Chapter 2 - THE CAMERA BEHIND THE PAINTING
Victor stood in his study holding the miniature surveillance camera between two fingers.
Paulie stood opposite him.
“When was this installed?”
“Four days ago.”
Victor looked up sharply.
“Four days?”
“Yes.”
“Who had access?”
“Housekeeping. Maintenance. Security. Bell.”
Victor placed the camera on the desk.
“Find out who ordered it.”
Paulie nodded.
“And don't touch the server.”
Paulie stopped.
“Why?”
“Because whoever installed this expects us to erase the evidence.”
Victor leaned back.
“Let them believe we're stupid.”
That afternoon, Tessa was cleaning the east hallway when two security men approached her.
She immediately stiffened.
“Ms. Moore?”
“Yes?”
“You need to come with us.”
Her stomach dropped.
“Why?”
They didn't answer.
Tessa followed them downstairs.
Victor was waiting in the library.
She expected anger.
Instead, he gestured toward a chair.
“Sit.”
She remained standing.
“Am I being fired?”
“No.”
“Arrested?”
“No.”
“Then what is this?”
Victor studied her carefully.
“Someone installed surveillance equipment near the staff quarters.”
Tessa went pale.
“Near my room?”
“Yes.”
She looked genuinely shocked.
Victor noticed.
“You didn't know.”
“No.”
“Who hired you?”
“An agency.”
“Which one?”
“Northbridge Staffing.”
Paulie shifted behind Victor.
Victor noticed.
“Tell me everything.”
Tessa hesitated.
“My brother found them.”
“What brother?”
“Liam.”
Victor's expression changed.
“Liam Moore?”
Tessa's eyes widened.
“You know him?”
“Unfortunately.”
She looked confused.
Victor knew exactly who Liam was.
Three months earlier, Liam had disappeared after losing money at one of Victor's private gambling rooms.
He owed $38,000.
Victor had assumed the man was simply another reckless gambler.
Now the connection felt different.
“Where is your brother?”
“I don't know.”
“When did you last speak to him?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“What did he say?”
Tessa's voice weakened.
“He said he had found a way to pay everything back.”
Victor leaned forward.
“How?”
“I don't know.”
“Did he mention Northbridge?”
“No.”
Victor believed her.
Mostly.
Then Tessa reached into her pocket.
“I have something.”
She placed a folded piece of paper on the desk.
“I found this inside the cleaning cart.”
Victor opened it.
A list of dates.
Times.
Room numbers.
His expression hardened.
“Where did you find this?”
“Under the false bottom.”
Paulie stepped forward.
“Boss.”
Victor raised a hand.
He studied the document.
The room numbers weren't random.
They corresponded to deliveries.
Private meetings.
Cash transfers.
Someone had been using the household staff schedule to track Victor's movements.
Tessa looked terrified.
“I swear I didn't write that.”
“I know.”
“How?”
Victor looked at her.
“Because if you were working for someone, you wouldn't bring this to me.”
She released a shaky breath.
Then her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She stared at the screen.
Victor said quietly, “Answer it.”
Tessa did.
“Hello?”
Silence.
Then a distorted voice.
“Tell Romano the girl has nothing to do with this.”
Tessa froze.
Victor stood.
“Who are you?”
The voice laughed.
“You're asking the wrong question.”
The call ended.
Tessa's hand trembled.
Victor took the phone.
“Paulie.”
“Already tracing it.”
Victor looked at Tessa.
“You're staying here tonight.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I don't want protection.”
“You don't understand.”
“I understand perfectly.”
She stepped toward him.
“I don't want your men following me. I don't want to become part of whatever war you're fighting.”
Victor's expression softened slightly.
“This stopped being my war when someone put a camera outside your room.”
Tessa stared at him.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Victor said something she wasn't expecting.
“Your brother isn't missing.”
She went still.
“What?”
“I found him.”
“Where?”
Victor's jaw tightened.
“That's the problem.”
He walked to the window.
“He isn't being held by my enemies.”
Tessa's voice became barely audible.
“Then who has him?”
Victor turned.
“My own people.”
Her face drained of color.
“Why?”
Victor looked at the surveillance camera on his desk.
“Because someone inside my organization believes your brother knows something.”
Tessa whispered, “What?”
Victor didn't answer.
Because he had just received a message.
A photograph.
Liam Moore was alive.
May you like
Bound to a chair.
And standing behind him was Mr. Bell.
