Chapter 8 - Marcus Reed ReturnsMarcus Reed looked like a man who had spent a year trying not to be found.
His beard was uneven, his eyes sunken, his left hand scarred across the knuckles. He wore a janitor’s badge under a false name, and when Neil saw him, the supervisor’s face twisted with guilt.
“You were dead,” Neil whispered.
Marcus laughed once. “That was the point.”
Richard stood perfectly still.
Caleb noticed that.
A guilty man often shouted.
A dangerous one calculated.
“Marcus,” Caleb said. “Come with us.”
“No.” Marcus pointed at Richard. “Not until he hears it.”
Richard’s expression remained bored. “I don’t know this man.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“You knew me when you offered me thirty grand to disappear.”
Neil inhaled sharply.
Richard smiled. “Absurd.”
“You knew me when you told me Daniel’s widow would get nothing if I talked.”
Caleb looked at Richard.
Richard looked back calmly.
Marcus reached beneath his hoodie.
Security shifted.
George raised one hand. “Easy.”
Marcus pulled out a plastic-wrapped flash drive.
Richard’s eyes moved.
Only once.
But Caleb saw it.
Marcus smiled. “There it is.”
Caleb held out his hand.
Marcus did not give it to him.
“Not here.”
Richard said, “This is theatrics.”
Marcus turned on him.
“You remember Dock 3? You remember Daniel yelling at me to jump clear because the brakes failed? You remember me screaming for an ambulance while you told Neil to move the maintenance notices before police arrived?”
Neil closed his eyes.
Richard’s voice sharpened. “You are making defamatory accusations.”
Marcus laughed.
“You always did love expensive words.”
Caleb stepped between them. “Enough. Marcus, why come out now?”
Marcus looked past him.
At George.
“I saw the news clip this morning. Someone filmed Mr. Hart carrying a baby into the penthouse. The caption said millionaire rescues homeless maid.” His mouth tightened. “That was Olivia, wasn’t it?”
Caleb nodded.
Pain moved across Marcus’s face.
“I promised Daniel I’d watch out for her.”
“You disappeared,” George said.
Marcus flinched as if struck.
“I know.”
“Why?”
“Because they found my sister.”
Richard’s mask cracked again.
Caleb turned cold.
Marcus continued. “She had a little boy. Six years old. Voss sent me a photo of him leaving school. No threat written. Didn’t need one.”
Olivia had been right.
Men like Richard did not just fire people.
George stepped toward Marcus. “Where is your sister now?”
“Safe. Different state. New name.” Marcus stared at Richard. “No thanks to me.”
Richard checked his watch.
The gesture was so arrogant Caleb nearly lost control.
“You’re done,” Caleb said.
Richard smiled. “Am I?”
His phone rang.
He answered without looking away from Caleb.
“Yes?”
A pause.
Then Richard’s smile widened slightly.
“I understand.”
He ended the call.
Caleb felt dread rise before Richard spoke.
“You should return home.”
“Why?”
Richard slid his phone into his coat.
“Because Olivia Maren just left your penthouse.”
The warehouse fell silent.
Caleb pulled out his phone and called George’s driver.
No answer.
He called the penthouse.
No answer.
Then Mason finally answered, breathless.
“Mr. Hart—”
“Where is Olivia?”
“I’m sorry. She said she had to go. A woman came.”
Caleb’s blood stopped.
“What woman?”
Mason stammered. “She said she was from child services.”
George grabbed Caleb’s arm.
Caleb put the phone on speaker.
“Did she show ID?” Caleb asked.
“Yes, but—”
“But what?”
“The babies are still here.”
Caleb froze.
“Olivia left without the babies?”
“No. That’s what I’m saying. The babies are here. The woman said Olivia had to come downstairs to sign emergency custody paperwork.”
“Where is she now?”
Mason’s voice broke.
“She never came back up.”
Richard turned toward the door.
Caleb blocked him.
For the first time, Richard looked afraid.
May you like
Not because Olivia was gone.
Because Caleb now knew exactly who had taken her.
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