Chapter 4 - The Blood on the Marble
Thomas moved quickly.
Toby stayed beside him.
Security officers appeared from both ends of the hallway.
The wedding guests were quietly moved back into the ballroom.
Evelyn remained where she was.
Her hands were shaking.
Thomas noticed.
“You're coming with me.”
“Where?”
“To the service elevator.”
“No.”
Her answer came too quickly.
Thomas stopped.
“Why not?”
“I don't want to see blood.”
“You knew about it.”
Evelyn said nothing.
Thomas turned to security.
“Take her phone.”
Evelyn immediately stepped back.
“You have no right.”
Thomas looked at her.
“Neither did you.”
The service hallway was colder.
The marble floor reflected the overhead lights.
Near the elevator doors, Thomas saw a dark stain.
Blood.
Not much.
But enough.
Toby buried his face against Thomas's leg.
Thomas crouched.
He looked at the stain.
Then he noticed something beside it.
A torn piece of white lace.
The same lace used on Claire's formal dress.
Thomas stood slowly.
Evelyn looked away.
Thomas's voice became dangerously quiet.
“What happened here?”
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I am not.”
Thomas walked closer.
“You knew where Claire was.”
“I saw her leave.”
“When?”
“Before the ceremony.”
“Where did she go?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“Upstairs.”
Thomas turned toward security.
“Search every floor.”
One guard nodded.
Thomas looked at the elevator.
“Was this elevator used?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Twenty-seven minutes ago.”
Thomas looked at Evelyn.
She had stopped breathing normally.
“You weren't upstairs.”
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“Thomas, I swear—”
The elevator doors opened.
Inside was an overturned champagne glass.
A broken bracelet.
And a single strand of dark hair.
Thomas knew that hair.
It belonged to Claire.
He closed his eyes.
For the first time, he allowed himself to imagine the worst.
Then his phone vibrated again.
The USB video had finished loading.
A new file appeared.
VIDEO 02 — 11:43 A.M.
Thomas pressed it.
The screen showed Evelyn.
Not in her wedding dress.
In a dark room.
Standing over Claire.
May you like
Thomas's face went cold.
👉 The first video had shown what happened to Claire; the second was about to show Thomas why Evelyn had been so desperate to stop him from watching.
