Chapter 1 - I SAW EVERYTHING
Seraphina Caldwell crossed the living room so fast Elena Ramirez barely had time to turn.
SLAP.
Elena staggered.
Seraphina grabbed the front of her housekeeper uniform.
“YOU THIEF!”
Elena’s face went white.
“I DIDN’T STEAL ANYTHING!”
Clara and Lily stood near the sofa.
Nine and seven.
Frozen.
Seraphina snatched Elena’s bag from the chair.
“Then what is this?”
She dumped everything onto the wooden table.
Wallet.
Keys.
Receipts.
A rosary.
A folded grocery list.
Then Seraphina reached into the side pocket.
Pearls spilled into her palm.
The missing necklace.
Seraphina thrust it toward Elena.
“THEN EXPLAIN THIS!”
Elena stared.
“That isn’t mine.”
“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!”
Clara grabbed Lily’s hand.
Elena shook her head.
“I swear to God, Mrs. Caldwell, I did not put that there.”
The front door slammed open.
Arthur Caldwell entered.
Navy business suit.
Sixty-eight.
Mustache trimmed exactly as it had been for thirty years.
His face was calm.
Too calm.
Seraphina spun.
“ARTHUR! SHE STOLE FROM US!”
Arthur did not stop.
He walked directly toward her.
Seraphina pointed at Elena.
“Throw her out!”
Arthur slapped Seraphina across the face.
The room went silent.
Seraphina recoiled.
Arthur stared into her eyes.
“I SAW EVERYTHING.”
Her face drained.
She reached for his sleeve.
“Arthur, please—”
He jerked his arm away.
Pulled off his wedding ring.
Slammed it onto the table.
“YOU LYING BITCH.”
Then pointed toward the door.
“I WANT A DIVORCE.”
Seraphina froze.
Elena did too.
Clara began crying.
Lily whispered:
“Daddy?”
Arthur looked at his daughters.
His anger changed shape.
Not gone.
Contained.
He knelt.
“You two stay with Elena.”
Seraphina snapped:
“You’re leaving our children with a thief?”
Arthur looked up.
“No.”
Then he reached into his pocket.
Placed his smartphone on the desk.
Tapped the screen.
A video began playing.
It showed Seraphina entering the laundry room eleven minutes earlier.
Holding the pearl necklace.
Opening Elena’s bag.
Dropping it inside.
Seraphina’s breathing stopped.
May you like
Arthur said:
“That was only the first camera.”
