Chapter 4 - THE OWNER’S CONFESSION
Alexander leaned against the counter.
Blood darkened one sleeve of his suit.
Elena noticed a fresh cut near his temple.
“What happened to you?” Noah asked.
Alexander looked toward Vincent.
“I arrived before the store opened.”
“Vincent was waiting for me.”
“He said there was a problem with the security system.”
“When I entered the office, he attacked me.”
Vincent shook his head.
“He is confused.”
Alexander pointed toward the dark cameras.
“Then why did you disable the system?”
Vincent said nothing.
Mrs. De Los Santos moved closer to Alexander.
“You should think carefully before making accusations.”
Alexander laughed bitterly.
“I have spent six years thinking carefully.”
“That is why Daniel Ramirez is dead.”
Elena’s eyes filled with tears.
“Tell me what happened.”
Alexander lowered his voice.
“Daniel discovered that my father had allowed stolen gemstones to pass through this company.”
“My father claimed he had no choice.”
“He said powerful people would destroy our family.”
“Daniel refused to remain silent.”
“The night he planned to give the evidence to federal investigators, someone cut the brakes on my car.”
Elena stared at him.
“The crash…”
Alexander nodded.
“Daniel borrowed my car.”
“He believed his own vehicle was being watched.”
“He died in my place.”
Valentina covered her mouth.
“My dad saved you?”
Alexander looked at her with shame.
“Yes.”
“And I did nothing worthy of that sacrifice.”
Elena stepped closer.
“You told the police it was an accident.”
“I was afraid.”
“You let me bury him believing it was an accident.”
“I know.”
Elena slapped him.
The sound cracked through the store.
No one moved.
Alexander accepted it.
“You deserved worse than that,” Elena said.
“Yes.”
Mrs. De Los Santos spoke calmly.
“This emotional story proves nothing.”
“The video could have been fabricated.”
Alexander turned toward her.
“You planted a necklace on a child in front of thirty cameras.”
“What else have you fabricated?”
She smiled thinly.
“You still need the ledger.”
Alexander looked at Noah.
“Daniel told me about it.”
“He never revealed where it was.”
Valentina glanced at the mirrors lining the showroom walls.
“The place where the mirror reflects what no one wants to see,” she whispered.
Noah followed her eyes.
Every wall contained mirrors.
Some were decorative.
Some were part of jewelry displays.
Alexander looked toward an antique mirror near the private consultation room.
“That mirror belonged to my grandfather.”
“It was installed before the store opened.”
Vincent suddenly ran.
He pushed past two customers and sprinted toward the mirror.
Noah chased him.
Vincent reached behind the frame and pressed something.
A hidden compartment clicked open.
He grabbed a blue leather book.
“There!” Valentina shouted.
Vincent shoved Noah into a display case.
Glass shattered.
He ran toward the rear hallway.
Alexander activated a manual alarm beneath the counter.
Nothing happened.
Vincent reached the employee exit.
Before he could open it, Mrs. De Los Santos raised a small pistol from inside her coat.
She aimed it directly at him.
“Put down the ledger, Vincent.”
The entire store froze.
Vincent clutched the blue book to his chest.
“You said you would protect me.”
Mrs. De Los Santos’s voice was ice.
May you like
“I said I would protect the useful version of you.”
She pulled the trigger.
