Chapter 3 - Someone Packed Her Bags
Officer Randall stared at the suitcase.
“You’re saying you didn’t pack this?”
“No.”
Maya touched nothing.
“Someone was in my room.”
The officer called downstairs.
Ethan arrived first.
Vanessa followed.
The second she saw the green scarf, her face changed.
“My scarf.”
Maya laughed bitterly.
“Of course it is.”
Vanessa looked at Ethan.
“She stole it.”
“Oh, come on.”
“I wore that yesterday.”
“Why would I steal your scarf?”
Vanessa stepped closer.
“You’ve hated me since I started dating Ethan.”
Maya shook her head.
“I don’t care who he dates.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Vanessa smiled faintly.
“Then tell him what you said last week.”
Maya went still.
Ethan noticed.
“What did you say?”
Vanessa answered for her.
“She said your wife would be ashamed if she knew what was happening in this house.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
Maya looked at him.
“Because Vanessa fired Rosa for feeding a homeless man outside the gate.”
“That had nothing to do with Noah.”
“No. But she keeps twisting everything I say.”
Randall lifted the second screwdriver.
“Is this yours too?”
“No.”
“Same brand.”
“There are twenty of them in the maintenance closet.”
Vanessa whispered, “Convenient.”
Maya turned on her.
“You knew my bags would be packed before I came upstairs.”
Vanessa blinked.
“What?”
“You weren’t surprised.”
“I’m in shock.”
“No. You’re performing.”
Ethan stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Maya looked at him.
“You want the truth? Search her room.”
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“Excuse me?”
“Search it.”
Randall shook his head.
“We need cause.”
Maya pointed at the scarf.
“There’s your cause.”
“It’s her property found in your room.”
Vanessa suddenly pressed a hand to her chest.
“I don’t feel safe.”
Maya laughed once.
It sounded ugly even to her.
“You don’t feel safe?”
Ethan opened the bedroom door.
“Maya, go.”
She stared at him.
“If I leave this house tonight, she wins.”
“My son is in a hospital because somebody tampered with his stroller.”
“Yes.”
“And whoever did it wanted you looking at me.”
Silence.
Maya picked up her suitcase.
At the door, she turned to Ethan.
“Ask yourself one question.”
He said nothing.
“Why would I plant Vanessa’s scarf in my own suitcase?”
Then Maya walked away.
She had almost reached the stairs when a young housekeeper named Lena rushed from the laundry room.
“Maya.”
“What?”
Lena looked terrified.
“I saw someone upstairs earlier.”
Maya stopped.
“Who?”
Lena glanced toward Vanessa.
Then toward Ethan.
Her lips parted.
Suddenly Vanessa said, “Lena, weren’t you leaving early today?”
Lena’s face drained of color.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Then go.”
Maya grabbed Lena’s wrist.
“Who did you see?”
Lena whispered so quietly Maya almost missed it.
“Mr. Brooks.”
Maya frowned.
“Ethan’s security chief?”
Lena nodded.
“He came out of your room.”
Maya turned toward Ethan.
But before she could speak, a crash came from downstairs.
Everyone ran.
A man stood beside the open back door.
Security Chief Aaron Brooks.
His face was bruised.
Blood ran down his temple.
He held up a small black device.
“The camera wasn’t turned off.”
Ethan stared at him.
“What?”
Brooks swallowed.
“It was jammed.”
May you like
He looked directly at Vanessa.
“And I know who bought the jammer.”
