Julian stared at Victoria until the older woman took a nervous step backward.
He placed his tall body right between Victoria and the chained girl.
Julian: Silence! Step away from her now!
Victoria: You're making a mistake!
Victoria trembled as her hands gripped the soft silk fabric of her robe.
Julian turned around slowly to face the trembling maid behind him.
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small silver key.
The heavy iron locks clicked open with a sudden loud snap.
Clara dropped her sore arms and rubbed her red scraped wrists instantly.
Clara: Thank you, Mr. Vance.
Julian: Tell me what happened before I call the city police department.
Victoria: There is nothing to explain to him!
Victoria: I caught her near the hidden wall safe in your father's study!
Clara shook her head quickly while pulling her black apron straight.
Clara: That is not how it happened at all, sir.
Clara: I came upstairs to clean the glass doors per my daily schedule.
Clara: I saw Mrs. Vance taking the legal folder from behind the painting.
Victoria: She is a liar who wants your money!
Julian held up his right hand to silence his loud stepmother instantly.
He kept his sharp eyes fixed straight on Clara's tearful face.
Julian: What legal folder are you talking about, Clara?
Clara: The red leather folder containing your father's real final inheritance papers.
Clara: She panicked when she noticed me standing by the open doorway.
Clara: She dragged me out here and chained me so I couldn't stop her.
Victoria's face turned completely white as the cold wind blew past them.
Victoria: This maid is insane and should be fired immediately!
Clara: Check her right pocket, Mr. Vance!
Clara: She shoved the stolen folder into her deep silk robe pocket!
Julian turned his head slowly to glare at his terrified stepmother.