Chapter 2 - THE FAKE EVIDENCE ON THE FLOOR

Detective Lena Ward entered the mansion with two officers and a medical team.

She took one look at Nora and ordered everyone separated.

Celeste objected immediately.

“This woman stole from me.”

Detective Ward glanced toward the open cash box.

“Then the video will help establish what happened.”

Celeste folded her arms.

“The security system malfunctioned.”

The estate technician arrived carrying a tablet.

“The main display was disabled.”

“But the backup recorder remained active.”

Celeste’s jaw tightened.

Damien stood beside the terrace doors.

He had already admitted pushing his wife.

He had not called an attorney.

He had not changed his statement.

Detective Ward asked:

“Did you push Mrs. Cross?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“She tried to strike Nora again.”

“You could have moved her away without throwing her toward the pool.”

“Yes.”

Damien looked through the glass at Celeste.

“I should not have used that much force.”

Celeste smiled triumphantly.

“He admits it.”

Ward turned toward her.

“That does not erase what happened before he entered.”

The technician opened the recording.

The first camera angle showed Nora entering with a stack of clean towels.

She placed them on the sofa.

Celeste entered behind her carrying the diamond brooch.

She opened Nora’s cleaning cart.

Then she placed the jewelry and several bundles of cash inside.

Celeste waited until Nora returned from the hallway.

Then she screamed.

The footage captured her dragging Nora’s bag onto the floor.

Money spilled across the tiles.

“You thought you could steal from me?”

Nora looked shocked.

“I didn’t put that there.”

Celeste slapped her.

Nora staggered backward.

“You were supposed to leave quietly.”

“I copied the accounts.”

The room became silent.

In the video, Celeste’s expression changed.

“What did you say?”

“The charity accounts.”

“The employee housing fund.”

“The renovation invoices.”

“I copied all of it.”

Celeste grabbed Nora’s hair.

The cash box fell.

Nora tried to pull away.

Celeste forced her to the floor and pressed one heel against her hand.

“Tell me where the copies are.”

“No.”

“Your mother made the same mistake.”

Nora froze.

Damien looked at her.

“What did she mean?”

Nora’s eyes filled with tears.

“My mother died here.”

Damien felt cold move through his body.

Nora’s mother, Alice Hale, had served as Crosshaven’s estate administrator for twenty-four years.

She died three years earlier after falling from the old cliffside road behind the property.

Police called it an accident.

Damien attended the funeral.

He paid for Nora’s college tuition.

Then he returned to work and allowed Celeste to hire Nora into the household.

He had believed it was compassion.

Now he wondered whether Celeste had wanted Nora nearby for another reason.

The recording continued.

Celeste said:

“Alice should have understood that loyalty matters more than numbers.”

Nora answered:

“She found your transfers.”

“You don’t know what she found.”

“I found her ledger.”

Celeste’s heel pressed harder against Nora’s hand.

“You are going to tell Damien you stole.”

“You are going to sign a confession.”

“Then you are going to disappear.”

That was when Damien entered through the terrace doors.

The screen went black after Celeste attempted to disable the camera.

No one spoke.

Detective Ward closed the tablet.

“What accounts did you copy?”

Nora looked toward Damien.

“The Crosshaven employee pension fund.”

“And?”

“The trust holding his controlling shares.”

Celeste stood.

“This interview is over.”

Ward signaled to an officer.

“You are not free to leave.”

Celeste looked at Damien.

“You cannot allow this.”

May you like

"The vanilla buttercream hit the hardwood floor with a sickening, heavy...

"The vanilla buttercream hit the hardwood floor with a sickening, heavy thud. I didn’t even register the sound of the custom glass...

"The perfect wife was about to commit the unthinkable. Then the front do...

"""""""The perfect wife was about to commit the unthinkable. Then the front door opened.""""The heavy bronze candlestick was raise...

"When my husband shoved me into the freezing pool in front of his entire...

"When my husband shoved me into the freezing pool in front of his entire family, I thought the cold water would be the worst part....

Damien’s voice remained quiet.

“I allowed too much already.”