Chapter 7 - THE BROTHER I COULDN'T SAVE
Benjamin was arrested.
Elisa was arrested.
Marcus wasn't.
Not immediately.
He seemed almost surprised.
“You think I'm innocent?”
I looked at him.
“No.”
That answer hurt.
Good.
“You didn't build Halcyon,” I said. “But you held Evan against his will.”
“I thought he was working with Ben.”
“You hurt Sophia.”
His eyes dropped.
“I know.”
“You called her a liar.”
“I know.”
“You cared more about containing a scandal than listening to your daughter.”
“I know.”
His voice cracked.
I had spent my career interviewing guilty men.
Most wanted context.
Most wanted nuance.
Most wanted one sentence that would make their actions sound less deliberate.
Marcus didn't ask.
“Are you going to make a documentary about me?”
“Maybe.”
He nodded.
“You should.”
Weeks later, Marcus was charged for his role in Evan's unlawful confinement, obstruction and evidence tampering.
His attorneys wanted him to fight.
He cooperated instead.
The company collapsed.
Government contracts were suspended.
Clients fled.
Marcus lost the house.
The cars.
The reputation.
None of those losses mattered to me.
Sophia did.
Temporary custody went to Elisa's sister initially while authorities completed assessments.
I underwent the process required to become a placement option too.
There were interviews.
Background checks.
Home inspections.
Nothing happened because I was the heroic uncle in a dramatic story.
It happened because systems protecting children should not run on dramatic stories.
Months later, Sophia came to stay with me.
The first dinner at my apartment was spaghetti.
She stood beside the chair.
My heart broke.
“What's wrong, little bird?”
She looked at it.
“Do I have to sit?”
“No.”
She looked surprised.
“You can stand. Sit on the floor. Eat at the counter. Whatever feels okay.”
Sophia climbed onto the chair slowly.
She sat.
Nothing happened.
She smiled.
“Doesn't hurt.”
May you like
I had to turn toward the sink for a moment.
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