Chapter 9 - The Dessert Plate)
At 7:55 p.m., the ballroom was full.
Arthur entered to applause.
He shook hands.
Accepted compliments.
Smiled for photographs.
Nobody watching him would have guessed he believed someone in the room might have helped kill his son.
Evelyn sat three places away.
Malcolm sat near the opposite end of the head table.
Daniel was nowhere in sight.
Arthur’s outside security team had quietly taken positions near each ballroom exit.
At 8:18, Arthur stepped onto the stage.
Nia watched from beneath a service table near the wall.
She could barely see him through the tablecloth.
Arthur began his speech.
He talked about the first Aurelia hotel.
About his late wife.
About employees who had built Whitmore International.
Then he mentioned James.
The room became quiet.
“My son believed an institution should never become too powerful to question itself.”
Evelyn’s fingers tightened around her champagne glass.
Arthur continued.
“For that reason, beginning tonight, Whitmore International will conduct a complete independent forensic review of foundation transactions, vendor relationships, executive access, and internal financial controls.”
Several board members looked shocked.
Malcolm lowered his eyes.
Evelyn remained perfectly still.
“No leadership succession will occur until that review is complete.”
Whispers spread.
Arthur looked directly at Evelyn.
She smiled.
Only Arthur could see how much effort it required.
Applause followed.
Dinner resumed.
At 8:34, dessert trays left the pastry kitchen.
Nia saw Evelyn stand.
She moved toward the service corridor.
Nia followed.
Evelyn entered a small staging area between the ballroom and kitchen.
Malcolm waited there.
“You said Conrad’s packet was measured,” he whispered.
“It is.”
“What if Arthur doesn’t finish the dessert?”
“He doesn’t need to.”
Nia crouched behind stacked chairs.
Evelyn opened her handbag.
Silver flashed.
The same packet.
The same blue crown.
Nia’s heart began pounding.
A server entered carrying a tray.
Malcolm stopped him.
“Table twelve needs assistance.”
The server left.
Evelyn moved to the tray.
She checked the place card.
Arthur Whitmore.
She tore open the packet.
Nia watched white powder fall onto the orange glaze.
Evelyn used the back of a spoon to spread it.
Malcolm looked toward the corridor.
“Hurry.”
Evelyn placed the spoon down.
Then a voice sounded from farther away.
“Ms. Vale?”
Evelyn quickly left.
Malcolm followed.
Nia emerged.
She stared at Arthur’s dessert.
She could simply throw it away.
But another server entered before she could touch it.
“What are you doing here?”
Nia ran.
The server lifted the tray and carried it toward the ballroom.
Nia followed.
A crowd blocked her.
Waiters moved between tables.
She saw the plate reach Arthur.
He was speaking with a donor.
Nia tried squeezing between chairs.
A man stepped backward and almost knocked her down.
Arthur lifted his fork.
Nia ran faster.
The fork cut into the orange dessert.
“Nia!”
Daniel’s voice.
She ignored him.
Arthur lifted the fork.
Nia ducked beneath the edge of his table.
He brought the dessert toward his mouth.
She rose.
“Don’t eat that!”
The fork stopped.
Every event of the previous thirty-six hours seemed to collapse into that single second.
Daniel reached her.
“Get away from him now!”
Arthur raised a hand.
Daniel stopped.
“Why?”
Nia pointed.
“I saw her put something in it.”
Arthur lowered the fork.
Nia looked behind him.
Evelyn was approaching.
“She’s lying.”
Arthur turned.
Evelyn moved faster.
Nia pointed.
“She said you wouldn’t survive dessert.”
The ballroom went silent.
Arthur stared at Evelyn.
“Daniel. Close the ballroom doors.”
Evelyn reached the table.
“This child has been hiding inside the hotel since yesterday. Her mother was caught stealing.”
Nia shouted, “That’s not true!”
Arthur looked at Daniel.
“Was Simone Carter arrested?”
Daniel swallowed.
“No.”
Evelyn turned toward him.
Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
“Where is she?”
Daniel looked toward Malcolm.
“I don’t know.”
Malcolm rose.
“This is getting ridiculous.”
Arthur’s outside security team moved.
Two men positioned themselves behind Malcolm.
Arthur noticed.
So did Malcolm.
Arthur pushed his dessert plate away.
“Nobody leaves this ballroom.”
Evelyn laughed once.
“You cannot detain three hundred people.”
“No.”
Arthur looked around.
“But I can ask three hundred people whether they would prefer to leave now or remain for the explanation of why a seven-year-old believes someone tried to poison me.”
Nobody moved.
Arthur looked at Nia.
“Did you see her touch this plate?”
“Yes.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
Evelyn stepped closer.
“She is a frightened child repeating something her mother told her.”
Nia reached into her pocket.
She pulled out the empty silver packet.
Evelyn’s face changed.
Arthur saw it.
Nia placed the packet on the table.
“I found the first one.”
The ballroom erupted in whispers.
Malcolm suddenly moved toward the exit.
Arthur’s security team blocked him.
Then every light in the ballroom went out.
Someone screamed.
A glass shattered.
In the darkness, Nia felt a hand close around her wrist.
Not Arthur’s.
Not Daniel’s.
A woman’s hand.
May you like
Evelyn whispered against her ear.
“You should have stayed hidden.”
