Chapter 11: Unit 214
We didn't go to the storage facility.
Dad wanted to.
Detective Bennett refused.
"If Marcus Holloway is there, the last thing I need is a civilian walking into the middle of this.""
"I'm not a civilian. That's my brother's property.""
"Which makes you emotionally involved and therefore exactly the person I don't want there.""
Dad didn't like her answer.
But he stayed.
Detectives left.
Two patrol officers remained outside our house while Bennett and Mills drove toward the facility.
Richard insisted we pack.
Dad called his sister, Aunt Carla, who lived outside Charlottesville.
I barely knew her.
She and Dad weren't close.
When he explained enough to make her understand we needed somewhere private, she didn't ask questions.
"Come.""
That was all she said.
I went upstairs.
My room looked like a crime scene.
Technically, maybe it was one.
I started putting clothes into a duffel bag.
Brianna appeared in the doorway.
She had changed.
Not clothes.
Something else.
The smugness was gone.
"Can I come in?""
I looked around.
"It's apparently everybody's room today.""
She winced.
"Fair.""
I immediately regretted it.
Not because she didn't deserve some anger.
Because she looked completely destroyed.
"Come in.""
She stepped over the broken frame.
Her eyes dropped to it.
"I'm really sorry.""
I folded a sweatshirt.
"I know.""
"I was jealous.""
I stopped.
She continued before I could answer.
"I got rejected from Richmond. Mom kept saying you thought you were better than me.""
"I never said that.""
"I know.""
"Do you?""
"I do now.""
She sat on the edge of my desk.
"When your letters started coming, Mom got weird.""
"How?""
"She kept checking the mail before you got home.""
My hands stopped.
"How long?""
"Maybe three weeks.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I thought she was trying to see if you'd gotten into Richmond.""
"And you were okay with that?""
Brianna looked ashamed.
"At the time? Yes.""
At least she didn't lie.
"Then she told me you got the scholarship.""
My chest tightened.
"Before today?""
"Thursday.""
"You knew.""
"Yes.""
"And you still took my room.""
Her eyes filled.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because I wanted you to hurt.""
There it was.
Ugly.
Honest.
I waited.
Brianna stared at her hands.
"I thought if you went to Richmond, everyone would compare us forever. Maya got the scholarship. Maya got the better grades. Maya got everything.""
"You thought breaking my mother's picture would fix that?""
"No.""
She started crying.
"I was angry and stupid.""
I sat on the bed.
"I don't know if I can forgive you.""
"I know.""
"Not today.""
"I know.""
"But Marcus is not your fault.""
She looked at me.
"Neither is Thomas.""
Her mouth trembled.
"He's really my dad.""
"It sounds like it.""
"I spent my whole life thinking some guy named Eric Thompson didn't want me.""
"I know.""
"Now I find out my dad wanted me and died before I was born.""
I didn't know what to say.
So I sat beside her.
We weren't sisters in that moment.
We weren't enemies either.
We were two girls trying to survive secrets adults had buried before either of us could talk.
Dad called from downstairs.
"Maya!""
I ran down.
Detective Bennett was on speaker.
"We secured Unit 214.""
"Was Marcus there?"" Dad asked.
"No.""
"The employee said someone was inside.""
"Someone was.""
"Who?""
"A homeless man.""
Dad stared at the phone.
"What?""
"He says he was paid two hundred dollars to enter the unit using a code and remain inside for thirty minutes.""
"Paid by whom?""
"He doesn't know. Someone approached him near a bus station.""
Richard shook his head.
"A diversion.""
Bennett continued.
"The unit itself is nearly empty.""
"Nearly?""
"There are three boxes.""
Dad looked at Richard.
"What kind?""
"Documents. Personal effects. And one sealed container.""
"Thomas's?""
"Possibly.""
"Can I see them?""
"Not tonight.""
Dad clenched his jaw.
"Detective—"
"We need to process everything first.""
Then she said something that changed his expression.
"Mr. Carter, we found blood.""
Silence.
"Recent?""
"No.""
"How old?""
"We don't know.""
"Where?""
"On a jacket.""
Dad sat down.
Bennett continued.
"The jacket contains identification belonging to Thomas Carter.""
Dad stopped breathing.
"Thomas was wearing a blue jacket the night he died.""
"This one is brown.""
Dad stared at Richard.
"I don't understand.""
Neither did I.
Bennett said, "There's something else.""
Dad closed his eyes.
"Of course there is.""
"We found photographs.""
"What photographs?""
"Your family.""
My skin prickled.
"How recent?"" Richard asked.
"Some appear to be from this year.""
Dad stood.
"Marcus has been watching us.""
"It appears someone has.""
"What kind of pictures?""
Bennett paused.
"Maya leaving school. Brianna at a shopping center. Mr. Carter entering his office.""
Denise covered her mouth.
"And me?""
Another pause.
"Several.""
Denise looked terrified.
"What was I doing?""
"Meeting the man you identified as Daniel Cross.""
Richard leaned toward the phone.
"So whoever maintained that unit was monitoring Denise's meetings with Marcus.""
Bennett didn't confirm it.
But she didn't need to.
"There's one photograph I need you to identify.""
Dad frowned.
"Who?""
Bennett sent it.
Dad opened the message.
The photo showed Mom.
My mother.
Alive.
Standing outside a motel.
The date stamped in the corner was two weeks before she died.
Beside her stood Uncle Thomas.
I stared.
"That's impossible.""
Dad's voice shook.
"Thomas died before Monica.""
Richard looked at the date.
"Four months before.""
Brianna came downstairs.
She saw the photograph.
"That's my dad?""
Denise looked.
Then screamed.
Not loudly.
A broken sound.
"That's Thomas.""
Dad stared at her.
"So Thomas didn't die when we thought he did.""
Richard's expression became grim.
"Or this photograph's date is false.""
Detective Bennett said, "We'll have it examined.""
Then the doorbell rang again.
One of the patrol officers checked first.
A delivery driver.
Small package.
No return name.
Addressed to me.
Detective Bennett heard us talking.
"Do not open that.""
The officer took it outside.
Ten minutes later, he returned after checking it.
Inside was a cassette tape.
Dad stared at it.
"We don't own a cassette player.""
Richard did.
Of course he did.
He drove to his office and returned with an old portable recorder.
Detective Bennett remained on speaker.
Dad inserted the tape.
Static.
Then a man's voice.
"Jimmy.""
Dad went white.
"Thomas.""
The recording continued.
"If you're hearing this, something went wrong.""
Brianna covered her mouth.
"I found Marcus. He's alive. He's been using Daniel Cross and Eric Thompson. Monica knows part of it.""
Dad gripped the table.
Thomas continued.
"Denise is pregnant.""
Brianna started crying silently.
"The baby is mine.""
Her knees almost gave out.
I caught her hand.
Then Thomas said:
"Marcus thinks it's his.""
Richard closed his eyes.
"Do not tell him the truth. Not until Monica secures the trust.""
Static cracked.
Then Thomas's voice returned.
"Jimmy, there's something else you need to know.""
Dad leaned closer.
"The crash won't be an accident.""
The tape clicked.
Silence.
Then another voice appeared.
Marcus.
"You should've stayed dead, Tommy.""
A struggle.
A crash.
Thomas shouting.
Then nothing.
The recording ended.
Nobody moved.
Finally Dad whispered:
"My brother knew someone was going to kill him.""
Richard stared at the recorder.
"No.""
Dad looked at him.
"What?""
Richard pointed at the cassette.
"If Thomas recorded this before the crash, how did Marcus's voice get onto the same tape afterward?""
My blood went cold.
May you like
Richard slowly looked toward the photograph from the storage unit.
"Unless Thomas survived the crash.""
