"We don't know the full story yet," Victoria said gently, stepping closer and placing a hand on Marcus's blue sleeve. "Let's sit down in the library. We can review the transfer logs together."
Charles looked at Victoria, his weeping face filled with a pathetic, desperate gratitude. "Thank you... thank you, Victoria..."
Chapter 2: The Silent Witness
Charles wiped his wet eyes with the back of his trembling hand. He took a slow, painful breath, attempting to straighten his spine inside his burgundy jacket.
"Thank you," Charles repeated softly, looking at his daughter.
Then, slowly, the weeping old man raised his right arm.
His finger was shaking, but his hand moved with absolute, deliberate purpose. He didn't point at Marcus. He didn't point at Victoria or Sophia.
He pointed straight up toward the top of the hand-carved mahogany grandfather clock that stood beside the grand archway.
Marcus frowned, his brow furrowing as he looked back at his father. "What are you doing?"
Victoria’s hand froze on Marcus’s arm. Her eyes followed Charles’s pointing finger upward.
Sitting atop the ornate wooden casing of the grandfather clock, almost entirely concealed within the shadow of the marble archway, was a sleek, matte-black dome camera. A tiny, steady red light glowed on its side, accompanied by a faint, rhythmic green pulse.
Victoria’s breath caught in her throat.