Chapter 2
Relle had not worked for me.
That was why her name meant nothing when my security chief first said it.
She was Danielle’s older sister and Amara’s mother. She occasionally helped Danielle with alterations during large events because she had worked as a seamstress before Amara was born.
Fourteen months earlier, we hosted a private family dinner.
Relle came to repair a damaged evening gown.
Vanessa had attended that dinner.
I pulled the footage.
9:18 p.m.
Relle entered carrying a garment bag and Amara’s stuffed rabbit tucked beneath one arm.
Danielle stared at the screen.
“She brought the rabbit because Amara wouldn’t sleep without it.”
The footage continued.
Relle entered the east dressing corridor.
At 10:03, Vanessa appeared at the opposite end.
Alone.
She looked over her shoulder before following.
I paused.
Vanessa folded her arms.
“So?”
“So you told me you had never met her.”
Her mouth tightened.
“I don’t remember every member of your staff.”
“She wasn’t my staff.”
Silence.
I resumed.
At 10:11, the camera feed went black.
Not one camera.
Six.
East hall.
Service stairs.
Lower gallery.
Garage passage.
Eleven minutes later, they returned.
Relle was gone.
Vanessa reappeared at 10:29.
She was wearing gloves she had not been wearing before.
Danielle covered her mouth.
Amara whispered:
“Mommy?”
I stopped the footage.
The child did not need more.
My security chief was already searching the system history.
Then he froze.
“I found the blackout authorization.”
“Whose?”
He looked uncomfortable.
“The command used an old master credential.”
My jaw tightened.
“Name.”
He looked at me.
“Caleb Hale.”
My uncle.
My father’s younger brother.
Retired adviser.
The man who had spent years telling me Vanessa was the one woman in New York I should trust.
I looked at my fiancée.
May you like
She looked away.
And for the first time, I wondered whether I had chosen Vanessa at all.
