should have burned it when you had the chance.””
Dad looked at her.
“You were supposed to destroy this?””
“I didn't.””
“You knew about it.””
“I knew Raymond wanted it.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“I was scared.””
Dad's expression hardened.
“You're always scared when the truth comes out.””
Vanessa looked down.
“I know.””
Raymond knocked again.
“Vanessa, tell Marcus what happened the night his wife died.””
She started shaking.
Dad whispered, “Tell me.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Your wife was driving home from the hospital.””
“I know.””
“She called me.””
“When?””
“Twenty minutes before the crash.””
Dad's face changed.
“You never told me that.””
“She was crying.””
“What did she say?””
“She said someone had followed her.””
“Who?””
“She didn't know.””
“Then what?””
“She told me to take care of you.””
Dad swallowed.
“What else?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“She said if anything happened, I had to tell you about Derek.””
Derek stared.
“She knew?””
“Yes.””
“She knew I was Nia's father?””
“Yes.””
Derek's eyes filled.
“What did she say about me?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“She said she was going to tell Marcus.””
Derek looked away.
Dad whispered, “Then why didn't she?””
“Because she died.””
The room went silent.
Raymond's voice came through the door.
“She didn't die because of a crash.””
I froze.
Dad stepped toward the door.
“What did you say?””
Raymond's voice was calm now.
“She was murdered.””
Vanessa began crying.
Dad's hand tightened into a fist.
“By who?””
“You already know.””
“No.””
“You just need to look at the right person.””
Dad turned toward Vanessa.
She shook her head.
“Don't look at me.””
Raymond laughed outside.
“Not Vanessa.””
Dad stared.
“Then who?””
“Ask Derek.””
Derek stepped forward.
“What?””
“You were the last man she called.””
Derek's face went pale.
“No.””
“You were.””
“I never spoke to her.””
“Check your records.””
Derek pulled out his phone.
His fingers trembled.
He opened his call history.
Nothing.
“No call.””
Raymond laughed.
“Because the call was deleted.””
“By who?””
“Your friend at the hospital.””
“Dr. Collins?””
“Yes.””
Derek stared at the screen.
“He's dead.””
“Dead people leave records.””
Raymond paused.
“Open the hidden folder.””
Isaiah did.
There was another file.
A phone transcript.
Date: the night my mother died.
Derek read it.
His face changed.
“What?””
Dad looked at him.
“What does it say?””
Derek couldn't speak.
I took the phone.
The transcript was short.
*Unknown Female:* Derek, I need you to listen.
*Derek:* Who is this?
*Unknown Female:* Nia's mother.
*Derek:* Where are you?
*Unknown Female:* I'm being followed.
Then a final line.
*Unknown Female:* If I don't make it home, tell Nia the truth.
My hands shook.
“That was my mother.””
Derek nodded.
“I never heard this.””
“Someone deleted the call.””
Raymond's voice came through the door.
“Now you understand.””
Dad said, “Who deleted it?””
Silence.
Then Raymond answered.
“Marcus did.””
Dad went completely still.
I stared at him.
“No.””
Raymond continued.
“He doesn't remember.””
Dad shook his head.
“I never spoke to her that night.””
“You did.””
“No.””
“You were angry.””
“I was at home.””
“You left.””
Dad looked confused.
“I didn't.””
Vanessa whispered, “Marcus…”
He turned.
“What?””
She was crying.
“I saw you.””
Dad's face went blank.
“You saw me where?””
“Leaving the house.””
“When?””
“The night she died.””
I stepped back.
“Dad?””
He shook his head.
“No.””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“You came back two hours later.””
“I was home.””
“You weren't.””
Dad stared at her.
“You're lying.””
“I wish I were.””
Raymond's voice came through the door.
“Open the drive, Marcus.””
Dad looked toward the laptop.
“Why?””
“Because there's a video.””
“What video?””
“From the night your wife died.””
Dad's face drained of color.
Isaiah whispered, “Play it.””
Dad hesitated.
Then he clicked.
The screen showed a dark parking lot.
A car.
My mother's car.
A man approached the driver's side.
The video quality was poor.
But the clothes were visible.
Navy shirt.
Trimmed beard.
Same height.
Same build.
Dad stared at the screen.
“No.””
I looked at him.
The man on the video opened the car door.
My mother stepped out.
They argued.
Then she got back into the car.
The man walked away.
Dad whispered, “That's not me.””
Raymond laughed.
“That's what you told yourself.””
Dad stepped toward the laptop.
“Who recorded this?””
“You did.””
“No.””
“You don't remember.””
Derek stared at the screen.
“Marcus.””
“What?””
“Pause it.””
Isaiah paused.
Derek pointed.
“Look at the man's wrist.””
Dad looked.
A dark watch.
I recognized it.
“Dad.””
He stared at his own wrist.
He was wearing the same watch.
His face went white.
Vanessa whispered, “You had that watch that night.””
Dad stepped backward.
“I don't remember.””
Raymond's voice became softer.
“That's why I kept the footage.””
Dad looked toward the door.
“What did you do to me?””
Raymond answered.
“Nothing.””
“Then why don't I remember?””
“Because someone made sure you wouldn't.””
A terrible silence filled the kitchen.
Then Raymond said something that made all of us freeze.
“Your wife wasn't the only person who was supposed to die that night.””
I looked at him through the glass.
“Who else?””
May you like
Raymond raised the gun.
“You.””