Chapter 3 : The Serpent in the Cage
Chapter 3 : The Serpent in the Cage
Across the city, in a stark, interrogation room, Victoria Vance sat with the poise of a queen, despite the fluorescent hum that threatened to unravel her nerves. Her lawyer, a man who charged by the second and spoke in riddles, sat beside her, his briefcase open.
"The footage, Ms. Vance," Detective Miller said, walking into the room and tossing a manila folder onto the table. "High definition. From the hallway camera. It shows you stepping forward. It shows your hands making contact with Chloe’s shoulders. It shows her fall."
Victoria didn't look at the file. She looked at Miller, her expression one of polite, bored amusement. "It shows me reaching out to catch her, Detective. I’m sure a skilled defense team can explain the perspective issues inherent in high-angle surveillance. You see a push; I see a desperate, failed attempt to prevent a tragic accident."
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Miller leaned in, his shadow engulfing her. "You’re good, Victoria. But we also have the audio from the hallway. We have the argument about the inheritance. We have you saying, 'If you aren't here to claim it, the path is clear.' That isn't an accident. That’s a confession."
Victoria’s composure fractured. The veneer of the grieving sister slipped, and for a split second, the malice in her eyes was primal. She realized the trap was tighter than she had imagined. But she was a Vance—she was built to survive. "I want to make a call," she said, her voice dripping with ice. "I want to speak to the board of directors. If I go down, the company goes down with me. You think you’re arresting a murderer? You’re arresting the only person who knows where the bodies are buried in this firm."
