Chapter 4 - THE SIGNATURE
Graham recognized the page.
That made it worse.
Two nights earlier, Claire had handed him a stack of household paperwork while he answered an email.
He remembered asking whether anything needed his attention.
“Just payroll and staffing,” she had said.
He had signed.
Now he read every line.
Unauthorized entry into private storage.
Repeated dishonesty.
Termination for cause.
Below the allegations, his signature looked neat and confident.
“I never investigated any of this.”
Claire leaned against the counter.
“You trusted me.”
“You used that.”
“You don't get to disappear into your office and then blame me for running the house.”
The sentence landed because part of it was true.
He had let calendars and money stand in for attention.
But none of that explained a bracelet in Maya's purse.
He photographed the notice for his records and called Maya.
She didn't answer.
He left one message.
“I signed something I didn't read.
It accused you of things I never checked.
I'm sending you a copy.
You deserve to know exactly what I did.”
Then he emailed it, along with a written statement that he had no personal knowledge supporting the allegations.
Upstairs, Luke sat on the edge of his bed in one shoe.
Owen was trying to tie the other for him.
Graham knelt.
“I can help.”
“Maya does the rabbit ears,” Luke said.
“Show me.”
It took him three tries.
Neither boy laughed.
After dinner, Ellis called.
The recovered necklace would be documented alongside the bracelet.
The department wanted any relevant camera recordings preserved.
Graham opened the home security app.
The laundry corridor camera should have shown everyone approaching the staff lockers.
There was a gap from 12:41 to 1:18 that afternoon.
He checked the activity log.
Recording paused by administrator.
Claire stood in his office doorway.
“Maybe the internet dropped.”
“The log says someone paused it.”
“Then ask your wonderful maid.”
“She doesn't have administrator access.”
Claire looked at the screen.
“So which account does?”
Graham read the name above the timestamp.
May you like
His own.
Behind him, Claire said softly, “Be careful what you accuse me of, Graham.”
