Chapter 7 - The Camera That Wasn’t Erased
The erased footage changed nothing Rebecca already had—but it changed the room.
Eleanor relaxed.
Daniel noticed.
That told him everything.
She had expected cameras to save him. She thought they were gone.
Rebecca handed one officer her phone. “We have an audio recording of the last twelve minutes and a cybersecurity log showing unauthorized access to Mr. Carter’s laptop.”
Eleanor’s expression shifted.
Only slightly.
But Daniel saw it.
Madeline sat back down, shaking.
The officer asked Eleanor to hand over the envelope. She refused until the second officer warned her directly. Then she placed it on the table.
Rebecca opened it with gloves.
Inside were copies.
Not originals.
Eleanor smiled again.
Daniel’s stomach sank.
“Where are the originals?” he asked.
“Somewhere safe.”
The officer turned to Madeline. “Ma’am, we need to speak with you separately.”
Madeline looked at Daniel like he could save her.
He did not move.
As police led Eleanor and Madeline out for questioning, Rebecca pulled Daniel aside.
“Don’t celebrate.”
“I’m not.”
“The money is still gone. The originals are missing. And unless we prove Eleanor arranged the forgery and transfer, she’ll call all of this a business dispute.”
Daniel rubbed his face.
“What about the erased footage?”
“The hotel claims a system failure.”
“Convenient.”
“Very.”
A voice behind them said, “It wasn’t all erased.”
They turned.
A young banquet server stood in the doorway. Her name tag read LUCY.
She held a phone.
“I was clearing glasses outside the ballroom when Mrs. Whitmore started yelling at the older man,” Lucy said. “My sister loves drama, so I recorded some of it.”
Daniel almost laughed from disbelief.
“What did you record?”
Lucy showed them.
The video began with Eleanor pointing at Thomas.
Then Madeline’s nervous smile.
Then Daniel removing the ring.
But that was not what made Rebecca lean closer.
In the far background, near a service door, a man in a navy suit could be seen speaking to the hotel’s head of security.
The man handed him something.
An envelope.
Daniel zoomed in.
“Do you know him?” Lucy asked.
Daniel did not.
Rebecca did.
“That’s Victor Hale,” she said.
“Who?”
“Whitmore Holdings’ chief financial officer.”
Daniel looked at her.
Rebecca’s face had gone hard.
“He signed the acquisition documents with you last month.”
Daniel stared at the grainy image.
Victor Hale had been standing twenty feet away when Eleanor humiliated Thomas.
And according to the timestamp, he paid hotel security three minutes before the hallway cameras went dark.
Then Lucy said, “There’s another video.”
She swiped.
The second clip had been taken earlier that evening.
Victor was not with security.
May you like
He was with Madeline.
And they were kissing.
