Arthur turned around with a cold, commanding expression on his face, holding the silver purse tightly in his left hand. He looked toward the hallway where his head of security, a tall former police officer named Thomas, was standing near the wall. Arthur had spared no expense when equipping his Dallas mansion, installing high-definition security cameras in almost every single corner of the property to protect his expensive artwork and personal documents. Victoria had always hated those cameras, often complaining that they ruined the look of the luxury home, but Arthur had insisted on keeping them operational twenty-four hours a day. Now, those quiet lenses were about to play the most important role of the day.
Arthur: Thomas! Bring up the hallway display on the main screen right now!
Victoria: Arthur, this is ridiculous! You are wasting everyone's time over a common thief!
Arthur: Show me the footage! I want to see the hallway from one hour ago!
Thomas: Yes, Mr. Sterling. Connecting the feed to the foyer screen right now.
Victoria: This is an insult to me! I am your family, and she is just hired help!
Arthur: If she is guilty, the video will prove it. If she is innocent, we will know that too.
Thomas pulled out a tablet computer and tapped the glass screen several times, sending a signal to the large wall-mounted flat-screen television in the foyer. The high-definition screen flickered once, then displayed crisp, clear security footage of the quiet upper hallway from forty-five minutes earlier. The guests all turned their heads toward the television, murmuring nervously as the digital clock in the corner of the screen ticked forward. Victoria’s face suddenly lost all of its natural color, turning as white as a bed sheet. She took a tiny step backward toward the main door, her hands clenching into tight balls at her sides as cold sweat broke out across her forehead.
Clara: Thank you, Mr. Sterling... thank you for checking...
Victoria: This is a violation of privacy! Turn that television off right now!
Arthur: Keep watching, everyone. Look at the screen closely.
Guest 1: Look, there is the maid walking down the hall with her cleaning cart.
Guest 2: Wait, who is that coming out of the bedroom behind her?
The security video showed Clara quietly pushing her cleaning supplies down the hallway, completely focused on her work. Suddenly, Victoria appeared on the screen, coming out of Arthur's private bedroom suite while looking nervously over her shoulder. Victoria fast-walked up behind Clara, pulled a sparkling object from her own pocket, and shoved Clara violently into the wall cabinet. As Clara stumbled and dropped her dust cloth in pain, Victoria quickly slipped the diamond necklace inside Clara's silver purse, which was resting on the top shelf of the cleaning cart. Victoria then hurried away down the back stairs, smiling to herself on camera. The video played in perfect high-definition clarity, leaving zero doubt about what had actually happened.