Chapter 8 - The Truth Otis Refused to See
After the recovered messages were revealed, Otis sat motionless beneath the fluorescent lights.
Viola said nothing.
Detective Ruiz read the messages aloud, one after another.
The motel plan.
The forged signature.
The payment.
The decision to blame Kendra.
Otis looked at his wife.
“You told me Evelyn was safe.”
Viola pressed her lips together.
“You showed me photographs.”
“I was protecting our son.”
“You left my mother alone.”
“Marcus promised he would return for her.”
“But he didn’t.”
“He was under pressure.”
Otis stood slowly.
For the first time, his anger was not directed at Kendra.
Viola reached for him.
He stepped away.
Detective Ruiz informed her that she was being detained for questioning.
As the officer approached, Viola turned toward Kendra.
“You did this.”
Kendra’s voice remained steady.
“No. I stopped it.”
The station doors opened again.
Two officers entered with Marcus between them. He had been found at a bus terminal carrying cash, a passport, and a one-way ticket to Canada.
Marcus stared at his mother.
“You said the phone was safe.”
Viola’s face changed.
For years, she had protected him at everyone else’s expense.
Now his first words were not concern for her.
They were accusation.
“You told me to hide it,” she said.
“You were supposed to destroy it.”
Otis closed his eyes.
The golden son and the mother who defended him began blaming each other before they had even left the interview area.
Marcus insisted the entire plan had been Viola’s idea.
Viola claimed Marcus had manipulated her.
Neither looked at Evelyn’s photograph lying among the evidence.
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Kendra finally understood that they had never been loyal to each other.
They had only shared a need to escape responsibility.
