Chapter 11 - The Woman Who Knew About Cameras
Ira sent the image through an encrypted link. It showed Frances Bell, the estate's events director, bent over my tablet with a focused expression. The camera had activated after an unsuccessful attempt to verify an account holder. That attempt had failed; eleven minutes later somebody used a backup recovery code to approve the charge.
"She knew what the tablet was," Nia said.
"And she knew the camera was there," I answered. "That's why she tried to get the hallway footage destroyed."
We sent the images and logs to our attorney, who forwarded the relevant records to investigators. Ira traced the payment through the merchant processor. Of the $42,500 charged to Harborlight, most had covered the estate's overdue wedding balance. A separate $18,600 had passed through a subcontractor account into Sloane's relocation company. Atlantic Harbor had never booked a hotel room or moved a single family.
That evening an email reached my private account. Its subject was PLEASE CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES. Frances wrote that I could avoid costly litigation if I described my fall as accidental, withdrew complaints about the billing, and accepted an apology from the estate. She offered a complimentary future visit.
I stared at that last line until I began laughing. A free weekend in the place where my sister had shoved me down the stairs. Even their attempt to buy my silence was insulting.
I forwarded the message to Price and my attorney. Then I received another, this one from Talia.
My dad's shift was canceled. Manager says he is no longer welcome on the property. They know it was me.
May you like
A third message followed with a photograph of a termination notice.
The name at the bottom of the letter was Frances Bell.
