Chapter 6 - The Night on the Staircase
The night before the formal dinner, rain struck the mansion windows.
Most of the staff had gone home early because of the storm.
Evelyn was walking toward the library when she saw Caleb standing near the staircase with a leather folder beneath his arm.
He had been drinking.
“Sign these,” he said.
Evelyn opened the folder.
The documents transferred temporary control of her voting shares to Caleb.
“No.”
His jaw tightened.
“We’ve discussed this.”
“You discussed it. I refused.”
Caleb stepped closer.
“You are making this unnecessarily difficult.”
Evelyn closed the folder and handed it back.
“I know about the loans.”
For one second, Caleb could not hide his fear.
Then his expression changed.
“You searched my office.”
“It was your father’s office.”
“He is dead.”
The words echoed through the entrance hall.
Evelyn stared at him.
Caleb lowered his voice.
“So is the world you understood. The company needs someone who can make decisions.”
“You do not want the company. You want to sell it before your creditors destroy you.”
Caleb grabbed her arm.
Evelyn pulled away.
“Let go of me.”
“You’re going to sign.”
“No.”
They stood beside the staircase, beneath the small security camera Caleb had forgotten was installed after a burglary several years earlier.
Caleb blocked her path.
When Evelyn tried to move around him, he shoved the folder against her shoulder.
She lost her balance and struck the side of her face against the wooden railing.
The impact left her stunned on the floor.
Caleb froze.
For a moment, Evelyn thought he might help her.
Instead, he looked around the empty hall.
“You fell,” he said.
Evelyn touched the skin beneath her eye.
Caleb crouched beside her.
“You became confused, you lost your balance, and you fell. Do you understand?”
She looked at him without speaking.
He picked up the folder and walked away.
After the sound of his door closing upstairs, Evelyn slowly rose.
She entered the security room and checked the recording system.
A red light blinked beside Camera Four.
Everything had been captured.
Evelyn copied the footage onto two memory cards.
One went into her jewelry box.
May you like
The other went to Martin Hayes.
Then she called the police.
