Chapter 1 - BETWEEN THE SHARDS
Richard Hale had hosted enough formal dinners to know when a room was pretending to be relaxed.
Tonight, everyone was.
The dining room glowed beneath two warm chandeliers. Red wine stood in crystal glasses along the long table. Twelve guests had already eaten the first course. Two Hale Development executives were discussing golf because nobody wanted to discuss the financing deal everyone had actually come to discuss.
Richard sat at the head.
Sixty-eight.
Gray-haired.
Expensive suit.
The kind of man who had spent forty years convincing rooms that everything happening inside them was happening because he allowed it.
His daughter Victoria sat four seats down.
Ava Brooks, one of the evening servers, moved quietly behind the chairs.
Richard reached for his wine.
He lifted the glass.
Ava looked at it.
Her expression changed instantly.
She crossed the distance in two fast steps and slapped the glass hard out of his hand.
CRASH.
Crystal struck the polished floor.
Red wine splashed across the boards beside Richard’s chair.
Richard recoiled.
“What the—”
Victoria sprang up.
“What the hell did you just do?!”
Ava barely looked at her.
Her eyes remained fixed on the broken glass.
Victoria came around the table.
Fast.
She raised a hand toward Ava.
Ava caught her wrist.
Knocked it sideways.
Then slapped Victoria hard across the face.
The crack silenced every person at the table.
Victoria’s head snapped to the side.
Her upper body twisted.
She staggered back a step with one hand against her cheek.
Ava immediately stepped between her and Richard.
Richard stood.
“That is enough.”
Victoria stared at Ava.
“You hit me.”
“You tried to hit me.”
Richard looked at the surrounding guests.
Nobody moved.
“Ava.”
She pulled out her phone.
Her hands were shaking now.
Not before.
Now.
She opened a video and held the screen toward Richard.
“Look.”
Richard took it.
The video showed his own place setting less than two minutes earlier.
Richard was speaking to someone near the fireplace.
Victoria crossed behind his chair.
She glanced toward the table.
Opened her clutch.
Removed a small vial.
Then quietly tipped several drops into Richard’s red wine.
Richard watched it twice.
His face tightened.
He turned toward his daughter.
Ava said:
“I saw her put something in your drink.”
Victoria froze.
Richard held up the phone.
“What did you put in my glass?”
Victoria looked from him to Ava.
Then opened her clutch.
She pulled out the same small vial.
Richard’s anger sharpened.
“Victoria.”
She removed the cap.
Ava immediately stepped forward.
“Don’t.”
Victoria tipped her head back.
Drank everything remaining inside.
Richard stopped.
Victoria swallowed.
Lowered the empty vial.
Waited.
Nothing happened.
Her breathing remained normal.
She held up the bottle.
“It’s only Dad’s heart medication.”
Several guests looked at Richard.
He hated that almost as much as the accusation.
Ava looked confused.
Then she looked down.
At the shattered wine glass.
At the red liquid running between pieces of crystal.
Something dark sat near Richard’s shoe.
Ava took a folded white dinner napkin.
Bent carefully.
Picked up a small black capsule from between the shards.
Richard saw it.
He went completely still.
Victoria stared at the capsule.
Her face drained of color.
“That…”
She looked at Richard.
Then Ava.
“That isn’t mine.”
Richard slowly turned toward the dinner table.
May you like
Twelve guests.
No one moved.
