Marcus had refused again. He heard footsteps coming down the corridor. A guard appeared at his cell door.
“Reed, you have visitors. Detectives want to talk to you.” Marcus’s heart sank. More questions.
More people who wouldn’t believe him. He was led to a small interview room. Two people sat at a table.
A woman with gray hair and a younger Asian man. They both wore detective badges.
“Mr. Reed, I’m Detective Rachel Monroe. This is Detective James Park. We’d like to ask you some questions about the night of the incident.”
Marcus sat down slowly. “I already told the police everything.” “Actually,” Rachel said, “you didn’t tell them anything.
You haven’t spoken about what happened at all.” Marcus stayed quiet. Rachel pulled out a folder and opened it.
She laid out several photos on the table. Photos of the two men from the party.
“Do you recognize these men?” She asked. Marcus’s eyes widened. He looked at the photos then at Rachel then back at the photos.
“That’s them.” He whispered. “Those are the men I heard.” “The men you heard talking about hurting Abigail Carter?”
Rachel asked gently. Marcus nodded his hand starting to shake. “You you believe me?” “We’re trying to understand what really happened that night.”
Rachel said. “So I need you to tell me everything. Start from the beginning.” And for the first time since that terrible night, Marcus Reed told his story.
He told them about sitting on his cardboard across from the hotel. About overhearing the conversation between the two men.
About their calm voices talking about Abigail, the dress, the cameras, the timing. He told them about trying to warn security and being pushed away.
About watching the men move toward Abigail. About having only seconds to decide. “I didn’t want to hurt her.”
Marcus said and his voice cracked. “I didn’t want to humiliate her. But they were going to do something worse.
I could see it in the way they moved. I’ve lived on the streets for 3 years, detectives.
I’ve learned to spot dangerous people and those men were dangerous.” Rachel and James listened without interrupting.
When Marcus finished, Rachel asked, “Why didn’t you tell anyone this before?” Marcus laughed but it was a bitter sound.
“Would you have believed me? A homeless man saying he heard a conversation nobody else heard?
Saying he was trying to save someone by attacking them? I knew how it looked.
I knew nobody would believe me.” “We believe you.” Rachel said quietly. Marcus looked up at her tears in his eyes.
“Why?” “Because those two men you saw are Vincent Torres and Marcus Delano. They’re career criminals with connections to organized crime and we think they were sent to hurt or threaten Abigail Carter.”
Marcus closed his eyes. “So I was right. They were really going to hurt her.”
