Ten minutes later, the main entrance of the ballroom opened, and Arthur Vance walked in carrying a heavy leather briefcase. Arthur was a tall man in his late fifties with gray hair and sharp eyes that noticed every detail in a room. He had been David's trusted estate lawyer for over twenty years and knew every legal clause protecting Lily's inheritance. Behind him stepped two uniform Dallas police officers, their dark blue uniforms making the surrounding party guests step back in quiet respect.
Arthur: Nora, are you and Lily unhurt?
Nora: Lily has a bruised knee from falling on the marble.
Arthur: We will document that immediately for the police report.
Richard: Officer, this whole thing is a huge misunderstanding!
Officer Martinez: Sir, stay right where you are while we get statements.
Richard: I was defending my property! The little girl stole a three-hundred-thousand-dollar ring!
Richard's voice sounded less confident now that uniformed officers were standing in the middle of the bright ballroom. His wife, Victoria, finally stepped out from behind the velvet curtains near the main stage. She was wearing a heavy gold dress and looking pale. Her hands were trembling as she held her small silk handbag close to her waist. Nora noticed Victoria's nervous movements instantly. She had known Victoria for years and knew how she acted whenever Richard forced her into a lie.
Nora: Victoria, look me in the eye.
Victoria: Nora, please... let the men handle this.
Nora: Did you actually see Lily touch your ring?
Victoria: Richard said he saw her near the table...
Nora: I asked if YOU saw her, Victoria!
Victoria: I... I was in the restroom when it went missing!
The crowd gasped again. Richard glared at his wife with intense anger, but Victoria looked away toward the high arched windows. The truth was starting to show through the cracks of Richard's carefully planned frame-up. Arthur Vance stepped forward, opening his leather briefcase on a nearby catering table. He pulled out several legal documents bearing the red seal of the Texas state court.
Arthur: Officers, I represent the estate of the late David Sterling.
Officer Martinez: Go ahead, counselor.
Arthur: Mr. Richard Sterling here has been attempting to remove Mrs. Nora Sterling as the trustee of Lily's trust fund for eighteen months.
Richard: That has nothing to do with this robbery!
Arthur: It has everything to do with motivation, sir.
Richard: You cannot prove anything! Search the girl's dress!
Nora: We are not searching my daughter because you threw a tantrum!
Officer Martinez: If there is a missing item of high value, we must review the security footage.
The word security footage made Richard freeze in his tracks. His jaw tightened again, but this time not with anger. A cold flash of fear crossed his eyes as he looked up toward the high corners of the white marble pillars. Mounted right next to the framed American flag was a modern, high-definition security camera pointing directly at the main display tables and the surrounding floor area.
Nora: That is a great idea, Officer.
Richard: The ballroom cameras are... they are undergoing maintenance today!
Nora: Maintenance? On the biggest charity night of the year?
Richard: The venue manager told me this morning!
Arthur: I spoke with the hotel manager ten minutes ago, Richard. The cameras are working perfectly.