It showed him hold it.
Then release.
The officer replayed it.
Derek stopped smiling.
The second recording showed him attacking Cole from behind after the round had effectively ended.
Mark tried to claim it was part of training.
Nobody believed him.
But the strangest moment came when one of the officers began looking through the folders.
He stopped at Michael Reeves’s name.
Then another.
Then another.
His face changed.
He stepped into the hallway and made a phone call.
Twenty minutes later, two detectives arrived.
That was when Derek finally looked nervous.
The other walked straight toward the filing cabinet.
“Who owns this gym?”
Mark raised his hand slowly.
“I do.”
The detective looked at Derek.
“And you?”
“I’m a member.”
Anthony laughed bitterly.
“Member?”
The detective turned.
Anthony pointed at Derek.
“He runs half the private sessions.”
Derek snapped, “Shut up.”
The detective’s eyes narrowed.
Then he opened one of the folders.
“You might want to stop talking.”
Cole touched my shoulder.
“We’re leaving.”
I stared at him.
“What happens now?”
“The police handle it.”
“But Derek—”
“Is no longer your problem.”
We made it halfway to the door.
Then one detective called out.
“Cole?”
My brother stopped.
Nobody had given them his first name.
Cole turned.
The detective walked toward him.
He was older, maybe fifty, with silver beginning at his temples.
“Cole Mercer?”
My brother’s posture changed.
Barely.
But I noticed.
“Yes.”
The detective studied him.
Then looked at
me.
“You’re his sister?”
“Yes.”
The detective sighed.
“This night just became considerably more complicated.”
Cole’s face went still.
“What does that mean?”
The detective lowered his voice.
“We’ve been looking at this gym for six months.”
My heart skipped.
“For what?”
He looked toward Derek.
Then toward Mark.
“Not assaults.”
Cole’s eyes narrowed.
“What, then?”
The detective hesitated.
“Financial fraud. Identity theft. Illegal betting.”
I blinked.
“Betting?”
He nodded.
“Private matches. High-stakes wagers. Some involving people who didn’t know money was being placed on them.”
I felt sick.
The detective continued.
“Your brother’s appearance tonight may have disrupted something larger.”
