Chapter 5 - THE MESSAGE ON DEREK’S PHONEBy noon, hotel security had recovered part of Derek’s deleted data.
Not everything.
Enough.
Liam called Nora first.
With her permission, Warren joined the call.
“There were fourteen messages in the deleted thread.”
“From whom?” Nora asked.
“Contact saved as C.”
Warren’s eyes shifted toward her.
Liam continued.
“The number is prepaid. Subscriber data is useless.”
“What did the messages say?”
“Most are assignment instructions.”
Nora gripped the phone.
Liam read paraphrased excerpts.
Follow her after work.
Confirm who she meets.
Get photographs.
Do not approach.
Then the message from the gala.
GET THE SHOT BEFORE SHE GOES BACK TO ETHAN.
Another message appeared forty minutes earlier:
SHE HAS THE PILLS WITH HER.
Nora froze.
Warren sat forward.
“What pills?”
“My migraine medication.”
“How would the sender know?”
Nora’s mouth went dry.
Only a handful of people knew she carried medication in her clutch.
Ethan.
Her physician.
Her assistant.
Celeste had seen her take it once during lunch.
Liam continued.
“There’s another message.”
“What?”
“Make sure the bottle is visible.”
Nora closed her eyes.
Warren asked:
“What kind of photograph was requested?”
“Derek claims he didn’t know exactly.”
“Do you believe him?”
“No.”
After the call, Nora stood and walked toward the window.
Warren remained behind her.
“They wanted a photograph of me taking medication in a bathroom.”
“Yes.”
“So what?”
He did not answer.
She turned.
“Say it.”
“Context manipulation.”
“What?”
“A private image. Bathroom. Pills. No explanation.”
Nora understood.
A gossip headline formed instantly.
ARDEN HEIR’S WIFE CAUGHT TAKING MYSTERY PILLS AT CHARITY GALA.
No one needed to prove drugs.
The photograph would do the work.
Suspicion was cheaper than evidence.
Nora sat.
“C.”
Warren nodded.
“Celeste.”
“Maybe.”
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Act careful when we both know.”
“We don’t know.”
Nora looked frustrated.
Warren continued.
“And if we decide we know before we prove it, we make ourselves easier to discredit.”
She hated that he was right.
“How many C names are close to us?”
“Celeste. Claire from your office. Charles Arden, Ethan’s uncle.”
“Anyone else?”
“Probably twenty.”
Nora laughed bitterly.
“That helps.”
Warren looked again at the messages.
“Who knew you had the medication tonight?”
“I took one before dinner.”
“Where?”
“Ladies’ lounge.”
“Anyone see?”
“Celeste.”
There it was.
Again.
Still not proof.
But enough to make Nora’s skin crawl.
Then her phone buzzed.
Ethan.
She did not answer.
Another message.
Can we talk?
Then:
Mom says Warren is manipulating this.
Nora stared.
Of course.
Not How are you?
Not I’m sorry.
Mom says.
She turned the phone facedown.
May you like
Warren pretended not to notice.
For once, Nora was grateful.
Related Stories
