Chapter 4: The Name on the Statement
Denise didn't move.
The bank statement lay between her and Isaiah, its white paper almost painfully bright beneath the kitchen lights.
Zoe stood beside her father, staring at the name printed beneath the $1,200 transfer.
Marcus Reed.
She had never heard that name before.
Malik leaned forward, squinting at the statement.
"Who the hell is Marcus Reed?""
Denise immediately reached for the paper.
Isaiah placed his hand over it.
"Don't.""
"Give me that.""
"Answer the question.""
Denise looked toward Malik, then back at Isaiah.
"He's someone I know.""
Isaiah's expression didn't change.
"Someone you know well enough to send twelve hundred dollars?""
"It was a personal matter.""
"With money I sent for my daughter?""
Denise pulled her hands back.
"You're making assumptions.""
Isaiah tapped the date.
"March twenty-third. I sent you twelve hundred dollars that week. The transfer to Marcus happened the following day.""
"Maybe I owed him money.""
"For what?""
"That's none of your business.""
Zoe looked at her stepmother.
"That was supposed to pay for my equipment.""
Denise turned sharply.
"Zoe, stay out of adult conversations.""
Isaiah stood.
"She's the reason we're having this conversation. She has every right to know where her money went.""
Malik pushed his phone aside.
"Mom, seriously. Who is Marcus?""
Denise's jaw tightened.
"He's an old friend.""
"An old friend who needed twelve hundred dollars?""
"Malik, stop.""
But Malik wasn't looking at her anymore.
He was looking at the statement.
"Wait. Is that why you kept telling me we couldn't afford the new camera?""
Denise's eyes flashed.
"That has nothing to do with this.""
"You told me you were waiting for your next paycheck.""
"I said stop!""
Her sudden outburst silenced the kitchen.
Isaiah took the statement and turned to the next page.
There were more transfers.
March twenty-third: $1,200.
April seventh: $450.
April twenty-ninth: $700.
May seventeenth: $300.
June fourth: $600.
Every payment went to the same account.
Marcus Reed.
Isaiah read the entries twice.
"That's over three thousand dollars.""
Denise rubbed her forehead.
"I was helping someone.""
"Who?""
"A person who was in trouble.""
"What kind of trouble?""
"Isaiah, I am not going to stand here and discuss another person's private life.""
Isaiah gave a humorless laugh.
"You were perfectly comfortable discussing my daughter's financial situation when you told her I didn't care about her.""
Denise's face reddened.
Zoe looked down at the table.
She remembered asking Denise for money to buy a replacement battery.
She remembered Denise sitting on this exact chair, scrolling through her phone, telling her that her father had already done enough.
And now she was discovering that thousands of dollars had been sent somewhere else.
"Was Marcus the reason you wouldn't give me the money?"" Zoe asked.
Denise stared at her.
"I said I was handling things.""
"You told me Dad didn't want to pay.""
"Your father is hardly ever here!""
"That's not an answer.""
Denise stood abruptly.
"Don't speak to me like that.""
Isaiah moved between them.
"Sit down, Denise.""
For a moment, it looked as though she might argue.
Then she lowered herself into the chair.
Isaiah took out his phone.
"I'm calling the bank.""
Denise's head snapped up.
"Why?""
"Because I want to know exactly where those transfers went.""
"You can't just call them and demand information.""
"It's my account.""
"It's our household account!""
"Then you shouldn't have used it to hide money.""
He dialed.
While he waited, Malik stood and walked toward the refrigerator.
He opened it, stared inside, and closed it again.
"Mom," he said quietly.
"What?""
"Is Marcus the guy who came to your birthday dinner?""
Denise went pale.
Isaiah stopped speaking.
Zoe looked up.
"What birthday dinner?""
Malik glanced at his mother.
"The one in April. The guy who gave you that gold bracelet.""
Denise's hand instinctively moved to her wrist.
Isaiah noticed.
"Marcus gave you a bracelet?""
"It's jewelry. It doesn't mean anything.""
Malik shook his head.
"Mom, you told me he was a family friend.""
Denise stood again.
"That's enough!""
The bank representative finally answered Isaiah's call.
He stepped into the adjoining room.
Zoe remained at the table.
Malik sat down again, his eyes fixed on his mother.
"Are you seeing somebody?""
Denise didn't respond.
"Mom?""
"Don't.""
"Is he married?""
Her silence answered more than she intended.
Malik slowly leaned back.
"Oh, my God.""
Zoe stared at the floor.
She didn't care whether Denise had a friend or a boyfriend. She cared that money meant for her education had disappeared while she was struggling to build something that could change her life.
But now the situation seemed bigger.
When Isaiah returned, his expression had changed.
"The bank confirmed the transfers," he said.
"They came from the account I used to send money for Zoe.""
Denise crossed her arms.
"Fine. I sent him money. Are you satisfied?""
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because I want to know what he received it for.""
Denise looked toward the hallway.
"I need some air.""
Isaiah blocked her path.
"You're not walking away from this.""
"Move.""
"Not until you answer one question.""
He held up the statement.
"Who is Marcus Reed?""
Denise's eyes filled, but her voice remained sharp.
"He's someone who helped me when nobody else did.""
Isaiah stared at her.
"And what did he help you with?""
She looked at Malik.
Then at Zoe.
Finally, she whispered:
"He helped me keep something from falling apart.""
Isaiah waited.
Denise swallowed.
"Something you don't know about.""
Before anyone could respond, her phone vibrated on the kitchen counter.
A message appeared across the screen.
*MARCUS REED: I need the rest of the money. You promised me you'd pay by Friday. Don't make me come over there.*
Malik read it.
Zoe read it.
And Isaiah slowly reached for the phone.
May you like
Denise snatched it away.
But the message had already changed everything.
