The next morning brought bright morning sun streaming through the kitchen window panes.
Evelyn cooked warm oatmeal for Sophia while contemplating her next immediate steps.
She knew the security cameras inside the villa grand ballroom were always operating.
Richard had installed high technology cameras in every corner of his lavish home.
If she could get access to those video files, she could clear Sophia's name.
Her phone chimed with a text message from an unknown private telephone number.
The message contained an address to a local coffee shop down in central Dallas.
The text said to meet there if she wanted the truth about the missing ring.
Evelyn felt her pulse quicken as she read the simple message three times.
She called her trusted neighbor Mary to watch Sophia for a couple hours.
Mary agreed gladly and arrived at the front porch ten minutes later with games.
Evelyn kissed her daughter on the forehead before stepping out into the morning air.
She drove straight to the small coffee shop located near the city business district.
The shop was quiet with only a few customers sitting at spread out tables.
A woman wearing dark sunglasses sat alone in the far corner booth seat.
Evelyn recognized her immediately as Victoria Sterling, Richard's quiet wife.
Evelyn walked over to the booth and sat down across from the wealthy woman.
Victoria: Thank you for coming to meet me on such short notice today Evelyn.
Evelyn: Why did you invite me here after what your husband did last night?
Victoria took off her dark sunglasses to reveal dark red circles around her eyes.
Victoria: Richard knows your daughter did not take that diamond ring from the table.
Evelyn felt a shock of pure anger surge through her chest at those words.
Evelyn: He humiliated a innocent child just to cover up something else?
Victoria leaned across the small wooden table while lowering her voice to a whisper.
Victoria: The family business is going bankrupt, and Richard needed the life insurance payout.