Chapter 8 - THE FRIEND WHO BETRAYED MY TRUST
Marcus Bell had been beside me for seventeen years.
He'd watched me bury my brother.
He'd stood beside my father's coffin.
He'd managed my house.
Protected my business.
And called me family.
Now I was learning he'd known Victor Kane was alive and working inside my companies.
I sat in Elena's kitchen with my phone pressed against my ear.
"Why?"
Marcus didn't answer immediately.
Then he whispered, "Because Victor threatened Sofia."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
"He knew Elena was working for you. He knew where she lived. He knew Rafael was still alive."
I stared toward the little girl.
She was drawing beside the heater.
Completely unaware that adults had been making terrible decisions around her for years.
Marcus continued.
"Victor told me if I exposed him, he'd make sure Michael's daughter disappeared."
My hands shook.
"Why didn't you come to me?"
"Because your father taught us that family secrets were handled inside the family."
I closed my eyes.
"And you believed him?"
"For too long."
The answer hurt.
But it was honest.
I looked at Elena.
Her expression was unreadable.
I wondered how many times she'd seen people justify silence by calling it loyalty.
"Marcus," I said quietly, "you should've told me."
"I know."
"And now?"
"I have documents."
My heart tightened.
"What documents?"
"Financial records showing Victor has been moving money through the shipping companies."
"Where are they?"
"In a secure location."
I swallowed.
"Bring them to an independent attorney. Not my office."
Marcus hesitated.
"Daniel—"
"Do it."
Then I added something I never would've said a year earlier.
"And contact law enforcement."
Silence.
Finally, Marcus answered.
"All right."
I ended the call.
Elena watched me.
"You're really going to expose them?"
I looked at her.
"Yes."
"Even if it destroys your business?"
I nodded.
"Whatever was built on stolen money doesn't deserve protection."
Her eyes filled.
For a long moment, she didn't speak.
Then Sofia approached me carrying her drawing.
"Mr. Daniel?"
I looked down.
"Yes?"
She held out the paper.
It showed a big house.
Three people standing in front.
A woman.
A little girl.
And a man.
His face was drawn in black.
I swallowed.
"Who's that?"
She pointed.
"Daddy."
My heart tightened.
"Do you remember him?"
She shook her head.
"Mommy says he loves me."
I looked toward Elena.
Tears were rolling down her cheeks.
Sofia continued.
"He sends me birthday cards."
I froze.
"What?"
She nodded.
"Every year."
My heart pounded.
"Do you have one?"
She ran toward a small drawer.
Returned with a blue envelope.
Inside was a card.
A drawing of a little yellow bird.
And a message.
To my sunshine,
One day I'll explain why I had to be far away.
Until then, remember that brave girls are never alone.
Love, Daddy.
I stared at the handwriting.
Michael's handwriting.
My brother.
Alive.
Somewhere.
Still loving his daughter.
Then I noticed the postmark.
The card had been mailed only three weeks earlier.
From a small town in northern Wisconsin.
I turned toward Elena.
May you like
She looked as stunned as I felt.
Because that town was where my father had supposedly retired before his death.
