Chapter 3 - THE SECURITY RECORDING
The next morning, attorney Maya Chen sat across from Claire in a hotel suite.
Rose slept in the adjoining room.
Maya watched the security footage twice.
Beth entering Claire’s space.
The spit.
Rose screaming.
Evelyn grabbing her arm.
The slap.
Claire intervening.
David saying:
They’re right.
Maya paused.
“This is useful.”
Claire hated the word.
“She got hit.”
“I know.”
“Don’t call that useful.”
Maya nodded.
“Fair.”
Then she rewound further.
That was when the evening changed again.
Twenty-three minutes before Claire entered the room, David, Evelyn, and Beth had been talking near the fireplace.
No audio at first.
Then the directional microphone picked up enough.
Beth:
If she refuses tonight, what happens?
David:
She won’t.
Evelyn:
She always does this. Makes us beg for what should already be family property.
David:
Just keep Rose out of it.
Beth laughed.
Rose is exactly how you get Claire to bend.
Claire stopped breathing.
Maya did not speak.
The recording continued.
David:
Don’t touch the kid.
Evelyn:
Nobody said anything about touching her.
Beth:
Relax. We just need Claire emotional enough to sign.
Claire stared at the screen.
“Sign what?”
May you like
Maya turned toward her.
“That’s what we find next.”
