Chapter 2 - UPSTAIRS
Dante knelt until he was eye level with Lily.
"What happens upstairs?"
Lily's gaze darted toward Vivian.
Vivian stood from the chair. "This is ridiculous. She means bedtime."
Lily shook her head.
Grant pushed himself up. "Dante, you need to leave. Now."
"Not yet."
"You assaulted my wife in my home."
"After she hit me. There are sixty witnesses. Pick a better lie."
Dante's manager, Ellen Shaw, quietly moved closer to Lily. "Do you want to stay with us for a minute?"
The little girl nodded.
Vivian stepped forward. "She stays with me."
"No, she shouldn't."
The woman was Maria Alvarez, one of the evening staff. She looked terrified, but she kept going.
"I've seen them put her in the old linen room when she cries."
Grant snapped, "You're fired."
Maria almost flinched. Then Dante said, "You were hired by the caterer, not him. Keep talking."
Maria swallowed. "There is no window in there."
A woman near the piano covered her mouth.
Grant lunged verbally before he dared do it physically. "She's lying. She's trying to create a scandal because she knows who's here tonight."
Maria reached into her apron.
Vivian moved faster than anyone expected.
"Don't you dare."
Maria backed into the wall.
From her apron, Maria pulled a small pink hair clip.
"I found this under the door last week," she said. "Lily kept sliding things out so somebody would know she was inside."
Lily stared at the clip.
"Mine," she whispered.
Dante looked toward the broad staircase.
"Show me the room."
Grant blocked the first step.
"Nobody goes upstairs."
Dante stared at him.
"Then call the police yourself."
Grant was not dialing.
Behind them, one of the guests suddenly said, "I already did."
May you like
Vivian spun toward the voice.
And somewhere outside, faint but getting louder, came the sound of sirens.
