Chapter 5 - The Theft They Tried to Put on Me
I had never entered Gabriel Costa's private office.
I didn't even know where it was.
But according to the Belvedere Club's security system, my employee card had opened the office at 11:42 p.m. the previous night.
The police wanted to question me.
And Hector was acting as though my arrest would be an inconvenience to his staffing schedule.
"Come immediately," he insisted.
"I'm bringing my attorney."
He sighed.
"Alice, don't make this worse."
I looked at Leah.
Then I answered.
"That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid."
Miriam met me outside the club.
The building looked different in daylight.
Less magical.
More like an expensive trap.
Inside, two detectives introduced themselves.
They explained that documents and cash had been reported missing from a private safe.
My employee card had supposedly accessed the restricted office.
I told them the truth.
I hadn't entered the office.
I hadn't taken anything.
And I'd spent the previous evening with Leah.
Miriam provided the information we had and asked about the access records and available footage.
The detectives didn't accuse me of a crime on the spot.
But it was clear someone wanted my name connected to the theft.
Hector stood near the doorway.
He refused to meet my eyes.
I looked at him.
"Did you tell them I was here?"
He swallowed.
"The system showed your card."
"Where is my card now?"
He hesitated.
I felt cold.
"Hector."
He looked away.
"It's missing."
I stared.
"My employee card was kept in your office after my shift."
He said nothing.
Because he knew.
Employees had to surrender their cards at the end of each banquet.
Hector stored them in a locked drawer.
Anyone with access to that drawer could have taken mine.
Miriam asked the detectives to preserve the footage of the staff office.
Then Gabriel appeared.
He was wearing a black suit.
No tie.
His expression was colder than I'd seen it at the banquet.
He looked at the detectives.
"Have you reviewed the complete security footage?"
One detective answered.
"We're working through it."
Gabriel turned toward Hector.
"Who had access to the staff card drawer?"
Hector swallowed.
"Management."
"Names."
"Me. My assistant. The overnight supervisor."
Gabriel nodded.
Then he looked at me.
"Alice."
I stepped backward.
"Don't."
He stopped immediately.
I appreciated that.
But I wasn't ready to forgive him.
He turned toward the detectives.
"Please preserve every camera recording from the staff corridor and my office."
Then he walked away.
I thought that would be the end of our conversation.
It wasn't.
An hour later, the detectives informed Miriam that footage showed a man entering the staff office shortly before my card was used.
The man wore a maintenance uniform.
His face was partially obscured.
But something about him looked familiar.
I stared at the still photograph.
Then I remembered.
The banquet.
Preston's friends.
The man who had recorded me kneeling.
"That's him."
Miriam looked up.
"You're certain?"
I nodded.
"He was at the table."
The detective asked how I recognized him.
I pointed toward his wrist.
A distinctive tattoo.
Three black stars.
I'd noticed it when he held up his phone.
The detective made a note.
They continued their investigation.
No charges were filed against me that day.
But someone had clearly attempted to put me in a dangerous position.
And whoever it was knew the club's security procedures.
I left with Miriam.
Gabriel was waiting near the entrance.
"Alice, please."
I stopped.
"One minute."
He nodded.
"I found something about the stolen documents."
I crossed my arms.
"Then give it to the police."
"I have."
"Good."
He looked at me.
"Calder's people have been trying to locate the original Harbor House ledger."
"I know."
"I also know my father was involved in the earlier transactions."
I felt my throat tighten.
"You should have told me immediately."
"Yes."
"You should have told my mother."
"Yes."
I stared at him.
"Why didn't you?"
He took a slow breath.
"Because I was afraid of what it would do to my family."
I laughed bitterly.
"My mother died worrying about rent."
His jaw tightened.
"I know."
"No, Gabriel. You don't."
For the first time, he looked genuinely shaken.
I continued.
"You had money. Lawyers. Security. Connections. You had every advantage."
I stepped closer.
"My mother had a sewing machine and a daughter who believed her when she said everything would be okay."
He lowered his eyes.
"I'm sorry."
I shook my head.
"I don't need another rich man feeling sorry for me."
I walked away.
I didn't look back.
That evening, Leah brought pizza to my apartment.
We ate on the floor because I still hadn't put my furniture back where it belonged.
She watched me pick at a slice.
"You're thinking about Gabriel."
"No."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Fine. I'm thinking about Gabriel."
"Because you like him?"
"Because I don't understand him."
Leah nodded.
"That's fair."
I stared at the wall.
"He defended me when nobody else would."
"Yes."
"But he also kept information from me."
"Also yes."
I sighed.
"Why does everything have to be complicated?"
Leah handed me another slice.
"Because apparently your life is a television show."
I laughed.
For the first time in days, I actually laughed.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph.
My mother's grave.
Taken that afternoon.
Beneath it were six words.
STOP DIGGING, OR YOU'LL JOIN HER.
I dropped the phone.
Leah grabbed it.
Her expression changed.
"Alice."
I couldn't move.
Then another message appeared.
A photograph of Gabriel standing outside the club.
May you like
A red circle had been drawn around his face.
HE CAN'T PROTECT YOU FOREVER.
