Chapter 16 - Marcus Makes an Offer
The message arrived through Nick’s attorney.
Marcus wanted to talk.
Not to federal investigators.
To Nick.
His lawyer claimed Marcus could provide information that might accelerate restitution for victims if Nick signed an affidavit clarifying that Marcus had never personally represented the investment as risk-free.
I laughed when I heard it.
“He wants Nick to soften his testimony.”
Nick's lawyer, Rebecca Sloan, nodded.
“That is my interpretation.”
We were sitting in Arthur and Elaine’s dining room.
Nick looked furious.
“Absolutely not.”
Rebecca raised one hand.
“Do not react emotionally. We document the request and send it to prosecutors.”
“What information does Marcus claim to have?” I asked.
“Access credentials for an offshore wallet.”
“How much?”
“Potentially several hundred thousand dollars.”
My pulse quickened.
That money belonged to victims.
People like us.
Maybe worse.
Nick leaned forward.
“If I refuse, does the government lose the money?”
“Probably not. They may simply need longer to locate it.”
“So this is leverage.”
“Yes.”
Nick stood.
“No deal.”
Rebecca watched him carefully.
“You understand that a recovered portion could include some of your family’s money.”
“I understand.”
“Possibly thousands.”
“I said no.”
I studied his face.
There was no hesitation.
Rebecca gathered her papers.
“I expected that answer. I needed to hear it.”
After she left, I followed Nick into the kitchen.
“You didn’t even think about it.”
“Yes, I did.”
“For how long?”
“The second she said he wanted me to change the truth.”
He opened the refrigerator.
“Anna, three months ago I would have convinced myself it was harmless. I would have said the wording didn’t matter if it got our money back.”
“And now?”
“Now I know every disaster in my life started with me telling myself a small lie was acceptable because the outcome would make it worth it.”
I leaned against the counter.
That was the clearest thing he had said since all of this began.
Later that night, Agent Brooks called.
Marcus’s request had been recorded as possible witness interference.
The next morning, federal investigators located the wallet anyway.
It contained $418,000.
Nick stared at the news alert on my phone.
“He tried to sell us access to something they found in twelve hours.”
“Sounds like Marcus.”
“He really thought I’d do it.”
I looked at him.
“You probably would have once.”
Nick nodded.
“Yes.”
No defensiveness.
No anger.
Just truth.
Three days later, another development exploded.
Local news stations published Marcus’s arrest story.
One reporter discovered his connection to several Des Moines victims.
By noon, Nick’s name appeared in an online article.
LOCAL FATHER LOST FAMILY SAVINGS IN ALLEGED CRYPTO SCHEME.
The comments were brutal.
IDIOT.
GREEDY FOOL.
WHO GAMBLES HIS PREGNANT WIFE’S MONEY?
SHE SHOULD LEAVE HIM.
One person somehow discovered where Nick worked.
By five o’clock, his manager called.
He was being placed on temporary administrative leave while the company reviewed whether his attempt to recruit Daniel had violated workplace policies.
Nick sat at the kitchen table holding his phone.
“I might lose my job.”
My first instinct was fear.
Mortgage.
Food.
Baby expenses.
Then I remembered something.
There was no longer sixteen thousand dollars in savings.
But there was also no longer sixteen thousand dollars of illusion.
“We’ll deal with it,” I said.
Nick looked up.
“You mean that?”
“I mean Nora and I will be okay.”
The distinction hurt him.
But he nodded.
“And you?”
“I’m going to deal with my consequences.”
The next morning, he put on work boots and drove to the warehouse.
Not because anyone had ordered him to.
Because his second job was still his responsibility.
At six that evening, he came home exhausted.
Nora was crying.
Nick washed his hands, picked her up, and began walking slow circles through the living room.
Within minutes, she fell asleep against his chest.
I watched from the stairs.
The internet saw a greedy fool.
The FBI saw a cooperating witness.
His employer saw a liability.
I saw something more complicated.
A man who had nearly destroyed us.
May you like
A man who was finally becoming dependable when dependence cost him something.
And I still didn't know whether that would be enough.
