Chapter 3 - The Lie Became an Alibi
Dominic did not take me to his penthouse.
He took me to the casino security center.
Twelve monitors covered an entire wall.
His security chief, Marco Bellini, enlarged the footage from the casino floor.
“There.”
Mason entered through the north lobby at 9:14.
His girlfriend was beside him.
“Keep going,” Dominic said.
The footage jumped ahead.
At 9:47, Mason moved toward a private corridor.
Marco froze the image.
“He shouldn’t be there.”
“Who gave him access?” Dominic asked.
Marco typed.
The system showed a temporary authorization.
My stomach tightened.
The authorization had been issued using my employee credentials.
“That’s impossible.”
Dominic looked at me.
“Where’s your access card?”
I reached for the pocket beneath my vest.
Empty.
I checked again.
“My card was there.”
“When did you last use it?”
“Before my break.”
“Did Mason touch you tonight?”
“No.”
His girlfriend had.
My mind flashed backward.
She had brushed past me near the cocktail station before approaching Mason.
I had thought it was accidental.
“The woman.”
Marco looked up.
“What woman?”
“Mason’s girlfriend. She bumped into me.”
Dominic’s eyes narrowed.
“What’s her name?”
“Tiffany something. He started dating her after we broke up.”
Marco ran facial recognition through the casino’s guest system.
A reservation appeared.
Tiffany Hale.
Dominic stepped closer to the monitor.
“Hale?”
Marco looked equally concerned.
“You know her?” I asked.
Dominic didn’t answer immediately.
Finally he said, “Her father worked for my family.”
Worked.
Past tense.
“What happened to him?”
“He died.”
“At Harbor Point?”
Dominic looked at me.
“Yes.”
The room suddenly felt colder.
Marco stood.
“I’ll find Mason.”
“No,” Dominic said. “Find Tiffany first.”
“Why?”
“Because Mason isn’t smart enough for this.”
I probably should have defended my ex.
Instead I said, “That might be the most accurate thing anyone has said tonight.”
Dominic looked at me.
Then he laughed.
Just once.
Marco shook his head.
“I’ve worked for you eleven years and she gets a laugh in one night?”
“Go find Tiffany.”
“Yes, boss.”
After Marco left, I folded my arms.
“Tell me about Harbor Point.”
Dominic stared at the monitors.
“My father controlled a shipping company. Six years ago, someone inside the company was stealing millions.”
“Tiffany’s father?”
“Vincent Hale.”
“What happened?”
“He contacted me.”
“He was helping you?”
“He said he had proof.”
Dominic paused.
“We arranged to meet at Harbor Point.”
“And?”
“He never arrived.”
“Because he died.”
Dominic nodded.
“Car accident.”
“You think it wasn’t an accident.”
“No.”
“Who killed him?”
“I don’t know.”
I stared at him.
“You’re telling me there’s something you don’t know?”
“Try not to sound so disappointed.”
I smiled despite myself.
Then Marco’s voice came through the radio.
“We found Tiffany.”
“Where?”
“Your private lounge.”
Dominic frowned.
“She walked in voluntarily?”
“She’s asking for Claire.”
Me?
---
Tiffany sat alone when we entered.
The diamonds were gone.
So was the confident smile.
She looked frightened.
Mason wasn’t with her.
Dominic closed the door but remained near it.
“You wanted Claire.”
Tiffany looked at me.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“Taking your access card.”
I folded my arms.
“Good beginning.”
“Mason told me it was a prank.”
Dominic scoffed quietly.
Tiffany looked at him.
“He said Claire used to embarrass him. He wanted to scare her.”
“That doesn’t explain Harbor Point,” Dominic said.
Tiffany’s hands trembled.
“My father left me something before he died.”
Dominic went silent.
“What?”
“A storage key.”
“To where?”
“I didn’t know until last week.”
She pulled a folded paper from her purse.
“Mason found it.”
I stared at her.
“How?”
“He went through my things.”
The irony was almost insulting.
Tiffany gave me a miserable look.
“You were right about him.”
“I never told you anything about him.”
“You didn’t have to.”
She looked down.
“He started controlling everything almost immediately.”
Dominic’s expression hardened.
“What did the key open?”
“A deposit box.”
“And?”
“There was a flash drive.”
Dominic took one step forward.
“Where is it?”
“Mason has it.”
I felt sick.
“What’s on it?”
Tiffany looked directly at Dominic.
“My father recorded everything before he died.”
“Everything about what?”
“Harbor Point.”
Silence.
“And Mason thinks he can sell it,” she continued.
“To whom?”
“I don’t know.”
Dominic’s phone rang.
Marco.
Dominic answered.
“What?”
His expression changed.
“When?”
He looked at me.
“Lock the employee exits.”
My heart raced.
“What happened?”
Dominic ended the call.
“Mason just entered the casino again.”
“Why?”
Dominic looked toward the door.
“He’s carrying your purse.”
I froze.
“My purse is in my locker.”
“Not anymore.”
“What does he want?”
Dominic’s eyes turned cold.
May you like
“I think he wants you blamed for whatever happens next.”
---
