PART 2: DUST IN THE DARKNESS
Panic spread through the grand ballroom as guests murmured in confusion, their luxury smartphones illuminating the room with erratic beams of light.
Elena clutched the remaining half of the envelope against her chest, her heart hammering wildly as she realized Marcus was trying to destroy the evidence in the pitch black.
She reached into the darkness, her manicured nails snagging the sleeve of his tailored suit jacket just as the emergency generators kicked in with a deep mechanical hum.
Flickering orange safety lights illuminated the hall, revealing Marcus holding a torn piece of the detective’s report in his hand, his eyes wild with desperation.
“Give it back to me, Marcus,” Elena demanded, her voice cutting through the rising chatter of the confused crowd.
Instead of answering, Marcus took three rapid steps back toward the VIP terrace exit, stuffing the torn page into his suit pocket.
Before Elena could pursue him, a tall man in a gray trench coat stepped out from the shadows near the velvet curtains, blocking Marcus’s escape route completely.
It was the detective, holding an identical yellow folder with an unmistakable smirk on his face.
“Did you really think I brought only one copy to a room full of snakes, Marcus?” the detective asked calmly.
(The truth is about to be exposed in front of everyone! Click “Next Page” to continue reading…)
