Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN IN THE VEIL
Portia denied it.
“That could be anyone.”
Cedric stared at the footage.
White dress.
Cathedral veil.
Diamond comb.
The same comb he had given her that morning.
“You changed clothes after the fire alarm,” he said.
“So?”
“You said you never left the ballroom.”
Portia folded her arms.
“I was panicking.”
“About what?”
“My wedding collapsing.”
Maisie stood behind Flora, watching quietly.
Portia saw her and snapped, “Why is that child still here?”
Alonzo stepped forward.
“Say one more thing about my daughter.”
Cedric raised a hand.
“No. Let her talk.”
Portia glared at him.
“You’re choosing servants over me.”
“Flora helped raise me. Alonzo has protected this family for twelve years. Maisie is a child you hit because she broke a vase.”
“It was priceless.”
“So is she.”
Portia looked away.
Mara entered.
“Martin Shaw has been located.”
“Where?”
“In his car.”
Cedric saw her expression.
“Alive?”
“Barely.”
Martin had crashed into a retaining wall five miles from the estate.
His brake line had been cut.
Alonzo went still.
The same method that had killed Sofia.
Mara continued.
“Before he lost consciousness, Martin said one thing to the paramedic.”
Cedric waited.
“He said, ‘The bride doesn’t know who started this.’”
Portia’s face changed.
Cedric noticed.
“What does that mean?”
She whispered, “I don’t know.”
But Graham Vale did.
May you like
His hand tightened around his cane.
And for the first time, Cedric realized Portia might be part of the conspiracy without being the person at the top of it.
