Emily turned quickly. “He bought me the bike,” she explained. “And he brought me home because you were too tired to go out.”
The woman tried to sit up, but her strength failed. Her arms shook before she collapsed back down.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Don’t move,” he said gently. “You’ll only make it worse.”
She looked at him cautiously.
“You’ve already taken everything,” she whispered. “What else do you want?”
A tight feeling settled in Marcus’s chest. “You think I sent them?” he asked.
She didn’t answer, but she didn’t need to.
Emily looked between them, confused.
“They said they worked for you,” she added quietly. “They said if Mom didn’t pay, things would get worse.”
Marcus slowly knelt beside the mattress.
“Look at me,” he said.
She hesitated, then did.
“My name means something in this city,” he said calmly. “But I don’t send people to steal from families who have nothing left.”
Her eyes searched his face, trying to decide if he was telling the truth.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“…Sarah,” she replied after a moment.
“How much did they say you owed?”
She swallowed. “Three thousand.”
“For what?”
“A hospital bill. My son was sick last winter. I borrowed money… they said the interest was small.”