Chapter 3 - THE MISSING VIDEO

"Gone?" Claire repeated.

The technician swallowed. "The hallway feed is still running, but the recording from the last hour isn't in the folder."

Vanessa let out a sharp laugh. "So there's no video. Great. Maybe now we can stop pretending Claire is the victim."

Claire turned on her. "Mia is the victim."

"According to Mia?" Vanessa said. "A child who was hysterical because she was about to perform?"

Mia buried her face against Claire.

Officer Ramirez raised a hand. "Ms. Vanessa Hart?"

"Yes."

"Do not address the child again."

For the first time, Vanessa shut up.

The officer took Claire aside. "I need your version from the beginning. And I need the truth about physical contact."

Claire did not try to soften it.

"I saw my daughter on the floor with a red cheek and a torn dress. Vanessa was standing over her. I shoved Vanessa into the lockers and slapped her once."

"Once?"

"Once."

"You understand that may still be assault."

"Yes."

Officer Ramirez looked toward the dressing room. "Did Ms. Hart have permission to supervise Mia?"

Claire's eyes narrowed. "Her father asked her to bring Mia backstage while I parked the car."

Mia's father.

Daniel.

Claire's ex-husband.

Vanessa's fiancé.

Then Mia tugged her sleeve. "Mom, she made me delete something."

Claire crouched immediately. "What?"

"A message."

"From who?"

Mia looked at Vanessa, then back at Claire.

"From her."

Vanessa spoke from across the hall. "This is insane."

Officer Ramirez silenced her with a look.

Mia whispered, "She told me Dad didn't want to come tonight because I embarrass him."

Claire's throat closed.

"That's not true."

"I know," Mia said. "I think."

Then the auditorium doors opened.

Daniel came running down the hallway.

Vanessa cried his name and rushed toward him.

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He caught her by the shoulders, saw the mark on her face, and looked straight at Claire.

"What the hell did you do?"