Chapter 4: The Things Victoria Knew
Richard listened without interrupting.
Daniel told him everything in order: the push, the fall, the safety net, the hospital, the pregnancy, the threats Elena had described.
Richard sat across from him in a small family waiting room with a yellow legal pad on his knee and wrote three lines the entire time.
When Daniel finished, Richard looked at what he'd written, then looked up.
"Two hundred witnesses," Richard said.
"Two hundred guests.
Plus catering staff, security, the string quartet."
"Security cameras on the rooftop terrace?"
"Four.
The building's system is managed by my own company."
Richard almost smiled.
"So the footage belongs to you."
"Every frame."
"All right." Richard capped his pen.
"Victoria will claim it was an accident or a misunderstanding.
Her lawyers will move fast.
I'd expect contact from them before morning." He paused.
"Has she tried to reach you again since you hung up?"
Daniel checked his phone.
Two more texts.
The first read: *You're making a mistake.
Let me explain in person.*
The second, sent four minutes later: *I have the photograph, Daniel.
And I have other things too.
Things you won't want made public.
Think carefully before you do anything you can't undo.*
He turned the phone so Richard could read them.
Richard read both messages twice.
His expression didn't change, but he tore the top sheet off the legal pad, folded it, and put it in his breast pocket.
"Screenshot those and send them to me now," he said.
"Don't delete anything.
Don't respond."
Daniel sent the screenshots.
"What does she mean by other things?" Richard asked.
"I don't know yet."
"You need to find out before she uses whatever it is." Richard stood.
"I'm going to make two calls.
One to the detective on duty tonight — the hospital will have already filed a report given the nature of the injuries, but we want to be ahead of it.
One to my colleague Priya Anand.
She handles criminal matters.
She's better than I am at this." He looked at Daniel steadily.
"Go back to Elena's room.
Stay visible.
Stay calm.
Don't speak to Victoria or anyone connected to her tonight without me present."
Daniel nodded.
"One more thing," Richard said.
"The pregnancy.
Is there any possibility — any version of this story — where Victoria could use that against Elena in a way that looks credible?"
"No."
"You're certain."
"Elena told me the father's name.
It has nothing to do with me." Daniel met Richard's eyes.
"Victoria wanted Elena gone because she was jealous of a friendship.
That's the whole story."
Richard nodded slowly.
"Then Victoria has nothing.
She just doesn't know that yet."
He left.
Daniel went back to Elena's room.
She was asleep, or close to it.
He sat in the chair beside the bed and didn't turn the lights on.
At 1:14 in the morning, Noah Grant appeared in the doorway.
Noah was twenty-nine, Daniel's executive assistant for two years, the kind of person who arrived early and left late and never once made it about himself.
He was still in his party clothes, his tie loosened, his face tight.
"I saw it happen," Noah said quietly.
"From across the terrace.
I saw her hands go up."
Daniel looked at him.
"I know," Daniel said.
"I went back inside and pulled the security feed on my tablet before anyone could think to ask for it." Noah crossed the room and held out the tablet.
"I've already sent a copy to your personal server.
Encrypted."
On the screen, the rooftop terrace.
Timestamp 9:47 PM.
The angle was wide but clear.
Victoria in her scarlet dress.
Elena with the tray.
The conversation.
The tray lowered.
Victoria's hands rising.
The push.
No stumble.
No accident.
No reaching.
Daniel watched it once, then handed the tablet back.
"Send a copy to Richard Crane tonight," he said.
"Password protect it.
Don't discuss it with anyone else."
"Already sent," Noah said.
"The password is your mother's birthday."
Daniel looked at him.
Noah shrugged slightly.
"I didn't know what else to use."
For the first time since the champagne flute had shattered on the marble floor, something in Daniel's chest loosened by a fraction.
"Go home," Daniel said.
"Get some sleep.
I'll need you sharp tomorrow."
Noah glanced at Elena, then back at Daniel.
"Is she going to be okay?"
"Yes," Daniel said.
"Both of them."
Noah left without asking what that meant.
Daniel sat back in the chair.
His phone buzzed one more time.
Not Victoria.
The unknown number from earlier.
He answered it.
"Mr.
Whitmore." A woman's voice.
Older.
Careful.
"My name is Patricia Webb.
I don't expect you to know me.
May you like
But I believe we have something important to discuss about Elena Ramirez." A pause.
"And about my son."
