Chapter 2 - CAMERA SEVENTEEN
Victor recovered quickly.
“This is ridiculous.”
Owen Price didn’t respond.
He was staring toward one of the cameras above the dessert table.
Rachel followed his gaze.
“Does that camera cover this area?”
“Yes.”
Victor stepped between them.
“Owen, surely you understand the privacy concerns involved.”
Owen’s expression hardened.
“Mr. Bennett, you just reported a possible theft involving hotel property procedures and requested security intervention.”
“It’s family property.”
“You requested hotel security.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
Rachel noticed.
So did several board members.
Mr. Wallace from the trust committee moved closer.
“I think reviewing the footage would settle this quickly.”
Victor looked at him.
“Gerald, there’s no reason to turn a child’s mistake into a spectacle.”
Rachel almost laughed.
“A child’s mistake?”
Victor ignored her.
Emily suddenly tugged Rachel’s hand.
“Mom.”
“What?”
“He looked at the camera.”
Rachel crouched.
“Who did?”
“Uncle Victor.”
“When?”
“Before he put it in my pocket.”
Rachel’s eyes moved toward Victor.
He was watching them.
“What did Emily say?” he asked.
Rachel stood.
“She said she wants to see the video.”
Victor’s face changed.
Only for half a second.
But Rachel caught it.
Fear.
Owen spoke into his radio.
“Control, pull Camera Seventeen, ballroom west side, starting ten minutes before the theft report.”
Static answered.
Then a voice.
“Copy.”
Victor reached for his phone.
Thomas Reed suddenly appeared beside the service corridor.
“Rachel.”
She looked at him.
Thomas gave the smallest shake of his head.
Don’t let him leave.
Rachel understood.
“Victor.”
He stopped.
“Where are you going?”
“To call our attorney.”
“You can call him from here.”
Victor stared at her.
“What exactly are you suggesting?”
“I haven’t suggested anything.”
“Then stop acting like I’m on trial.”
Rachel’s eyes dropped to his right hand.
Daniel’s silver signet ring caught the light.
She looked at it for several seconds.
Victor noticed.
His hand slowly closed.
“Where did you get that?”
Victor looked down.
“The ring?”
“Yes.”
“It was Father’s.”
“No.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
“Excuse me?”
“Daniel wore that ring every day.”
“Daniel and I had matching rings.”
“No, you didn’t.”
Victor laughed quietly.
“You’ve been away from this family for two years, Rachel.”
“I was married to your brother for eleven.”
“And apparently you didn’t know everything about him.”
Rachel stepped closer.
“Where did you get the ring?”
Victor’s smile returned.
But his eyes were cold.
“You’re emotional.”
There it was.
The word he had been building toward for two years.
Emotional.
Unstable.
Unreliable.
Rachel nodded slowly.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For saying it in front of witnesses.”
Before Victor could answer, Owen’s radio crackled.
“Mr. Price?”
“Yes?”
A pause.
Then the security operator said something that changed Victor’s face completely.
“We have a problem with Camera Seventeen.”
Rachel felt Emily tighten her grip.
Owen lifted the radio.
May you like
“What problem?”
“The footage is gone.”
