Chapter 2: The Secret in Her Phone
Detective Walker's words hung in the living room.
Marcus stared at him.
"What does that mean?""
The second officer, Detective Renee Brooks, held a small notebook against her chest. She had been watching Marcus since she entered the house, paying particular attention to the way his eyes moved whenever Aaliyah's final message was mentioned.
"It means your daughter attempted to contact emergency services after sending that message," Brooks said.
"We need to establish what happened during that period.""
Marcus shook his head.
"She was in the hospital. If something happened, the doctors would have called me.""
"Which number would they have called?"" Walker asked.
"My cell phone.""
"Did you have your phone with you during your trip?""
"Of course.""
"Was it switched on?""
Marcus hesitated.
Vanessa stared at him.
"Marcus?""
He rubbed his forehead.
"There were some issues with the signal. We were on the coast.""
Detective Brooks wrote something down.
"Your phone records indicate that your device was active during the period in question.""
Marcus looked up sharply.
"What?""
"Several outgoing calls were placed from your phone. You also received messages from other contacts.""
The room seemed to shrink around him.
He glanced toward Vanessa.
She stood beside the staircase, her pink dress suddenly out of place among the black clothing and white flowers. Her hands were empty now. She had left the shopping bags on the floor.
"What calls?"" Marcus demanded.
Detective Brooks didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she opened her notebook.
"Before we get into that, we need to understand your relationship with your daughter. When did you last speak to Aaliyah?""
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"About a week ago.""
Danielle made a sound that was almost a laugh.
"A week?""
He turned toward her.
"Danielle, please.""
"You spoke to her on Thursday morning," Danielle said.
"She called you about her scholarship interview.""
Marcus looked down.
"I was busy.""
"You told her you'd call her back.""
"I said I would.""
"She waited all day.""
"I had a business meeting!""
"And the next day?""
Marcus didn't respond.
Danielle stepped closer.
"She called you again because the doctors wanted to discuss her treatment. You told her you were getting on a plane.""
Marcus's expression hardened.
"I couldn't abandon a business deal because of every little problem.""
The instant the words left his mouth, he seemed to realize what he had said.
Patricia stared at him in disgust.
"Every little problem?"" she repeated.
"Your daughter was in a hospital bed.""
Marcus's voice dropped.
"I didn't know it was that serious.""
Danielle reached into her handbag and pulled out a folded sheet of paper.
She placed it on the memorial table.
"Then explain this.""
It was a hospital document, creased from being carried around for days. At the top was Aaliyah's name. Beneath it were medical notes, appointment dates, and a bold heading indicating that her condition had deteriorated.
Marcus looked at the paper but didn't touch it.
"I've never seen that.""
"Because you never came to the hospital.""
"I was working.""
"You were shopping in Miami.""
Vanessa flinched.
Marcus turned toward her.
"Don't.""
But Vanessa's eyes had fixed on the document.
"Marcus," she said slowly, "you told me you were going to Miami because your business partner needed you there.""
"I was handling business.""
"At a hotel?""
He didn't answer.
"With me?""
"Vanessa, stop.""
She stared at him.
"You said your wife knew you were traveling.""
Danielle let out a bitter breath.
"He told you that?""
Vanessa nodded once.
Marcus stepped toward her.
"Not here.""
"Where, then?"" Vanessa asked.
"Because apparently there are things you only explain when nobody else is listening.""
Detective Walker raised a hand.
"We're going to need everyone to remain calm.""
Marcus turned back to him.
"I don't understand why you're questioning me like I'm a criminal. My daughter was sick. I didn't know she was going to die.""
"We're not making an accusation at this time," Walker replied.
"We're establishing a timeline.""
"Then talk to the hospital.""
"We have.""
That stopped Marcus.
Detective Brooks opened her notebook again.
"At 8:17 p.m. on Friday, your daughter contacted the hospital's emergency line from her room. At 8:26 p.m., she sent the message we just showed you. At 8:41 p.m., a call was placed from her phone to a number registered to you.""
Marcus swallowed.
"I didn't receive it.""
"Your phone records show that the call connected for eleven seconds.""
"No.""
"Mr. Reed, we have the records.""
"I said no!""
His voice echoed through the living room.
Several relatives recoiled.
Detective Walker remained still.
"Are you saying you never spoke to your daughter that evening?""
Marcus opened his mouth.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
She was watching him with an expression he had never seen before. Not admiration. Not desire.
Fear.
"I don't remember," he said.
Danielle slowly shook her head.
"You don't remember?""
"I've had a lot going on.""
"My daughter was dying, and you can't remember whether you spoke to her?""
Marcus pressed his palms against his eyes.
"Stop saying that!""
"Why? Because hearing it makes you feel guilty?""
He lowered his hands.
For a moment, they stared at each other across the memorial table.
Then Detective Brooks spoke.
"Mrs. Reed, may I ask you something about Aaliyah's phone?""
Danielle nodded.
"Did your daughter share her passwords with you?""
"Some of them. She changed her phone password a few months ago, but she gave it to me when she started getting sick.""
"Did she ever tell you she was afraid of someone?""
Danielle's face changed.
Marcus noticed immediately.
"What?"" he asked.
Danielle looked at the detective.
"She told me somebody was following her.""
Marcus straightened.
"What are you talking about?""
Danielle ignored him.
"It started about three weeks ago. Aaliyah said someone kept appearing near her college campus. Then she found an envelope under her windshield wiper.""
"What was in it?"" Brooks asked.
"Photographs.""
"Of whom?""
"Her. Me. Marcus.""
The detective's pen stopped moving.
"Did she show you these photographs?""
"Yes.""
Danielle reached into her handbag again, this time removing a smaller envelope.
She had carried it to the hospital because Aaliyah had asked her not to throw it away.
Inside were three photographs.
The first showed Aaliyah leaving a campus building.
The second showed Danielle entering a grocery store.
The third showed Marcus standing beside a black SUV outside an office building.
The photographs had been taken from a distance, but the dates printed on the corners were clear.
Detective Walker examined them.
"Did your daughter report this to the police?""
"She wanted to," Danielle said.
"But she said she needed to find out who was doing it first.""
Marcus stared at the photograph of himself.
"That's ridiculous. Somebody was probably following me because of work.""
"She thought it was connected to you," Danielle replied.
"Why would she think that?""
Danielle looked at him.
"Because she found something in your study.""
Marcus went completely still.
Vanessa whispered, "What did she find?""
Nobody answered her.
Detective Walker slid the photographs back into the envelope.
"Mr. Reed, do you keep financial records or private documents in your home office?""
"Of course. I'm a businessman.""
"Is the office locked?""
"Sometimes.""
"Who has access?""
"Me. My assistant has a key.""
"And your daughter?""
Marcus shook his head.
"She wouldn't go through my things.""
Danielle's eyes filled again.
"You don't know your daughter as well as you think you do.""
Marcus turned toward her.
"Where is the study key?""
"Where you left it.""
"Danielle, I'm asking you a question.""
"And I'm telling you that your daughter found something you didn't want her to see.""
Detective Brooks exchanged a glance with her partner.
"Mr. Reed, we'd like your permission to inspect the office.""
Marcus's face hardened.
"Do you have a warrant?""
"Not at this time.""
"Then you can't just walk through my private documents.""
"That's correct," Walker said.
"We're asking for your cooperation.""
Marcus glanced toward the hallway.
For the first time, the officers seemed less like an inconvenience and more like a threat to something he desperately needed to protect.
"I'll speak to my attorney.""
"You're entitled to do that," Walker replied.
"But we still need to understand the circumstances surrounding your daughter's death.""
Marcus pulled out his phone.
His hands were shaking.
Danielle watched him scroll through his contacts.
"Who are you calling?"" she asked.
"My lawyer.""
"No," she said.
"Who are you really calling?""
He looked up.
"Don't start.""
"Did Aaliyah discover something about your business?""
Marcus said nothing.
Danielle's voice broke.
"Did she find out why you were so desperate to keep her away from your office?""
He stared at her.
Then his phone rang.
The name displayed on the screen was *Graham Ellis*, his business partner.
Marcus answered immediately.
"Graham, I need you to—"
"Marcus," Graham interrupted, his voice sharp and breathless, "tell me the police haven't found the blue folder.""
Marcus's face lost all color.
The call remained connected.
Everyone in the living room heard the words.
Graham continued.
"Listen to me. If Aaliyah sent that recording to anyone, we're finished. Do you understand? Finished.""
Marcus looked at the officers.
Then at Danielle.
He slowly lowered the phone from his ear.
Detective Walker extended his hand.
"Mr. Reed, I need you to stay right where you are.""
But the voice on the phone wasn't finished.
May you like
Graham's next sentence came through the speaker, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"And whatever you do, don't let your wife see the second signature.""
