Chapter 1 - THE WITNESSES WHO SAW NOTHINGThe pounding on the front door grew louder.
“Napa County Sheriff’s Department.”
“Open the door immediately.”
Nobody in the dining room moved.
Adrian stood several feet away from me, staring at the black flash drive hidden inside my blood-covered hand.
His mother, Victoria Caldwell, had stopped pretending to be concerned about my injury.
Her eyes were fixed on the drive.
“Where did you get that?” she asked.
Maya remained between Adrian and me.
Her hands trembled at her sides.
“Don’t answer her,” she whispered.
Robert Caldwell, Adrian’s father, slowly rose from the head of the table.
He straightened his jacket as though he were preparing to greet investors instead of police officers.
“Everyone stays calm,” he announced.
“There was an accident.”
Twenty relatives nodded.
It was almost impressive how quickly they became one person.
One lie.
One family voice.
Robert opened the front door.
Three deputies entered, followed by Sergeant Elena Ruiz.
Ruiz took one look at the blood running down my neck.
Her expression changed instantly.
“Who did this?”
“My husband.”
Adrian lifted both hands.
“The plate slipped.”
Ruiz looked at the broken porcelain scattered near his shoes.
Then she examined the heavy base of the plate lying beneath the table.
“That plate traveled twelve feet after it slipped?”
Adrian said nothing.
Victoria stepped forward.
“My son was startled.”
“Mrs. Caldwell moved suddenly.”
“I have a name,” I said.
Victoria’s smile tightened.
“Valerie is emotional right now.”
Sergeant Ruiz turned toward me.
“Valerie, do you want medical assistance?”
“Yes.”
“And I want to file a report.”
A wave of panic moved around the table.
Adrian’s aunt suddenly remembered that she had been looking toward the kitchen.
His cousin claimed the candles blocked his view.
Robert’s brother said he had taken off his glasses.
Victoria announced that family disagreements should never be handled by strangers.
Ruiz ignored them.
She ordered Adrian to turn around.
He stared at me while a deputy placed him in handcuffs.
“You’re really going to destroy our marriage over this?”
“No.”
I pressed a napkin against my head.
“You destroyed it when you picked up the plate.”
As Adrian was led toward the door, Victoria moved closer to me.
She lowered her voice.
“You do not understand what you are holding.”
I closed my fingers around the flash drive.
“Then explain it.”
Before she could answer, Maya spoke.
“Ask her about Claire.”
Every face around the table changed.
Robert knocked over his wineglass.
Lucas, Maya’s husband, grabbed her arm.
Maya pulled away.
Sergeant Ruiz noticed.
“Who is Claire?” Ruiz asked.
No one answered.
Above the dining room entrance, the tiny security camera continued blinking.
Then the red light suddenly disappeared.
Someone had shut down the system.
May you like
But not before Maya leaned toward me one final time.
“Claire said no too.”
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