Chapter 2 - The Six Missing Minutes
Vanessa recovered fast.
"That's ridiculous."
She laughed once, too loudly.
"My assistant has access to half my accounts. So does the event planner. So does Owen, apparently."
Owen's expression hardened.
"Not to that account."
Dominic didn't raise his voice.
"Why did you turn off the camera?"
"I didn't."
"Then give Owen your phone."
Vanessa stared at him.
Three hundred guests were pretending not to listen.
Every one of them was listening.
"You're asking to search my phone because a maid grabbed my ankle?"
"I'm asking because my security system says your credential disabled a camera six minutes before you kicked an employee."
Vanessa's jaw flexed.
Naomi watched her right thumb move toward the side button of the phone in her hand.
"Don't," Naomi said.
Vanessa snapped around. "Don't what?"
"Whatever you were about to do."
"You don't get to give me orders."
"No. But Owen should probably put that device in airplane mode before somebody wipes it."
Owen moved.
Vanessa jerked the phone against her chest.
"Touch me and you're fired."
Owen stopped.
Then Dominic said, "Owen works for me."
That hurt her more than the silence in the room.
Vanessa turned on him. "You're choosing her?"
"I'm choosing to find out what happened."
"In front of everyone?"
"You kicked her in front of everyone."
A woman near the string quartet quietly lowered her champagne glass.
Naomi almost felt sorry for Dominic.
Almost.
He was still thinking this was about one ugly moment.
It wasn't.
Naomi looked at Owen. "Camera Fourteen has a local buffer."
He frowned.
"For twelve seconds after a remote shutdown."
Owen stared.
"How do you know that?"
"Same hardware was used at a protection detail I worked years ago."
Vanessa's eyes sharpened.
"Protection detail?"
Naomi ignored her.
"Pull the buffer."
Owen spoke into his radio.
A minute later, the ballroom's giant presentation screen went black.
Guests turned toward it.
A grainy image appeared.
The dessert station.
Naomi crossed the frame carrying a tray.
Vanessa appeared near the service corridor.
But she wasn't alone.
A man in a catering jacket stood with her.
His back was to the camera.
Vanessa handed him something small and rectangular.
A key card.
Then she pointed toward the ballroom security office.
The clip ended.
Dominic looked at her.
"Who is that?"
"I don't know."
Naomi did not watch Vanessa.
She watched the service doors.
One of them moved.
The catering man from the footage stepped into view at the far end of the room.
He saw the screen.
Saw Naomi.
And ran.
Naomi dropped the folded napkin in her hand.
"Owen. Lock the loading dock."
Then she went after him.
She reached the service hallway just as the lights went out.
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