Chapter 4 - Five parties
Liora had been locked away at five events.
Not dozens.
Five.
Over roughly three months.
The first:
A donor dinner at our home.
Seventeen minutes.
Second:
A birthday reception.
Thirty-one minutes.
Third:
A business-anniversary dinner.
Fifty-four minutes.
Fourth:
A Knox-Romano waterfront presentation.
One hour and twenty-three minutes.
Fifth:
The engagement party.
Approximately forty-six minutes before I found her.
How did investigators reconstruct this?
Not through magical surveillance.
Household staff.
Calendar records.
Text messages.
Doorway security logs.
One exterior hall camera that showed Seraphine placing a chair near the bridal-room door during two events.
The camera did not see inside.
Liora described the pattern.
At first, Seraphine told her:
“This is a quiet room.”
Then:
“You need to stay until adults finish.”
Then:
“Stop coming out.”
By the fourth event, she wedged the chair under the handle.
Why had Liora not told me?
She had tried.
May you like
That was harder.
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