Maria wrapped both arms tightly around Lily to keep her safe from anger.
Maria: Mr. Moretti, please! I am so sorry, she is only three years old!
Mr. Moretti: She just ruined my son's birthday moment in front of everyone!
Maria: I will pay for the plate, sir, please do not fire me!
Mr. Moretti took a deep breath to calm his fast pounding chest.
He knelt down until his dark eyes were level with the tiny toddler.
Mr. Moretti: Lily... why did you do that to Ethan's plate?
The small girl did not cry or look away from the wealthy man.
She pointed her short little finger toward the back of the banquet hall.
Lily: A man put something bad in Ethan's cake.
Her soft voice carried clearly across the silent marble floor of the room.
Several guests gasped and turned around to look at the crowd behind them.
Mr. Moretti frowned deeply as he processed the child's strange simple statement.
Mr. Moretti: What do you mean bad, little girl?
Lily: Bad man put white dust on the cake when nobody was looking.
Maria reached out to hush her child, assuming it was just a story.
Maria: Lily, hush now, do not make up tales to stay out of trouble!
Lily: I saw him! He had mean eyes and dropped gray powder on it!
Mr. Moretti looked from the little girl back to the smashed chocolate mess.
He knew his family was powerful and had many business rivals in town.
A dark feeling took root deep inside his chest as he stood up slowly.
He pulled a small grey electronic testing tool from his dark suit pocket.
Because of old family threats, he always carried a compact chemical detector.
He pointed the thin probe directly toward the soft center of the cake.