Chapter 2: The Invitation
Agent Collins escorted Eleanor into a private conference room adjoining the ballroom.
Charles was taken to a separate room.
Victoria remained in the ballroom with Admiral Reed and two federal investigators.
She looked down at her phone.
There were six missed calls from an unknown number.
A message appeared.
VICTORIA, DON'T LET THEM TAKE YOU TO THE NAVAL BASE.
She stared at it.
A second message arrived.
YOUR MOTHER IS NOT AT THE MEDICAL FACILITY ANYMORE.
Victoria immediately showed Collins.
He read both messages.
“Do you recognize the number?”
“No.”
“Could it be your father?”
“Possibly.”
Collins handed the phone back.
“Don't respond yet.”
Victoria looked toward the conference room.
“I'm going to speak to Eleanor.”
“I'll accompany you.”
“No. I need to hear what she knows without Charles interrupting.”
Collins hesitated.
“Commander, this is now a federal investigation.”
“I understand.”
“You're also personally involved.”
Victoria's jaw tightened.
“That's why I need to know the truth.”
Collins studied her for a moment.
Then he nodded.
“I'll be outside the door.”
Victoria entered the room.
Eleanor sat at the far end of a long table.
Her emerald-blue gown looked expensive beneath the harsh conference-room lights, but her face had changed completely.
She looked older.
Smaller.
The confidence she had displayed in the ballroom was gone.
Victoria closed the door.
“Start talking.”
Eleanor looked at the empty chair opposite her.
“Please sit down.”
“I'll stand.”
Eleanor folded her hands.
“I didn't know you were James Parker's daughter when I invited you.”
“Why did you invite me?”
“Charles told me to.”
“Why?”
“He said he needed to identify someone.”
“Identify me?”
Eleanor nodded.
Victoria's eyes narrowed.
“Why would he need to identify me? He knows who I am.”
“He wanted to know whether you still had something.”
“What?”
Eleanor shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“Try again.”
“He said you might have inherited something from your father.”
Victoria looked down at her watch.
“My father gave me this.”
Eleanor's eyes widened.
“That's it.”
Victoria slowly lowered her wrist.
“What?”
“That was what he was looking for.”
Victoria stared at her.
“This watch?”
Eleanor nodded.
“He asked me whether you still wore it.”
Victoria looked at the watch again.
It was an ordinary silver wristwatch. The face was slightly scratched, and the strap had been replaced twice.
There was nothing remarkable about it.
Except the engraving.
“Why does Charles want it?”
“I don't know.”
“Did you ask him?”
“He told me it was dangerous.”
Victoria's expression changed.
“Did you try to take it?”
Eleanor looked away.
Victoria understood.
“You did.”
“I was told to retrieve it.”
“How?”
Eleanor began to cry.
“I was supposed to invite you here, get you comfortable, and ask you to remove it. Charles said he would take care of the rest.”
Victoria stared at her.
“And when I refused?”
Eleanor didn't answer.
Victoria's voice became cold.
“Was the slap part of the plan?”
“No!”
“Then why did you hit me?”
“Because you embarrassed me.”
Victoria stared.
Eleanor continued, her voice breaking.
“You questioned Charles in front of everyone. You made him look weak. I thought if I put you in your place, he would regain control of the room.”
Victoria slowly shook her head.
“So you struck me to protect his reputation.”
“I was frightened.”
“Of what?”
Eleanor looked at the door.
Then she whispered:
“Of the people who work for him.”
Victoria leaned forward.
“Who are they?”
Eleanor hesitated.
“I don't know their real names.”
“Where do they meet?”
“Charles has a private office in the old naval administration building.”