Witness declines to speculate regarding senior attendant handling small metallic object at hotel later that evening.
Her heart began pounding.
She stood so quickly the chair moved backward.
The regional president entered from the adjoining room.
“What?”
She pointed at the page.
He read.
His face changed.
“Did you know?”
“No.”
“Was this disclosed to you?”
“No.”
The chairwoman looked toward her phone.
The old friend’s number was still saved.
She had not called in nearly three years.
Their friendship had faded gradually.
Not through conflict.
Life.
Distance.
Different cities.
Occasional birthdays.
Holiday messages.
The chairwoman pressed call.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
She sent:
Please call me. It’s important.
Forty-five minutes later, her phone rang.
She closed the conference-room door.
Answered.
The old friend’s voice sounded fragile.
“I saw the news.”
The chairwoman did not waste time.
“Did you see her with the watch twelve years ago?”
Silence.
Then breathing.
The chairwoman closed her eyes.
“Answer me.”
The friend began crying.
“I saw something.”
“What?”
“The watch.”
The room seemed to narrow.
“When?”
“That night.”
“After the flight?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“At the hotel.”
The chairwoman gripped the edge of the table.
“Was it on her wrist?”
“No.”
“Where?”
“In her hand.”
“What did she say?”
The friend cried harder.
“She said she found it.”
The chairwoman sat.
“Found it where?”
“She said inside one of the service carts after landing.”
“Then why didn’t she turn it in?”
“She panicked.”
“Why?”
“She had already told them you were acting suspicious.”
The chairwoman felt physically ill.
The friend continued.
“She said if she suddenly produced the watch, they would think she had taken it.”
“So she hid it.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew.”
“I knew she had it.”
“Did you know she kept it?”
“No.”
“I thought she would eventually turn it in anonymously.”
The chairwoman’s voice broke.
“But you never told me.”
The friend sobbed.
“I was scared.”
The chairwoman laughed once.
The sound surprised both of them.
“Scared.”
“Yes.”
“She was senior.”
“She controlled schedules.”
“She had friends in management.”
“She told me if I said anything, she would say I helped you steal it.”
The chairwoman stood again.
“You came to my apartment after I was fired.”
“I know.”
“You brought food.”
“I know.”
“You sat on my floor.”
“I know.”
“You held my hand while I said I didn’t understand why nobody believed me.”
The friend could barely speak.
“I know.”
“And you knew she had possessed the watch.”
“Yes.”
The chairwoman pressed her palm against her mouth.
Tears came.
Not graceful.
Not controlled.
The friend whispered: