Chapter 2 - Full Lockdown
Vincent sealed the gates within two minutes.
Arthur laughed when Vincent took his phone.
"What is this, a hostage situation?"
Ellie buried her face against Clare's hip.
Dominic noticed the fear in Clare's eyes. Not fear of him.
Fear of Arthur.
Vincent returned twenty minutes later with a tablet.
"Problem," he said.
The rehabilitation hallway footage from the previous afternoon was gone.
Not corrupted.
Deleted.
Exactly forty-seven minutes had been removed from the estate archive.
"Who can delete footage?" Dominic asked.
"Me. Two senior security supervisors. And you."
"Arthur?"
"No official access."
Arthur leaned back in his chair. "Then perhaps your loyal staff are not as loyal as you think."
Dominic ignored him.
One of Vincent's security supervisors.
Dominic knew the name.
Kevin had worked for him for seven years.
"Bring him here."
Vincent did not move.
"What?"
"He left the property ninety minutes ago."
"Before lockdown?"
"Yes."
Arthur gave a quiet chuckle. "Convenient."
Dominic looked at Clare again.
She was gripping Ellie's shoulder too tightly.
"Clare. What aren't you telling me?"
"Nothing, sir."
"That answer just became expensive."
Her eyes filled. "Please don't involve Ellie."
"She's already involved. Somebody made sure of that."
Clare glanced toward Arthur.
Then down.
Clare opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, Vincent's phone vibrated.
He read the message and went still.
"We found Kevin's car."
"Where?"
"Lower Wacker."
Dominic's grip tightened on the cane.
The same underground road where his crash had happened.
Vincent looked up.
May you like
"Driver's door open. Engine running. No Kevin."
Arthur stopped smiling.
