Chapter 4 - THE FAMILY DINNER THAT WAS NEVER A DINNER
Police arrived twenty-seven minutes later.
Julian hadn't called them.
Nathan had.
Nathan had apparently assumed law enforcement would force Julian to reopen the estate and allow everyone to leave.
Instead, the arrival of detectives turned the dinner party into something far more serious.
Detective Mara Bishop examined the surveillance room.
She requested copies of security recordings.
She photographed Clara's hands.
She separately interviewed Sienna, Eleanor, Nathan, Rebecca, Marcus, and Julian.
When she finished speaking with Clara, her demeanor had changed.
Julian noticed.
"What did she tell you?"
Bishop looked toward Clara.
"That's her decision."
Julian didn't like the answer.
Clara said quietly, "I told her about the surveillance."
"All of it?"
"Most."
Bishop closed her notebook.
"Mr. Hayes, nobody here is under arrest."
Nathan smiled triumphantly from the dining room.
Bishop continued.
"However, because there may have been unlawful surveillance, destruction of evidence, and potential financial crimes involved, I'm asking everyone to remain available."
Nathan's smile disappeared.
Eleanor stood.
"This is absurd."
Bishop looked at her.
"Mrs. Hayes, your brother left the property through an unauthorized service road while apparently carrying evidence removed from a hidden surveillance room."
Eleanor answered without hesitation.
"Lawrence panicked because Julian was behaving irrationally."
Julian almost admired how smoothly she lied.
Bishop did not.
"Then I'm sure he'll contact us."
Eleanor said nothing.
After the detective left to coordinate a search for Lawrence, Julian walked into the dining room.
The long table still held half-finished meals.
Candles burned.
Wine glasses stood untouched.
The entire scene now looked grotesque.
His family sat around the table like defendants waiting for a verdict.
Julian moved to the head.
Clara remained near the doorway.
He looked at them.
"What was tonight?"
Rebecca frowned.
"A family dinner."
"No."
He looked at the seating arrangement.
Clara's chair was missing.
"Where was my wife's seat?"
Nobody answered.
Julian walked around the table.
"Sixteen people. Sixteen settings."
He counted again.
"Actually, fifteen."
He stopped beside the empty space where a chair should have been.
"Clara wasn't invited to sit."
Sienna rolled her eyes.
"She wasn't feeling well."
Clara answered, "You removed my chair."
Sienna looked at her.
"Because you showed up late."
"I was upstairs."
"Exactly."
Clara's voice became firmer.
"You sent me upstairs to change because you said my dress embarrassed you."
Julian turned toward Sienna.
"What dress?"
Clara said, "The blue one you bought me in Milan."
Julian remembered it.
It had been simple.
Elegant.
Sienna laughed bitterly.
"This is insane."
Clara continued.
"Then your mother told me dinner would be easier if I helped the staff."
Julian looked around.
"Where is the staff?"
Silence.
Marcus answered from the doorway.
"Sent home at four thirty."
Julian stared at his mother.
Eleanor folded her hands.
"They deserved the holiday evening with their families."
"And Clara didn't?"
Eleanor's mask cracked.
"Clara is family."
Julian nodded slowly.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The justification."
Eleanor looked at him.
"You've always twisted everything I say."
"No. I finally listened."
His phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
Julian answered.
"Hayes."
Silence.
Then Uncle Lawrence's voice.
"Julian."
The room froze.
Julian put the call on speaker.
"Where are you?"
"That's not important."
"Police disagree."
Lawrence sounded breathless.
"You don't understand what's happening."
"Then explain."
"Clara cannot be allowed access to the archive."
Julian looked at his wife.
"What archive?"
A long pause.
Lawrence whispered, "Ask her."
Julian's jaw tightened.
"Ask her what?"
"Why she married you."
Then the call ended.
Everyone looked at Clara.
She stared at the phone.
Sienna smiled for the first time all night.
"Go ahead, Clara."
Julian turned toward his wife.
"What did he mean?"
Clara looked at him.
"I don't know."
Sienna laughed.
"Oh, stop pretending."
Julian snapped, "Enough."
But Sienna didn't stop.
"She married you because she needed something only a Hayes could give her."
Clara went pale.
Julian stared at his sister.
"What?"
May you like
Sienna leaned forward.
"Access."
