Chapter 14: The Last Thing Marcus Wanted
Melissa returned home just before sunrise.
An officer walked beside her.
Tyler stood in the doorway.
For a second, neither moved.
Then he ran to her.
Melissa wrapped both arms around him.
“I'm sorry.””
Tyler cried into her shoulder.
“You lied to me my whole life.””
“I know.””
“You stole my money.””
“I know.””
“You made me steal.””
Her face crumpled.
“I know.””
Tyler pulled away.
“I don't forgive you.””
Melissa nodded through tears.
“You shouldn't yet.””
That was the first honest thing I'd heard her say without being forced.
Dad stood several feet away.
Melissa looked at him.
“I never wanted you hurt.””
Dad's expression remained hard.
“You forged my signature.””
“Yes.””
“You stole from Tyler.””
“Yes.””
“You let him steal from my daughter.””
“Yes.””
“You hid evidence connected to Andrew's death.””
Melissa lowered her head.
“Yes.””
Dad nodded.
“Then whatever happens next, you tell the truth.””
“I will.””
The detective stepped into the room.
“Marcus left the warehouse before officers arrived. We believe he expected Daniel to come alone.””
Dad asked, “What was on the wall?””
The detective showed us a photograph.
Written in black marker:
*THE WATCH KNOWS WHERE ANDREW SLEEPS.*
Everyone looked confused.
Except Melissa.
Her eyes widened.
“Daniel.””
“What?””
“Your father's watch.””
Dad frowned.
“What about it?””
“Where did your father get it?””
Dad thought.
“He didn't buy it.””
His face changed.
“Andy gave it to him.””
Tyler whispered, “Andrew?””
Dad nodded.
“When my father got sick, Andy visited him. He gave him the watch as a thank-you for raising a decent son.””
Melissa stepped closer.
“Andrew used to hide things.””
“What things?””
“Documents. Cash. Keys.””
Dad immediately grabbed the pawn receipt.
The shop opened at nine.
Police met us there.
The owner retrieved Grandpa's watch from secured storage.
Dad paid the redemption amount himself.
Tyler tried to speak.
Dad stopped him.
“You'll repay me.””
“I will.””
Dad examined the watch.
Silver case.
Blue face.
Nothing obvious.
Then the pawn-shop owner said, “Wait.””
He took a magnifying lens.
“This back plate has been opened before.””
Dad stared.
The owner carefully unscrewed it.
Beneath the mechanism was a tiny folded strip of paper.
Tyler whispered, “No way.””
Dad unfolded it.
A sequence of numbers.
And two letters.
*GC.*
The detective recognized the numbers as coordinates.
They led to Greenlawn Cemetery.
Andrew Bennett's grave.
By noon, police had secured the area.
The cemetery manager checked old records.
Andrew's burial plot had been purchased with an additional storage vault registered under a legal trust.
Dad stared at the paperwork.
“People can do that?””
“Document vaults were occasionally offered through private memorial services,” the manager explained.
“This one hasn't been accessed since 2011.””
The key number matched the engraving hidden inside the watch.
Inside the small sealed compartment was a metal document box.
Police photographed everything before opening it.
The original trust.
Andrew's handwritten notes.
Copies of communications with Marcus.
And a sealed envelope.
*FOR DANIEL*
Dad opened it.
Inside was another letter.
Andrew explained that Marcus had been pressuring him to sell the property.
He feared Marcus was falsifying environmental reports and bribing an assessor to depress its value.
Andrew had gathered evidence.
Bank records.
Recorded conversations.
Names.
Dad looked at the detective.
“This isn't just about the land.””
“No.””
The detective flipped through the files.
“This could support fraud and bribery investigations too.””
Then Dad found a small memory card taped beneath the letter.
The detective inserted it into an evidence laptop.
Audio played.
Andrew's voice.
Then Marcus's.
Marcus said, “Sell me your half.””
Andrew replied, “No.””
“You're making this harder than it needs to be.””
“You don't own me.””
Marcus laughed.
“Everyone has a price.””
Andrew's answer was clear.
“Daniel doesn't.””
Dad looked away.
Then Marcus said something worse.
“Then maybe Daniel inherits your problem.””
The recording ended.
A cemetery employee hurried toward us.
“Police?””
The detective turned.
“There’s a man asking about this plot.””
Every officer became alert.
“Where?””
“Parking lot.””
Dad looked across the cemetery.
A black SUV sat near the entrance.
The engine started.
“Marcus,” Melissa whispered.
Police moved.
The SUV accelerated.
It tore through the parking lane.
Two patrol cars blocked the exit.
Marcus reversed violently.
Then stopped.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
The driver's door opened.
Marcus stepped out.
Hands raised.
Dad stared at him from across the cemetery.
Marcus looked directly at him.
Then smiled.
Officers ordered him to the ground.
He obeyed.
As they handcuffed him, he called across the distance.
“Daniel!””
Dad said nothing.
Marcus laughed.
“You think Andrew left you a fortune?””
The detective pushed him toward the patrol car.
Marcus twisted around.
“That land isn't worth millions!””
Dad's eyes narrowed.
May you like
Marcus shouted one last sentence.
“It's worth ten times that!””
