Chapter 2 - The Tape
Victoria demanded that the cassette be removed.
“This is a charity auction, not a courtroom.”
Julian remained beside the table.
“You chaired the charity when the recording disappeared.”
“I was one of twelve trustees.”
“You were the only trustee with access to the archive.”
Victoria looked toward the guests.
The Harrington Music Foundation had promised scholarships, instruments and housing assistance to talented students from working-class families.
For years, its galas raised millions.
Its brochures showed smiling children holding violins.
Its donors received engraved plaques.
But fewer scholarships were awarded each year.
Practice rooms closed.
Music teachers went unpaid.
When Elena’s mother, Sofia Reed, questioned the missing money, the foundation accused her of stealing seventy thousand dollars.
Sofia had been the evening bookkeeper.
She also cleaned the mansion’s rehearsal rooms after midnight to support Elena.
The accusation destroyed her.
No orchestra would hire her.
No private family trusted her.
Newspapers called her the charity thief.
Victoria had called the scandal unfortunate.
Elena called it deliberate.
Julian placed an old cassette player on the auction table. The mansion kept one for archival recordings.
Victoria stepped closer.
“You cannot play an unverified tape in front of donors.”
Elena looked at the broken bow on the floor.
“You verified my mother’s guilt in front of the entire city without hearing her defense.”
Silence.
Julian inserted the cassette.
A hiss filled the speakers.
Then Sofia’s voice emerged.
“The scholarship fund is missing four million dollars.”
Another voice answered:
“The children will never know how much was promised.”
Victoria stopped breathing.
May you like
Everyone recognized the second voice.
It belonged to her.
