Chapter 15 - Marcus talks
Marcus cooperated after ten days.
Not immediately.
His lawyer negotiated a proffer.
He admitted:
He took Claire’s phone.
He put her in the shelter.
He maintained the locks.
He delivered food most days.
He altered the west-gate report.
He used Claire’s logged-in account to send emails.
He arranged the car movement through an unwitting driver.
He falsified camera maintenance.
He knew Richard had no legal authority.
When did he know confinement had become criminal?
His answer:
“The first night.”
Not day ten.
First night.
That honesty mattered.
“Why continue?”
“Richard said if I released her, Michael would go to prison.”
Did he believe that?
“At first.”
Then?
“I knew it was about Richard too.”
Why not call Daniel?
Marcus looked down.
“Because you trusted me.”
That seemed backwards.
Then he explained:
“If I called you, I would have to tell you what I had already done.”
There.
Shame.
Self-protection.
Loyalty became excuse after the first decision.
He also admitted something Claire had not known.
Richard ordered food reduced twice after Claire refused to reveal where she copied records.
Marcus did not comply fully.
He pretended.
Brought additional protein bars.
Did that mitigate?
A little.
Did it make him benevolent?
No.
Marcus told investigators:
“I wanted to think I was keeping Richard from making it worse.”
The prosecutor asked:
“Why not open the door?”
Marcus cried.
“I don’t know.”
He did know.
Opening the door would expose Marcus too.
May you like
Sometimes people maintain another person’s prison because they have built their own outside it.
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