Chapter 8: The Woman Outside
Daniel couldn't take his eyes off Jessica.
“What did she tell you?””
Jessica shook her head.
“Not here.””
“Then where?””
“She made me promise.””
“You've already broken enough promises.””
Jessica looked wounded.
“I know.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“What did Camille tell you?””
Jessica glanced at Gloria.
“She said your father wasn't killed because of an affair.””
Gloria stiffened.
Daniel waited.
“Then why?””
Jessica swallowed.
“Because he found out someone was stealing from his company.””
Daniel frowned.
“Stealing?””
“Money.””
“How much?””
“I don't know.””
“Who?””
Jessica looked at Gloria again.
“I didn't know then.””
“And now?””
“I still don't know.””
Daniel's frustration surged.
“You've been sitting on this for three months.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“You don't protect someone by lying to them.””
“I was scared!””
“Of what?””
Jessica lowered her voice.
“Of Camille.””
The room fell quiet.
“She threatened me?””
Jessica shook her head.
“No.””
“Then why were you afraid?””
“Because she told me someone had been watching me.””
Daniel looked toward the security camera.
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
Gloria suddenly turned toward the mirror.
“The camera.””
Daniel followed her gaze.
“What about it?””
“If someone installed this camera,” Gloria said, “they may have access to the recording.””
Daniel's expression changed.
“You think someone has been watching us?””
Gloria nodded.
Jessica stepped backward.
“No.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Why not?””
“Because the camera was installed yesterday.””
“By whom?””
Jessica didn't answer.
“Jessica.””
“I don't remember.””
Tasha spoke quietly.
“It was the wedding coordinator.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Who hired her?””
Jessica's silence was answer enough.
Daniel's phone buzzed.
Another message.
*LOOK UNDER THE VANITY.*
Daniel crouched.
He ran his hand beneath the white vanity table.
His fingers touched something taped underneath.
He pulled out a tiny black memory card.
Jessica gasped.
Gloria whispered, “What is that?””
Daniel stood.
“A backup.””
Tasha looked at Jessica.
“You knew.””
Jessica shook her head.
“No.””
Daniel inserted the card into the tablet.
A folder appeared.
*CAMERA ARCHIVE — THREE MONTHS.*
He opened it.
Hundreds of files.
Dates.
Times.
Names.
Daniel scrolled.
Then stopped.
A folder dated three months earlier.
The night Jessica said she'd gone to the hotel.
He opened it.
Security footage appeared.
A hotel hallway.
Jessica walked into frame.
She looked nervous.
She approached Room 214.
A few seconds later, Camille opened the door.
Daniel leaned closer.
They spoke.
No audio.
But the footage captured their expressions.
Camille handed Jessica an envelope.
Jessica took it.
Then she looked behind her.
She saw someone standing at the end of the hallway.
Jessica on the recording immediately froze.
Daniel paused the video.
“Who is that?””
The person at the end of the hallway was blurry.
But the clothes were unmistakable.
Dark navy formal dress.
Silver-streaked braided hair.
Gloria stared at the screen.
“That isn't me.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You weren't there?””
“No.””
Jessica's eyes widened.
“Then who was wearing your dress?””
Gloria shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Daniel replayed the final seconds.
The figure slowly turned.
The face remained hidden.
Then the video ended.
Jessica stepped backward.
“I never saw that person.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You're lying.””
“I swear.””
He opened another file.
Same hallway.
Different angle.
The figure entered Room 214 after Jessica left.
Five minutes later, the figure emerged carrying a small black case.
Daniel's eyes widened.
“Mom.””
Gloria stared.
“That case.””
“You recognize it?””
“Yes.””
“Whose was it?””
“Your father's.””
Daniel looked at the footage.
The person carrying it disappeared around the corner.
He opened the next file.
Then the next.
Nothing.
Until one file loaded.
A close-up security angle.
The figure entered an elevator.
The face turned toward the camera.
Daniel stopped breathing.
The image was grainy.
But the face was visible.
It wasn't Gloria.
It wasn't Jessica.
It wasn't Camille.
It was someone Daniel knew.
Someone standing in the dressing room.
Daniel slowly lifted his eyes from the screen.
Tasha followed his gaze.
Then gasped.
Jessica turned.
Her face went white.
The person in the video was one of the relatives standing near the doorway.
Daniel's uncle, Marcus.
Marcus stared back at him.
May you like
Nobody moved.
Then Marcus reached into his jacket.
