Chapter 8 - Before They Fell in Love
Nia did not speak to Marcus for two days.
The silence was not punishment.
It was self-defense.
Every memory of their relationship now contained a question.
Their first date.
Had he already known about her family?
Their engagement.
Did he marry her while keeping Robert’s secret?
Their wedding.
Had he looked at Denise across the reception hall knowing she might have stolen from Nia’s father?
On Wednesday night, Marcus came to pick up Micah.
Nia blocked the doorway.
“We need to talk.”
“I figured.”
Micah appeared behind her carrying a backpack.
“Am I still sleeping at Dad’s?”
“Yes,” Nia said.
Marcus nodded.
“Absolutely.”
After Micah left to get his sneakers, Nia lowered her voice.
“Did my father ask you to watch me?”
Marcus stared.
“No.”
“Think carefully.”
“I don’t have to.”
“Did he introduce us?”
“No.”
“Did you date me because of him?”
Marcus’s expression hardened.
“That’s insulting.”
“So is learning my husband kept an eleven-year secret.”
“We didn’t start dating until three years after Robert died.”
“You recognized my last name.”
“Yes.”
“And said nothing.”
“I was afraid if I told you, you’d think exactly what you’re thinking now.”
“Maybe because it’s reasonable.”
“No.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“I met you because you yelled at me in Home Depot over the last box of tile.”
Despite herself, Nia remembered.
“You took it from my cart.”
“It was my cart.”
“You abandoned it.”
“For thirty seconds.”
“Possession.”
Marcus almost smiled.
Then the moment died.
“I fell in love with you because you were you.”
“While knowing my father suspected my mother of stealing.”
“Yes.”
Nia’s eyes burned.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because your father had no proof.”
“He had a letter.”
“I didn’t know about that drive.”
“But you knew enough.”
Marcus exhaled.
“Your father discovered a false invoice on a renovation job. My company’s name was listed as vendor. We hadn’t done the work.”
“How much?”
“Twelve thousand.”
“And?”
“I confronted him.”
“My dad?”
“Robert believed me.”
Nia closed her eyes.
Her father would have.
Robert had an annoying ability to hear uncomfortable truths without immediately attacking the messenger.
Something Denise had never mastered.
“He told me he would investigate,” Marcus continued. “Three weeks later, he died.”
“You think the stress caused it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Mom know you had told him?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Because she cornered me after his funeral.”
Nia opened her eyes.
“What did she say?”
Marcus looked toward the hallway where Micah was singing while searching for sneakers.
Then back to Nia.
“She said, ‘Robert trusted the wrong people. Don’t make the same mistake.’”
A chill moved across Nia’s skin.
“And you married into this family anyway?”
Marcus laughed softly.
“You were worth the risk.”
The sentence made her angry because some part of her still wanted it.
Micah returned.
“Found them!”
Nia crouched.
“Brush your teeth at Dad’s.”
“I know.”
“No soda.”
Marcus looked offended.
“I run a respectable establishment.”
“You ate pizza for breakfast last weekend.”
“It had vegetables.”
“Pepperoni is not a vegetable.”
Micah laughed.
The normalcy hurt.
After they left, Nia returned to Robert’s files.
One spreadsheet documented payments.
Small at first.
Five thousand.
Eight thousand.
Twelve.
Then larger transfers.
The recipients were coded.
D1.
A1.
HP.
Nia assumed D1 meant Denise.
A1 Andre.
HP Harbor Point.
One line stood out.
May 14, 2015.
$48,000.
Recipient:
LCR.
Nia frowned.
That was two years after Robert’s death.
She opened supporting documents.
LCR Properties LLC.
Registered owner:
Loretta Carter-Reeves.
Nia stared.
Aunt Loretta.
Robert’s older sister.
The woman the family had not spoken to in nine years.
According to Denise, Loretta had stolen money from Lillian and moved to North Carolina.
Nia searched online.
The company owned a small warehouse outside Baltimore.
Purchased for $48,000.
Robert’s spreadsheet predated the purchase, suggesting the payment arrangement already existed.
Why would Denise send money to a relative she claimed to hate?
Nia called Renee.
“Where is Aunt Loretta?”
Renee became quiet.
“Why?”
“I found payments.”
“What payments?”
“To Loretta.”
Renee cursed softly.
“What?”
“You need to talk to her.”
“Why?”
“Because Denise lied about why Loretta left.”
Nia gripped her phone.
“What really happened?”
Renee hesitated.
“Loretta found Robert’s missing audit papers.”
Nia stood.
“What?”
“After his funeral.”
“Where?”
“In Denise’s car.”
Nia’s heart pounded.
“And then?”
“Denise told everyone Loretta was stealing.”
“Was she?”
“No.”
“Then why did Grandma believe it?”
“Lillian didn’t.”
Nia frowned.
“But Grandma cut Loretta off.”
“That’s what Denise told you.”
Nia’s stomach turned.
Renee continued:
“Lillian secretly helped Loretta leave Baltimore.”
“The forty-eight thousand.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Loretta was scared.”
“Of Denise?”
“Not exactly.”
Nia swallowed.
“Then who?”
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Renee answered:
“Andre.”
