Chapter 2: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
Judge Harrison carefully stepped away from the chair as security officers rushed toward him. Within seconds, the entire banquet hall was sealed.
"No one leaves," the judge ordered calmly, though his voice carried unmistakable authority.
Two officers photographed the syringe before removing it with gloved hands.
"It wasn't meant to frighten me," Harrison murmured after examining the device. "It was meant to kill me."
A forensic technician leaned closer.
"The needle is spring-loaded. The moment someone sat down..." He looked up gravely. "...it would have injected the entire contents."
The room filled with horrified whispers.
Victoria forced a nervous laugh.
"This is ridiculous. Someone must have planted it as a prank."
Judge Harrison slowly turned toward her.
"A prank?"
His piercing eyes locked onto hers.
"You wanted this young woman removed before anyone looked beneath my chair."
Victoria swallowed.
"I... I simply thought she was causing a disturbance."
Lily stood silently near the wall, still shaking.
One detective approached her gently.
"Miss... how did you know the syringe was there?"
Every eye in the ballroom shifted toward Lily.
She hesitated.
"I didn't see the syringe."
Silence.
"I saw someone hiding under the stage thirty minutes before dinner."
Gasps echoed across the room.
"I was delivering dessert trays," Lily continued. "I thought he was repairing the lighting. But when he crawled away, he left carrying an empty toolbox."
The detective frowned.
"What did he look like?"
"I couldn't see his face."
She paused.
"But..."
"He was wearing the same security uniform as the guards here tonight."
Instantly every security guard in the ballroom stiffened.
May you like
The detective's expression darkened.
"Lock every exit."
