Chapter 9: The Woman Who Knew Everything
The storage door stopped halfway open.
A man's silhouette filled the gap, blocking the morning light. Charles stepped in front of Denise and Tiana while Aaliyah slipped the letter and USB drive into her purse.
Raymond raised both hands.
“Warren, wait.””
Warren Pike ducked beneath the metal door and entered the unit.
He was no longer wearing the polite smile he had displayed at Charles's house. His eyes moved across the room, taking in the open boxes, the scattered documents, and the legal papers in Charles's hand.
“You people really don't know when to stop,” he said.
Charles held the original agreement against his chest.
“You knew about this unit.””
“Of course I did.””
“Then why didn't you take the documents before we got here?””
Warren gave him a cold look.
“Because your uncle assured me that everything had been removed.””
Raymond stepped forward.
“I told you the original wasn't here.””
“And I believed you.””
Warren's gaze shifted to the USB drive protruding from Aaliyah's purse.
“Apparently, I shouldn't have.””
Aaliyah covered the purse with her arm.
“Don't come any closer.””
Warren smiled without warmth.
“You're in over your head.””
“Then explain why a grown man is threatening a woman with a baby.””
“I'm trying to prevent a financial disaster.””
“No,” she replied.
“You're trying to prevent people from finding out what you did.””
Warren looked at Charles.
“Give me the agreement.””
Charles shook his head.
“I'm taking it to the police.””
Warren sighed.
“Do you really think they'll believe you? Your signature is on the financing agreement. Your signature is on the transfer authorization.
Your login approved the transactions. You have spent two years lying to your wife and daughter.””
He paused.
“And now you want to present yourself as the innocent man who finally found his conscience?””
Charles's face tightened.
Warren was right about one thing.
Charles had signed documents without understanding their full consequences. He had concealed evidence because he was afraid. He had allowed the family to mourn Marcus without knowing whether he was alive.
But he had not stolen the money.
And he had not killed his brother.
“Maybe they won't believe me,” Charles said.
“But they will have the original documents, the bank records, and Marcus's recordings.””
Warren's expression hardened.
“Where are the recordings?””
Charles said nothing.
Warren looked toward Raymond.
“You told me you had everything.””
“I did what you asked.””
“No. You did what was convenient for you.””
Raymond's shoulders stiffened.
“I kept the company alive.””
“You kept yourself alive.””
For a moment, the two men stared at each other.
Denise recognized the look.
It was the expression of people who had worked together long enough to know exactly how much damage the other could cause.
Warren extended his hand.
“The agreement, Charles.””
Charles tightened his grip.
“No.””
Warren took one step forward.
Then Tiana spoke.
“We've already made copies.””
Everyone turned toward her.
She held up her phone.
“Photographs of every page. They're backed up.””
It wasn't entirely true. She had photographed the first several pages while Raymond and Charles argued, but she had not copied everything.
She hoped Warren wouldn't know the difference.
He stared at her phone.
“Give it to me.””
“No.””
“I'm not going to ask again.””
“And I'm not going to hand you evidence of a crime.””
Warren moved toward her.
Charles blocked his path.
“Touch my daughter, and you'll have to go through me.””
Warren looked at Charles with open contempt.
“You should have thought about your family before you signed those papers.””
Charles swallowed.
“I should have.””
The admission seemed to surprise Warren.
Charles continued.
“I should have read every line. I should have asked where the money was going. I should have listened when Marcus told me something was wrong. I should have told my family the truth when I discovered the fraud.””
He lifted the agreement.
“But I will not make another mistake to protect you.””
Warren's face darkened.
“You think you're a hero now?””
“No.””
Charles's voice was quiet but steady.
“I think I'm finally done being a coward.””
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then a phone rang.
It came from inside Raymond's jacket.
Raymond looked startled.
Warren immediately turned toward him.
“Don't answer it.””
Raymond reached into his pocket anyway.
The screen displayed a number he didn't recognize.
He hesitated, then pressed the green button.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice came through the speaker.
“Raymond, this is Simone Brooks. I understand you're at Unit 214.””
Raymond's face drained of color.
Warren stepped toward him.
“Hang up.””
Simone continued.
“I have reason to believe the original trust documents are in your possession. I also have reason to believe Warren Pike is present.””
Warren lunged for the phone.
Raymond pulled away.
“Simone, wait,” he said.
“How do you know we're here?””
“Because Evelyn asked me to make sure the documents were recovered if any of you returned to that unit.””
Denise stepped forward.
“Ms. Brooks? This is Denise Reed.””
Simone paused.
“Denise. I'm glad you're there.””
Denise's voice trembled.
“Did you know Marcus was alive?””
“Yes.””
Aaliyah closed her eyes.
The confirmation was devastating, even though they had already heard Marcus's voice.
“Why didn't you tell us?”” Denise asked.
“Because I was bound by a request Marcus made while he was trying to protect you. I was also trying to establish who had forged the documents and who had threatened him.””
“You let us believe he was dead.””
“I know. And I am deeply sorry for the pain that caused you.””
Warren moved toward the door.
Simone's voice sharpened.
“Mr. Pike, I would advise you not to leave.””
He froze.
“You don't have authority to detain me.””
“No,” Simone replied.
“But I have already contacted the authorities regarding the forged transfer documents. They have the original records from the bank and a copy of the financing agreement.””
Warren's face tightened.
“You're bluffing.””
“Am I? I also have a sworn statement from a former employee who witnessed the transfers.””
Raymond looked at her in disbelief.
“You have a witness?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
“Someone who worked in your accounting department.””
Raymond went pale.
Charles turned toward his uncle.
“You knew somebody inside the company was helping Warren.””
Raymond's jaw clenched.
“I didn't know who.””
Simone interrupted.
“The person who authorized the transactions was not Charles.””
Everyone fell silent.
Charles stared at the phone.
“What?””
“Your credentials were used, but the authorization logs show that the transactions were approved from a separate terminal. The original audit trail was concealed in the company's archived records.””
Charles sat down on the wooden desk.
For two years, he had believed that his carelessness had helped cause his brother's disappearance. He had known he signed the financing agreement, but he had never understood why the transfers continued after he demanded an audit.
Now somebody was confirming what he had feared to hope.
“Who did it?”” he asked.
Simone took a breath.
“The records point to Raymond Reed and Warren Pike.””
Raymond's mouth fell open.
“That is not true.””
“Your signature appears on the authorization forms,” Simone replied.
“And the financial trail shows payments to an account controlled by a company associated with Mr. Pike.””
Warren shook his head.
“This is ridiculous.””
Simone continued.
“There's one more thing. Marcus did not disappear because of the debt.””
Aaliyah stepped forward.
“Then why did he?””
“Because he discovered that the forged transactions were only part of a larger scheme. Someone had arranged to make him appear responsible for the missing money. When he confronted them, he was warned that his family would suffer if he went to the authorities.””
Denise covered her mouth.
“Who threatened him?””
“Warren Pike did. Raymond helped arrange the false transfer documents. But the person who first proposed using Marcus as the scapegoat was someone else.””
Charles stood slowly.
“Who?””
Simone hesitated.
Then she said, “I believe Marcus should tell you himself.””
Aaliyah's heart began to pound.
“Where is he?””
“I can arrange a meeting. But first, I need everyone to leave that unit safely and bring the documents to my office.””
Warren stepped toward the exit.
“You can't prove any of this.””
Simone's voice remained calm.
“Then you should have no reason to be concerned about speaking with the authorities.””
Warren looked at Charles one final time.
“This isn't over.””
Charles held his gaze.
“No. It isn't.””
Warren ducked beneath the storage door and walked away.
Raymond remained in the unit, staring at the floor.
Denise turned toward him.
“Did you know Marcus was alive when you stood at his funeral?””
Raymond's eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.””
The answer was almost too quiet to hear.
Denise recoiled.
“How could you?””
“I thought he was safer if everyone believed he was gone.””
“Safer from whom?””
Raymond looked toward the door.
“From the people I had helped bring into his life.””
Tiana shook her head.
“You don't get to call betrayal protection.””
Raymond lowered his face.
“No,” he whispered.
“I suppose I don't.””
Charles gathered the documents while Aaliyah secured the USB drive. Denise took the original letter from her mother and folded it carefully.
They left the storage facility together.
Nobody spoke until they reached the parking lot.
Then Aaliyah turned toward Charles.
“When can we see Marcus?””
Charles looked at his brother's photograph, still tucked inside the envelope.
“Soon.””
She shook her head.
“Don't promise me something you can't control.””
He nodded.
“You're right.””
His phone vibrated.
A message from Simone appeared.
I have arranged a secure meeting for this afternoon. Marcus has agreed to attend.
Aaliyah pressed a hand against her chest.
Then another message appeared.
There is one condition. He wants to speak to Charles alone first.
Charles stared at the screen.
Denise frowned.
“Why would he want that?””
Charles looked toward the road.
“I don't know.””
Aaliyah's expression hardened.
“Whatever he says, I want the truth afterward. All of it.””
Charles nodded.
“I promise.””
She studied him for a moment.
“Your promises don't mean much right now.””
Then she climbed into Denise's car.
Charles remained beside his vehicle, staring at the message.
He had spent two years wishing for the chance to see his brother again.
Now that the moment was finally approaching, he was terrified of what Marcus might say.
May you like
Because if Marcus wanted to speak to him alone, there was a good chance the truth had nothing to do with Warren Pike.
And everything to do with the brother who had betrayed him.
