Chapter 9 - The Caught Thief
"Stop right there!" the junior officer yelled, drawing his taser as he sprinted across the courtyard.
Pino let out a deafening bark and sprinted ahead, leaping across the marble steps and pinning Renata against the service door with his massive paws on her shoulders, growling inches from her face.
"Aaagh! Get it off me! Get it off me!" Renata shrieked, dropping her leather handbag onto the pavement.
The bag popped open, spilling thick wads of cash, three velvet jewelry boxes, and the stolen Duca gold pocket watch across the stone floor.
The senior officer immediately unlocked Clara's handcuffs, bowing his head in deep embarrassment. "Ma'am, we deeply apologize. You are completely cleared."
Clara dropped to her knees, pulling little Maya into a fierce, tearful embrace. "Oh baby... thank God... thank God..."
Lorenzo walked over to the spilled contents of Renata's bag, using his shoe to turn over a second velvet box that bore the crest of his late mother's estate.
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"It seems you weren't just framing Clara to cover up a single watch, Renata," Lorenzo said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "You've been systematically looting my family's estate for months."
👉 Why had Renata targeted Clara specifically out of all the household staff?
