Chapter 2 - THE FIRST GLASS
Arthur turned toward Sarah.
“What do you mean?”
Sarah swallowed.
“There was another drink.”
“Earlier.”
Vivienne interrupted.
“This is ridiculous.”
Marcus stepped between them.
“Let her speak.”
Sarah looked at Arthur.
“At around eight twenty, Ms. Cross went behind the private bar.”
“She told the bartender she wanted to prepare your drink herself.”
Arthur frowned.
“That isn’t unusual.”
“I know.”
Sarah continued.
“But she dropped something.”
“What?”
“A small packet.”
“I thought it was sugar or medicine.”
“Then she picked it up very quickly.”
Sarah looked ashamed.
“I didn’t think anything of it at first.”
“What changed?”
“She poured your drink.”
“Then she looked around before adding something from her clutch.”
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
“Did I drink that glass?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Mr. Davenport called you to the terrace.”
Miles Davenport.
Chief financial officer of Vale Quantum Systems.
Arthur’s closest business partner for sixteen years.
Arthur remembered.
Miles had pulled him away to discuss a board call.
The first drink sat untouched.
Then a server cleared it.
Marcus immediately asked.
“Which server?”
Sarah pointed toward a young man near the service doors.
“Ethan.”
The waiter looked terrified.
“I dumped it.”
“Where?”
“Service sink.”
Marcus swore under his breath.
Evidence gone.
But not completely.
The bar itself had cameras.
So did the service corridor.
Arthur had spent billions building security technology.
He had installed some of the best surveillance systems available inside his own mansion.
Vivienne knew that.
Apparently, she believed private-bar cameras were disabled during social events.
They usually were.
Usually.
Marcus looked at Arthur.
“The gala protocol was changed after last month’s jewelry theft.”
Arthur understood.
The cameras had been running.
Vivienne did too.
Her face became completely still.
That was when sirens reached the gates.
Sarah was taken aside for a statement.
Arthur remained near the broken glass.
He stared at the wet tablecloth.
Minutes earlier, he had been irritated with Sarah.
The gala honored a children’s technology foundation.
Donors.
Politicians.
Founders.
Billionaires.
He had been discussing a new research center.
Then a young waitress had struck a drink from his hand.
For two seconds, he thought she had embarrassed him.
Now he realized she might have saved his life.
Detective Lena Ortiz entered with officers and a forensic team.
She viewed Sarah’s phone.
Then ordered the shattered glass, ice, tablecloth, and remaining liquid preserved.
Vivienne’s attorney arrived before midnight.
That surprised Arthur.
He had not called one.
Neither had security.
Yet attorney Martin Bellamy walked through the front doors forty-three minutes after police arrived.
Arthur knew him.
Bellamy was not Vivienne’s personal lawyer.
He represented Vale Quantum Systems.
Arthur looked toward Miles Davenport.
May you like
The CFO had been standing near the terrace doors all evening.
Now he was gone.
