Chapter 3
Marcus pulled his eye away from the peephole, his breath catching in his throat as the reality of the situation began to close in around him. He looked back at Elena, whose face had instantly drained of all color, her hands beginning to tremble as she dropped the cash onto the coffee table. The knocking came again, louder and more insistent this time, accompanied by a gruff voice announcing police business.
"Open the door or we kick it in," the muffled voice warned from the hallway.
Elena stumbled backward, her dark wavy hair clinging to her damp forehead. She grabbed Marcus by the forearm, her grip surprisingly strong and desperate. "Don't say anything, Marcus. Whatever they ask, you don't know anything about Terrell's business. You hear me?"
Marcus yanked his arm out of her grasp, stepping away in disgust. "His business? What business, Ma? Is that what the rent money is really paying for?"
Before Elena could reply, the door frame splintered with a deafening crack as the police forced the lock, pushing their way into the cramped living room with drawn badges and sharp commands. Marcus raised his hands instinctively, stepping back against the wall, while Elena froze in place, looking like a ghost. The lead detective, a sharp-eyed woman with a stern demeanor, scanned the room before locking her gaze directly onto Marcus and his mother.
"We're looking for Terrell Vance," the detective stated, her voice cutting through the tension like a razor. "Where is he?"
Marcus opened his mouth to tell them that Terrell had just left a few minutes ago in his sedan, but Elena cut him off, stepping smoothly into the conversation with a chillingly calm demeanor that Marcus had never seen before.
"He went down to the corner store," Elena lied smoothly, though her eyes betrayed absolute terror. "He'll be back any minute."
The detective nodded slowly, signaling the other officer to secure the perimeter. She then walked over to the coffee table, looking down at the thick stack of hundred-dollar bills that Terrell had stolen from Marcus just moments prior. She picked up a single bill, rubbing it between her thumb and forefinger before looking up at Marcus with a knowing, dangerous smile.
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"That's a lot of cash for a family struggling to pay rent," the detective noted softly. "Tell me, son, where did your stepdad get all these brand-new bills?"
Marcus stared at the money, realizing with a sickening jolt that Terrell hadn't just been stealing his wages—he was laundering something much worse.
