Chapter 5: The Copy They Forgot
“No,” Elena whispered, tapping the screen.
“No, no—”
Daniel slipped his own phone into his pocket.
“Electronic files fail every day.”
“You erased it,” Richard said.
“Prove that.”
Victoria moved beside Daniel.
“Now perhaps everyone will stop listening to a dishonest employee.”
Elena’s shoulders folded.
“The photographs are gone too.”
Evelyn reached from the stretcher and touched Elena’s cheek.
“Look at me.”
“I failed you.”
“You put your body between me and that vase.
Do not call that failure.”
Elena pressed Evelyn’s hand against her face.
A sob escaped before she could stop it.
Richard knelt beside her.
“Elena, I will recover the phone.”
“You promised you would protect her, and then you nearly gave Daniel everything.”
“He threatened my company.”
“And Victoria threatened my brother.”
Richard’s eyes lifted.
“Tell me exactly what she knows.”
“My brother Mateo works for your shipping division.
Victoria said Daniel could make it appear that he had taken money.
She said no one would believe two poor immigrants over this family.”
“I would.”
“You didn’t believe me ten minutes ago.”
Richard had no answer.
The paramedic guided Evelyn’s stretcher into the hall.
Evelyn refused to release Elena’s hand until the last possible moment.
“Come with me,” she said.
“I’m right behind you.”
A quiet voice came from the doorway.
“Before you go, miss, you should see this.”
Martha, the housekeeper, held a small black memory card between two fingers.
She had served the family for nineteen years and rarely spoke in Victoria’s presence.
Victoria stiffened.
“Where did you get that?”
“From the hallway camera.”
“You told me those cameras were broken.”
Martha looked at her.
“I told you the monitor was broken.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“Hand it over.”
Martha placed the card in Elena’s palm.
“Mrs.
Evelyn asked me to save the recordings if anything strange happened.”
Victoria’s hand darted out, but Richard closed his fingers around her wrist.
“Don’t touch her.”
“You’re hurting me!”
“I’m stopping you from destroying evidence.”
Daniel turned to leave.
The officer moved into his path.
“Sir, I’d like your name and identification.”
“I’m an attorney.
I know my rights.”
“Then you know how simple my request is.”
While Daniel argued, Victoria leaned toward Elena.
“Give me the card, and Mateo keeps his job.
Refuse, and by tomorrow he will be facing an investigation.”
Elena’s hand trembled.
Richard heard her.
“Mateo works for me.
You cannot remove him.”
Victoria laughed softly.
“Daniel wasn’t talking about his job.”
Elena stared at her.
“What did you put in his locker?”
“Give me the card.”
Martha stepped between them.
“Don’t you dare threaten that girl again.”
Victoria blinked.
“I pay your wages.”
“No.
Mrs.
Evelyn does.
And even if you did, some money is too dirty to take.”
Elena handed the card to the officer.
“Please protect this.”
The officer sealed it inside an evidence bag.
Daniel’s expression changed.
“That card contains private recordings.
Viewing them could expose this family to serious liability.”
Richard watched him.
“What are you afraid we’ll see?”
The paramedic called from downstairs.
“We need to leave now.”
At the hospital, a doctor took the bottle from the paramedic and compared its contents with Evelyn’s chart.
“These aren’t her prescribed tablets,” he said.
Richard gripped the counter.
“What are they?”
“A strong sedative.
Repeated doses could explain her weakness and confusion.”
Victoria appeared at the end of the corridor with Daniel beside her.
Daniel raised a fresh document.
“The court order gives Victoria authority to transfer Evelyn to a private facility immediately.”
Two attendants stepped through the doors behind them.
May you like
Victoria looked at Elena and smiled.
“Say goodbye to her.”
