Chapter 2 - The Cutters
Daniel lowered the knife but did not put it away.
“It was in my suitcase.”
Maya stared at him.
“You entered your own penthouse carrying a blade?”
“I had just returned from the Sterling hunting property.”
Claire’s face tightened.
She did not believe him completely.
Neither did Maya.
Daniel pointed toward the wire cutters.
“Those belong to the maintenance team.”
Maya looked closer.
An orange strip was wrapped around one handle.
Every tool assigned to penthouse employees carried colored tape.
Orange belonged to Maya.
Daniel’s expression changed.
“You cut the cable.”
“No.”
“Your tool is lying beside it.”
“That is not my tool.”
“You expect me to believe someone copied your tape?”
Maya’s face burned.
For two years, Daniel had trusted her to serve food, polish marble and carry private documents between rooms.
But the moment something went wrong, the maid became the easiest suspect.
Claire slowly sat upright.
“Maya was standing behind me when the cable failed.”
“She could have cut it earlier,” Daniel replied.
Maya reached toward the scratches on her cheek.
“I found the ceiling access panel open this afternoon.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You entered a restricted maintenance space?”
“I reported the loose cable three days ago.”
“To whom?”
“Your office.”
His expression shifted.
Maya continued:
“Your assistant told me not to invent problems above my pay grade.”
Claire looked at Daniel.
“You knew there was a warning?”
“No.”
Maya removed her phone.
The message remained in her sent folder.
Photographs.
A loose ceiling panel.
A damaged cable sleeve.
And a reply from Daniel’s private office:
Stop frightening Mrs. Sterling with staff speculation.
Daniel read it twice.
Then Claire asked:
“Who answered from your account?”
Daniel looked toward the dark penthouse office.
May you like
The door was already open.
And someone had removed the computer.
