Chapter 3 - The Woman Beside Him
The second person was Natalie.
Preston’s bride.
I watched the footage the next morning with Detective Alvarez and the hotel security director.
Sophie remained upstairs under observation with my closest friend, Rachel.
The video began thirty-seven minutes before Preston announced his phone was missing.
Sophie sat beside me.
Exactly as I remembered.
Feet swinging beneath the chair.
Cake on her fork.
Never once approaching the head table.
Then Preston appeared near the coat area.
He looked around.
His phone was in his right hand.
He slipped it into the inside pocket of his tuxedo.
Then Natalie approached.
There was no audio on that camera.
But her expression was visible.
She said something.
Preston shook his head.
Natalie looked toward our table.
Then toward Sophie’s denim jacket hanging over the back of her chair.
My stomach tightened.
Preston walked behind Sophie while I was speaking to an elderly aunt.
His hand moved.
The phone disappeared into the jacket pocket.
Sophie never noticed.
Neither did I.
Natalie watched everything.
She did not stop him.
She did not look shocked.
She adjusted the flower arrangement on our table as if blocking the view from nearby guests.
Detective Alvarez paused the video.
“She knew.”
“Yes.”
The footage resumed.
Minutes later, Preston went to the microphone.
He performed the missing-phone routine.
He searched two groomsmen for show.
Then walked directly toward Sophie.
No hesitation.
No uncertainty.
Straight to the correct pocket.
The security director whispered:
“Wow.”
I said nothing.
I watched my daughter’s face.
Confusion.
Fear.
Shame.
Then Preston held up the phone.
Guests reacted.
My mother reacted.
My father reacted.
Then came the moment I had not seen clearly because I was shielding Sophie.
Preston turned away after I said no.
He walked toward the entrance.
The oak board stood there.
He grabbed it.
Natalie reached toward him.
For half a second, I thought she tried to stop him.
Then the angle changed.
She was not grabbing Preston.
She was moving her wedding train out of his way.
He lifted the board.
He swung.
I stopped the footage before impact.
“I’ve seen enough.”
Detective Alvarez nodded.
“There’s another camera.”
“What does it show?”
“The head table.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why does that matter?”
“Your mother and father were talking to Preston before he planted the phone.”
I stared at her.
“How long before?”
“Less than two minutes.”
My mouth went dry.
“No.”
Alvarez did not say anything.
She simply opened the second video.
My parents stood beside Preston.
My mother handed him something.
Not the phone.
A folded white card.
Preston read it.
Looked toward me.
Then nodded.
My father put one hand on his shoulder.
The conversation lasted twelve seconds.
Then Preston walked directly toward Sophie’s jacket.
I had thought my parents were guilty because they defended him afterward.
Now I had to ask a worse question.
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Had they known before?
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