Chapter 5 - The Debt Behind the Lies
Angela sat at the kitchen table after the call.
She looked like she had aged ten years.
“Tell me everything.”
She stared at her hands.
“I thought that part of my life was over.”
“What part?”
“Darren’s gambling.”
Marcus stood near the doorway.
He could have gone upstairs.
He stayed.
Angela looked at him.
“When you were little, your father owed people money.”
“How much?”
“I never knew the full amount.”
She inhaled.
“Every time I thought I knew, another debt appeared.”
Marcus said nothing.
“Victor was one of the people Darren owed.”
“Was he dangerous?”
Angela hesitated.
“He scared me.”
That was enough.
She continued.
“One night when you were two, Victor came to our apartment looking for Darren.”
Marcus went pale.
“What happened?”
“Nothing happened to us.”
She looked at me.
“But I left the next morning.”
Darren disappeared months later.
According to Angela, he had taken cash, clothes, and a few pieces of jewelry.
Then nothing.
Until now.
Detective Harris called again that evening.
Victor Lane had been questioned.
He denied threatening anyone.
But he admitted Darren owed him money.
“How much?” I asked.
“Approximately sixty thousand.”
I almost laughed from disbelief.
The attempted trust withdrawal had been forty thousand.
Close enough to make Darren desperate.
Harris continued.
“Victor claims he only wants repayment.”
“And you believe him?”
“I believe he is telling us what is useful for him to admit.”
Fair answer.
“Where is Darren?”
“We’re working on that.”
Marcus stood beside me.
Harris heard his voice.
“Detective?”
“Yes?”
“Is my dad going to get arrested?”
The word dad still meant Darren in that sentence.
It hurt.
But not like before.
“He may face charges related to attempted fraud and identity misuse.”
Marcus swallowed.
“Okay.”
After the call, he went outside.
I found him sitting on the hood of his Honda.
“You okay?”
“No.”
I stood beside him.
“I spent my whole life wondering why he didn’t want me.”
I didn’t interrupt.
“Then he comes back, and for three weeks I finally thought maybe he did.”
His voice cracked.
“And it turns out he wanted my money.”
I leaned against the car.
“That’s not because you weren’t worth coming back for.”
Marcus laughed painfully.
“You have to say that.”
“No.”
I looked at him.
“I don’t.”
He wiped his face.
“I wish he had just stayed gone.”
I understood.
Sometimes hope hurts more than absence.
The next morning, I went to the repair shop.
My business partner, Frank, was already opening.
“You look terrible.”
“Thank you.”
“Marriage?”
“Worse.”
I told him enough to explain why I might need time away.
Frank stared at me.
“Somebody tried to steal the kid’s trust?”
“Yes.”
“And his biological father did it?”
“Looks that way.”
Frank shook his head.
“People are unbelievable.”
At noon, the receptionist walked into the bay.
“David?”
“Yeah?”
“There’s a man asking for you.”
My stomach tightened.
“Who?”
“He won’t say.”
I stepped toward the front office.
Then stopped.
“Call police if I tell you to.”
Frank immediately came with me.
The man waiting wasn’t Darren.
He was older.
Heavy coat.
Gray hair.
Calm eyes.
“David Reed?”
“Yes.”
“Victor Lane.”
Frank moved closer.
I stayed behind the counter.
“You need to leave.”
Victor raised both hands.
“I’m not here for trouble.”
“You’re the man Darren owes.”
“Yes.”
“You should be talking to police.”
“I already did.”
“Then why are you here?”
Victor looked around.
“Because Darren is desperate.”
“I know.”
“No.”
His voice lowered.
“You know he tried to get money.”
I stared at him.
“You don’t know what he’s planning now.”
Every muscle in my body tightened.
“What?”
Victor reached into his coat slowly.
Frank stepped forward.
Victor pulled out an envelope.
Nothing else.
He placed it on the counter.
“I’m giving you this because I don’t want what Darren does next blamed on me.”
I didn’t touch it.
“What is it?”
“Copies of messages.”
“Between you and Darren?”
“Yes.”
“Why give them to me?”
“Because I told him I was done.”
Victor’s face hardened.
“I lend money.”
Frank muttered, “How noble.”
Victor ignored him.
“I don’t hurt kids.”
That sentence chilled me.
“What did Darren say?”
Victor nodded toward the envelope.
“Read it.”
Then he walked out.
I called Harris before opening anything.
Police arrived and photographed the envelope.
Inside were printed messages.
Darren:
I’ll have the money before the boy turns 18.
Victor:
You said that already.
Darren:
The trust is locked.
Victor:
Not my problem.
Then another exchange.
Darren:
I can force the stepdad out. Once Angela thinks she’s losing the house, she’ll refinance.
My hands clenched.
Another.
Victor:
Leave the kid out of this.
Darren:
He’s the easiest part.
I stopped reading.
Frank swore under his breath.
Detective Harris took the pages.
“This helps.”
“It also means he’s planning something with the house.”
Harris nodded.
“Change locks.”
“We already did.”
“Security system?”
“Installed yesterday.”
“Good.”
My phone rang.
Marcus.
I answered instantly.
“Dad?”
My heart stopped.
He hadn’t called me Dad since the argument.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s someone following me.”
I was already moving.
“Where are you?”
“Leaving school.”
“Do not go home.”
“I’m driving.”
“What car?”
“Gray sedan.”
Detective Harris grabbed his radio.
I spoke quickly.
“Go to the police station.”
“It just turned behind me.”
“Marcus, listen to me.”
My hands shook.
“Do not stop.”
He breathed harder.
“It’s speeding up.”
Harris was already calling units.
“Marcus,” I said, “stay on the phone.”
The line crackled.
Then I heard tires.
A horn.
May you like
Marcus shouted.
The call went dead.
