Derek had tried to use my son to bury Ryan’s truth.
Instead, he led investigators directly to it.
A few weeks later, Ethan needed another haircut.
“Tony?” I asked.
He shook his head.
“Marcus.”
I had already called Marcus to thank him.
His explanation was simple.
His brother worked in security systems.
Marcus had seen enough electronic components in his brother’s workshop to know the black disc behind Ethan’s ear was not normal.
But mostly, he said, he had noticed Ethan’s behavior.
“He kept touching his ear. And when I uncovered that thing, he looked scared. A kid shouldn’t look scared because somebody found something hidden behind his ear.”
Then Marcus said,
“I figured it was better to say something and be wrong than stay quiet and be right.”
“You may have saved both of us.”
Marcus paused.
“I just told his mom to look. You were the one who looked.”
