Chapter 3 - The Missing Bracelet
Ten minutes later, the first accusation came.
A woman screamed near the east doors.
“My bracelet.”
Heads turned.
Vanessa’s closest friend, Celeste Warren, stood beside a champagne table.
“My diamond bracelet is gone.”
Clara felt something tighten in her chest.
Vanessa remained beside Adrian.
Too calm.
Celeste opened her handbag.
“It was here five minutes ago.”
Vanessa slowly turned toward the staff.
Clara understood before she spoke.
“Oh no.”
Vanessa’s voice carried perfectly.
“Surely nobody working tonight would be foolish enough to steal from a guest.”
Clara stared at her.
Adrian did too.
Celeste looked distressed.
“It’s insured for eighty thousand dollars.”
Several guests began whispering.
Vanessa glanced toward Clara.
“Security should check everyone.”
Clara almost laughed.
It was too obvious.
But only to her.
To everyone else, she was a temporary maid who had just physically grabbed one of the wealthiest women in Manhattan.
Vanessa stepped toward her.
“You seemed very interested in the guests earlier.”
“I was serving them.”
“You were also in the private corridor.”
“I was helping Mrs. Beaumont.”
Vanessa smiled.
“Were you?”
Evelyn suddenly gripped Clara’s hand.
“She was with me.”
Vanessa looked down at her.
“You’re tired, Evelyn.”
Adrian’s voice cut through the room.
“Stop saying that.”
Vanessa ignored him.
“Search her.”
Clara’s face burned.
“No.”
Vanessa raised her eyebrows.
“Then you have something to hide.”
Clara looked at Adrian.
He studied her for a long moment.
Then he spoke to security.
“Nobody touches her.”
Vanessa stared at him.
Adrian pointed toward the security office.
“Review the cameras first.”
Vanessa’s confidence flickered.
Only slightly.
But Clara saw it.
Marcus returned.
“There’s a problem.”
Adrian turned.
“What?”
“Several ballroom cameras were disabled twenty-three minutes ago.”
Vanessa looked shocked.
Too shocked.
Clara knew immediately.
Adrian did not react.
“Which cameras?”
“East ballroom.”
Marcus looked at his phone.
“Private corridor.”
Another pause.
“And the hall outside your mother’s sitting room.”
Evelyn’s fingers tightened around Clara’s.
Vanessa whispered.
“That’s disturbing.”
Clara looked directly at her.
“You knew they were off.”
Vanessa’s eyes flashed.
“Excuse me?”
“You knew exactly where there wouldn’t be video.”
Vanessa stepped closer.
“You should worry less about cameras and more about what security is about to find.”
Clara’s blood went cold.
“What does that mean?”
Vanessa smiled.
Security chief Daniel Cross approached.
He looked uncomfortable.
“Ms. Hayes.”
Clara turned.
“We need to inspect your service bag.”
There it was.
Clara had left the small black bag in the staff pantry.
Her wallet.
Phone charger.
Apartment keys.
Nothing else.
“Fine.”
Vanessa folded her arms.
Daniel returned two minutes later carrying the bag.
He set it on a table.
Then slowly opened the front pocket.
A diamond bracelet slid onto the polished wood.
The room exploded with whispers.
Celeste gasped.
“That’s mine.”
Clara stared at it.
“No.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“How disappointing.”
Clara shook her head.
“I didn’t put that there.”
Vanessa’s voice turned gentle.
“Of course you didn’t.”
Adrian looked at the bracelet.
Then at Clara.
For the first time, uncertainty appeared in his eyes.
It lasted less than a second.
But Clara saw it.
And Vanessa did too.
That was all she needed.
“Now you understand,” Vanessa whispered.
Adrian remained silent.
Vanessa turned toward the guests.
“This woman assaulted me.”
Clara’s jaw dropped.
“She stole from Celeste.”
“I didn’t.”
“And now she’s manipulating an elderly woman.”
Evelyn shouted.
“Stop!”
Everyone turned.
Evelyn was breathing hard.
Adrian immediately knelt beside her.
“Mom.”
She pointed at Vanessa.
“She put something in Clara’s bag.”
Vanessa laughed.
“You didn’t see that.”
Evelyn’s expression changed.
“No.”
She looked toward the darkened private corridor.
“But I saw who did.”
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And across the room, one of Vanessa’s security men quietly reached for the exit.
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