Chapter 2 - The Security Footage
Victoria left.
Not because she wanted to.
Because security escorted her out.
I took Lily inside.
A pediatric doctor who had been attending the party examined her.
She was physically fine.
Terrified.
But fine.
That was enough for the moment.
After Lily fell asleep in my bedroom, I met Daniel Ross, my security director, in the study.
“Show me the cameras.”
There were three.
One captured everything.
Victoria standing behind Lily.
Victoria saying something.
Lily turning.
Then both of Victoria’s hands pushing against my daughter’s shoulders.
Hard.
Deliberate.
Daniel stopped the video.
“You want police?”
“Yes.”
“Tonight?”
“Now.”
Then he pointed toward another screen.
“There’s something else.”
A man had spoken to Victoria fifteen minutes before the push.
Mid-fifties.
Grey hair.
Black dinner jacket.
I recognized him.
Graham Locke.
My late wife’s former estate attorney.
I had not seen him since Claire’s funeral.
“What was he doing here?”
“He arrived as Ms. Vale’s guest.”
Victoria had invited Claire’s attorney to my home.
Without telling me.
Daniel enhanced the audio.
Graham said:
“You cannot do anything until the trust reverts.”
Victoria answered:
“I’m tired of waiting.”
My stomach tightened.
“What trust?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
I did.
Or at least I remembered one.
Claire had established a trust for Lily shortly before she died.
At the time, I thought it was ordinary estate planning.
Education.
Medical care.
Security.
I had never asked how much was inside.
That night, I called my attorney.
“Samuel.”
“Adrian?”
“I need Claire’s trust documents.”
“When?”
“Now.”
A pause.
Then:
“Did something happen?”
“Yes.”
“Victoria pushed Lily into the pool.”
Silence.
Then Samuel whispered:
“Oh God.”
My grip tightened.
“You know something.”
Another pause.
“Adrian…”
“What?”
“Victoria isn’t just someone Claire knew.”
“Who is she?”
May you like
Samuel answered:
“She’s Claire’s half-sister.”
