Chapter 3 - THE CAMERA IN THE SERVICE HALL
The next morning, Graham returned to the Mercer ballroom.
The wedding decorations were being removed.
Flowers were thrown away.
Tables were dismantled.
The room looked strangely ordinary.
He found the head coordinator.
“Who gave you instructions regarding my daughter?”
The woman hesitated.
“Mrs. Mercer.”
“What instructions?”
“She asked that Maisie remain away from the main ballroom during the formal photographs.”
“Why?”
“She said the child was tired.”
“Did she say anything else?”
The coordinator looked uncomfortable.
“She said the wedding needed to look sophisticated.”
Graham closed his eyes.
“What exactly did she say?”
“She said there was no place for a crying child in the photographs.”
The words hit him.
He thanked her.
Then turned toward security.
“I need every camera recording from yesterday.”
The security director hesitated.
“Mr. Mercer, the wedding footage is being archived.”
“I want it now.”
They brought up the recordings.
Graham watched.
There was the main ballroom.
The entrance.
The service corridor.
The children's area.
Then he saw Vanessa.
At 7:18 p.m., she approached Maisie.
She spoke to the child.
Maisie's face immediately changed.
Vanessa took her hand.
They walked toward the banquet tables.
The camera angle changed.
Graham couldn't hear the conversation.
He looked toward the security director.
“Audio?”
“Yes, sir.”
The recording played.
Vanessa's voice became clear.
“Stay here.”
“But I want Mommy.”
“Your mommy doesn't need to see you right now.”
Maisie asked:
“Why?”
Vanessa responded:
“Because you're making the pictures messy.”
Then:
“If you love Daddy, you'll do this for him.”
Graham stopped the footage.
His hands tightened into fists.
He watched the next section.
Maisie crawled beneath the table.
Vanessa walked away.
She never returned.
Not once.
Graham whispered:
“What kind of person does that to a child?”
The security director didn't answer.
Then another camera showed Vanessa talking to Chloe Mercer, one of the wedding planners.
Graham listened.
Vanessa said:
“Once she leaves tonight, I'll handle Graham.”
Chloe laughed.
“And Naomi?”
“She'll make a scene.”
“And then?”
“Then everyone will think I'm the victim.”
Graham stared at the screen.
The wedding planner wasn't supposed to be involved.
He called the Mercer family attorney.
“I need a private investigator.”
“Why?”
“Because I think this goes beyond last night.”
The attorney heard something in Graham's voice.
“I'll arrange it.”
Graham then called Naomi.
This time she answered.
“Graham?”
“I found the footage.”
Silence.
“Where?”
“The hotel.”
“What did you find?”
“He wasn't at the hotel.”
He paused.
“I found Vanessa telling Maisie to hide.”
Naomi closed her eyes.
“Graham…”
“I know.”
“Does she know you saw?”
“No.”
“Don't tell her yet.”
“Why?”
“Because if this was deliberate, we don't know what else she has planned.”
Graham looked at the screen.
He had the same thought.
“I'll protect Maisie.”
Naomi's voice was cold.
“You should have done that yesterday.”
The call ended.
Graham accepted the criticism.
He deserved it.
But when he turned back toward the monitor, he saw something else.
At 7:31 p.m., while Maisie was still beneath the table, Vanessa received a phone call.
She stepped outside.
The call lasted seven minutes.
The caller's identity was hidden.
But security footage showed Vanessa handing someone a small envelope in the parking garage.
That person was wearing a black coat.
Graham zoomed in.
He couldn't see the face.
May you like
But he recognized the car.
It belonged to Evelyn Mercer.
