Chương 3
Lacey did not have an answer for that.
Neither did Emily.
Her phone buzzed.
The screen showed Adrian Hale.
She let it ring.
It stopped.
A text arrived.
Emily, this is Adrian. I understand you need space. You will be paid for the rest of the week. Please do not worry about your employment status tonight. Maya has preserved the footage. I would like to speak tomorrow when you are ready.
Emily read it twice.
Lacey leaned against the counter.
“What does he say?”
“He’s paying me.”
“That’s good.”
Emily looked at her.
Lacey lifted both hands.
“Not good. You know what I mean.”
Emily placed the phone facedown.
Five minutes later it buzzed again.
This time the message came from Teresa.
I’m sorry I froze.
Emily stared at the words.
She typed, It’s okay.
Deleted it.
Typed, You didn’t do anything.
Deleted that too.
She finally wrote, I don’t know what to say right now.
Teresa answered almost immediately.
You don’t have to.
That evening Emily took a shower and discovered four red marks on her upper arm where Victoria’s fingers had gripped her.
She stood beneath the water longer than necessary.
The marks were not serious.
That annoyed her.
Part of her wanted something visible enough that nobody could minimize what had happened.
The rest of her was ashamed for wanting that.
She put on sweatpants and an old university T-shirt Lacey had given her after dropping out of college two years earlier.
Emily had never attended that university.
She liked the shirt because it was soft.
At nine-thirteen, Lacey came into her room without knocking.
“You need to see something.”
Emily looked up.
“No.”
“You don’t know what it is.”
“If it’s about today, no.”
Lacey held out her phone anyway.
A video was playing.
Twelve seconds.
Victoria yanking Emily’s apron pocket.
The bracelet falling.
Victoria accusing her.
Emily denying it.
Then the clip ended.
No security footage.
No Adrian.
No proof.
The caption read:
HOUSEKEEPER CAUGHT STEALING AT HALE FOUNDATION LUNCHEON?
Emily’s stomach dropped.
“Where did you get this?”
“Someone sent it to me.”
“Who posted it?”
“I don’t know. It’s already been reposted.”
Emily took the phone.
The original account belonged to someone named Madison Bell.
She knew the name.
Madison had been at the house that afternoon, a twenty-year-old college student who sometimes attended foundation events with her mother.
Emily opened the comments.
Lacey reached for the phone.
“Don’t.”
Emily turned away.
Some comments defended her.
Most did not.
rich people stay rich because they catch this stuff
she literally had it in her pocket
why would the owner plant her own bracelet lol
maid uniforms have pockets for a reason apparently
Someone had written Emily’s full name.
Another person had posted the staffing agency where she had previously worked.
A third had found an old photograph from a hotel holiday party.
Emily gave Lacey the phone back.
Her own phone started ringing.
Adrian again.
This time she answered.
“Did you see it?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“We’re dealing with it.”
She almost hung up.
“What does that mean?”
“Our counsel is contacting the person who posted the video.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s misleading.”
“Are you telling them what happened?”
A pause.
“We need to determine the appropriate way to address it without releasing security information from the house.”
Emily sat straighter.
“So people can see me accused, but they can’t see the part where I didn’t do it because your hallway is private?”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“It sounds like what you’re saying.”
“Emily.”
His voice remained calm.
She suddenly hated that calmness.
“Was it your bracelet?”
“No.”
“Did your wife put it in my pocket?”
“Yes.”
“Then I don’t understand what needs to be determined.”
Another pause.
“You’re right.”
The answer surprised her.
Adrian exhaled.
“Maya is having the relevant segment isolated. The portions that expose security-sensitive areas can be cropped. We will make a factual statement tonight.”
“We?”
“My office.”
“What about Mrs. Hale?”
Silence.
Emily looked toward the hallway.
Lacey was standing there pretending not to listen.
“Mr. Hale?”
“She is not prepared to make a statement.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“Of course not.”
“I am not asking you to accept that.”
“What are you asking?”
“Nothing tonight.”
“That’s not true.”
Adrian went quiet.
Emily could hear faint movement on his end, perhaps a door closing.
“You want me not to say anything,” she said.
“I want you to have accurate information before you decide what you want to say.”
“That sounds nicer.”
“I’m trying to be careful.”
“For who?”
This time the silence lasted longer.
Emily knew the answer before he gave it.
“For everyone involved.”
She laughed once.
“Right.”
“Emily—”
“Good night, Mr. Hale.”
She ended the call.
Lacey leaned against the doorframe.
“He sounds like a lawyer.”
“He’s not.”
“Worse?”
“Businessman.”
“That explains it.”
Emily put the phone down.
Lacey stayed where she was.
After a moment Emily said, “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For being mean.”
“You weren’t mean.”
“I was mean earlier.”
“You got framed for jewelry by a woman who owns a house with more bathrooms than our entire building. I’m giving you some room.”
Emily smiled despite herself.
It lasted about two seconds.
Then her phone buzzed again.
This time the Hale family’s public statement appeared online.
At approximately 3:42 p.m. today, a household employee was incorrectly accused of taking personal property from the Hale residence. Security footage reviewed immediately after the incident established that the employee did not take the item in question. We regret that an incomplete video of the incident was shared publicly and are requesting its removal. The employee has our full confidence regarding this matter.
Emily read the statement carefully.
It did not name Victoria.
It did not say the bracelet had been planted.
It did not say by whom.
Lacey read over her shoulder.
“Well.”
Emily looked at her.
Lacey winced.
“It clears you.”
“Does it?”
May you like
“It says you didn’t take it.”
“It also makes it sound like the bracelet crawled into my pocket.”
