Chapter 8 - The Missing Evidence
Clara’s fingers searched frantically through the deep pocket of her maid uniform, but the fabric was entirely empty. The silver pendant—the physical proof that could validate her story and expose the corruption in the house—was gone. Panic flared hot and sharp in her chest. She looked up at Detective Vance with wide, terror-stricken eyes, her lips parting soundlessly.
"Well?" the detective prompted, raising an eyebrow. "What did you find?"
"It... it was right here," Clara stammered, her voice shaking violently as she pulled the empty pocket inside out. "The silver locket. With the initials. I had it just a moment ago."
Elena let out a sharp, derisive laugh from across the foyer. "A thief to the very end! First she steals family heirlooms, and now she lies to the police about having evidence to save her own skin. Arrest her!"
"Quiet, Mrs. Vance," Detective Vance snapped, never breaking eye contact with the terrified maid. He turned his attention back to Julian. "Mr. Vance, you were standing right beside her when we walked in. Did you see the pendant?"
Julian’s jaw tightened. He reached into his own pocket, feeling the stiff parchment of Margaret’s letter, but his hand remained closed. He knew the silver pendant was missing because he had slipped it into his own breast pocket during the confusion in the library corridor. Yet, as he looked at the detective's suspicious gaze, he realized that admitting to holding the evidence without logging it properly could implicate him as an accomplice to obstruction of justice.
"She told the truth," Julian said slowly, his voice measured and firm. "She found the locket in the east wing. And I took it from her for safekeeping."
Arthur closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, a silent expression of profound disappointment crossing the old lawyer's face. Julian had just handed the prosecution the exact narrative they needed.
"Oh, marvelous," Arthur muttered under his breath, stepping forward. "Now the master of the house is confessing to tampering with evidence based on the word of a hysterical servant."
"I am not hysterical," Julian shot back, his dark eyes flashing with anger as he pulled the silver pendant from his pocket and held it out toward the detective. "I took it because this locket belongs to a broader investigation—an investigation into the suppression of truth regarding my brother's death ten years ago."
The foyer fell utterly silent. The officers stopped their movements, and even Elena stared at her husband in stunned disbelief. Julian had just blown up his own life, his marriage, and his social standing in a single, reckless motion.
Detective Vance stepped forward, taking the silver pendant from Julian’s outstretched palm with a gloved hand. He turned it over, inspecting the engraved initials M.V. under the harsh foyer lights.
"Margaret Vance," the detective read aloud, his expression turning grim. He looked back up at Julian. "This locket was logged into the original police report as missing property from the night of the fire. The department was told it was destroyed in the flames."
"It wasn't destroyed," Julian said quietly. "It was hidden."
Detective Vance slipped the pendant into an evidence bag, sealing it carefully. Then, he turned his gaze slowly toward Arthur and Elena.
May you like
"It seems we have a lot more to discuss," the detective said, his voice dropping into a dangerous register. "Arthur, Mrs. Vance, I advise you both to remain right where you are. Because our tech team just finished downloading the estate's primary server, and they found a deleted audio file from the night of the fire—featuring your voices."
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