Chapter 1 - The Bottle
Elena Bennett slapped Lily before she understood what the maid had just saved.
The glass bottle hit the marble floor and shattered. White milk spread beneath the kitchen island, then began to fizz strangely against the polished stone.
Elena froze.
Her four-month-old son, Noah, was crying in the high chair beside her. Seconds earlier, that bottle had been inches from his mouth.
"What did you do?" Elena snapped.
Lily stood with one hand pressed to her cheek. Her eyes were wet, but her voice stayed low.
"Ma'am, I saw Miss Victoria near the formula cabinet. The bottle smelled wrong. I didn't have time to explain."
Elena turned.
Her younger sister Victoria stood in the doorway wearing a cream silk robe, perfectly still.
Not confused.
Terrified.
"Victoria?"
Victoria's lips parted.
Before she could speak, the mansion's electronic front doors unlocked.
Click.
Heavy footsteps crossed the foyer.
Fast.
Purposeful.
Victoria went white.
"He wasn't supposed to be here yet."
Adrian Bennett entered the kitchen carrying a leather travel bag. He had been scheduled to spend two days in Chicago, but a canceled meeting had put him on an early flight home.
He looked at the broken glass.
Then at Lily's reddened cheek.
Then at Elena.
"What happened?"
No one answered.
Adrian moved toward Noah first. "Is he okay?"
"He didn't drink it," Lily said.
Victoria suddenly stepped backward.
Adrian noticed.
"Why are you leaving?"
"I'm not. I just... I need air."
"Stay where you are."
His voice changed the room.
Elena pointed at the spill. "Lily knocked the bottle out of my hand. She says Victoria was near it."
Victoria laughed once, too sharply. "Your maid is accusing me now?"
Lily whispered, "I'm not accusing anyone. I saw what I saw."
Adrian crouched beside the spill without touching it. The surface of the marble was already dulling beneath the liquid.
He looked up slowly.
"Nobody cleans this. Nobody leaves."
Then the security panel on the wall chimed.
CAMERA 7 - KITCHEN - RECORDING DISABLED AT 8:12 A.M.
May you like
Adrian stared at the message.
The only person in the house with administrator access besides him was Victoria.
