Chapter 5 - What Derek Forgot He Said
Derek found me in the entryway.
“Where’s my key?”
I looked at him calmly.
“Safe.”
His face tightened.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’m not letting you leave before I document the damage and get your insurance information.”
Clare appeared behind him.
“Marcus, don’t start.”
“I didn’t start this.”
My father stepped in.
“Give the man his key.”
“I will,” I said. “After he confirms in writing what happened.”
Derek laughed, but it had no confidence.
“I’m not signing anything.”
“That’s fine.”
I lifted my phone.
“I already have Tyler’s statement.”
Clare’s face changed.
“What statement?”
“The one he gave in front of everyone. Derek said my guitar was fake. Derek said if it was real, it wouldn’t snap. Tyler repeated it clearly.”
Derek pointed at me.
“You recorded my kid?”
“No. Your son announced it to twenty people. I wrote it down while everyone was still standing here.”
Barbara pressed a hand to her chest.
“This is going too far.”
“No,” I said. “Eight thousand dollars of professional equipment was destroyed because Derek wanted to feel superior. This is exactly far enough.”
Derek stepped closer.
“Give me my key.”
I held his stare.
“Call your insurer.”
His mouth opened.
Then closed.
That was when I knew.
There was something wrong with the Mercedes.
May you like
Not the car itself.
The story around it.
