Victoria leaned against wall.
“No.”
The deputy looked confused.
She whispered:
“I’m not.”
He stayed nearby without touching her.
Police arrived.
Thomas was arrested.
The bracelet was recovered that evening.
But by then, Victoria barely cared about the jewelry.
She spent the night with an internal investigator and a list of every missing-property incident from Sterling residences and events during the previous twelve years.
There were twenty-three.
Twenty-three.
Some had been dismissed as lost.
Nine led to staff discipline.
Five people had been terminated.
Two contractors lost Sterling accounts.
One person had been reported to police.
Andre Coleman.
A twenty-four-year-old valet at the time.
A guest’s Patek Philippe watch disappeared from a Mercedes after a charity dinner.
Thomas told Victoria he saw Andre near the car.
The watch never appeared.
Charges were dropped for lack of evidence.
Sterling Hospitality fired Andre anyway.
And because Sterling Hospitality was Sterling Hospitality, three other luxury employers declined him afterward.
Victoria sat at the conference table at two in the morning staring at his name.
“Where is he now?”
An investigator searched.
“Owns a mobile detailing business in Bridgeport.”
“Successful?”
The investigator hesitated.
“Appears small.”
Victoria looked at the list.
“Elena?”
“Night supervisor at a hospital environmental-services contractor.”
“Find all of them.”
“Every person disciplined because of Thomas.”
“Every contractor.”
“Every employee.”
The investigator nodded.
Victoria added:
“And do not contact them with legal language first.”
He frowned.
“What?”
“No waiver.”
“No settlement offer.”
“No nondisclosure.”
“Find them.”
“Ask whether they will meet me.”
The investigator looked surprised.
Victoria did not explain.
By sunrise, she knew where she was going first.
Carter Motor Works opened at seven-thirty.
Daniel arrived at six-forty.
Mia had school.
His sister picked her up because Daniel had barely slept and did not want to drive tired.
He spent the first forty minutes cleaning.
Not because garage was dirty.
Because his mind was.
He reorganized sockets he had already organized.
Swept floor.
Checked invoices.
At seven-ten, headlights appeared outside.
A black Mercedes.
The same Mercedes.
Daniel stopped.
Victoria entered alone.
No security visible.
Daniel knew they were nearby anyway.
She wore jeans this time.
A cream sweater.
A long coat.
No sunglasses.
No leather jacket.
No gold chain belt.
She looked exhausted.
Daniel set down broom.
“Bracelet?”
“Recovered.”
“Good.”
“Thomas confessed.”
Daniel nodded.
Victoria stood several feet away.
“He stole from me for twelve years.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“And framed people.”
He stopped moving.
“How many?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Enough.”
She looked at the office desk where Mia had been sitting during the accusation.