Chapter 5 - The Police Arrive
The red and blue lights flashed violently through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
It looked like a nightclub, but the mood was a funeral.
The heavy oak doors of the Harrington estate burst open.
Six uniformed police officers and two plainclothes detectives strode into the ballroom.
They didn’t look impressed by the wealth in the room.
They looked directly at Richard Harrington.
The lead detective, a tall man with a graying mustache, stepped forward.
“Mr. Harrington. We received your call. You said there was a kidnapping suspect on the premises?”
Richard didn’t speak.
He simply pointed at Evelyn Langley.
Evelyn was still pinned between the private security guards.
Her mascara was running down her face in dark, ugly streaks.
“This is absurd!” Evelyn screamed at the detectives. “I am Evelyn Langley! You cannot arrest me on the word of a crazy woman!”
The detective looked at Eleanor.
He pulled a small notepad from his pocket.
“Ma’am, can you identify yourself?”
Eleanor stood tall.
“My name is Eleanor Harrington. I was reported missing twenty-five years ago.”
The detective’s eyes widened slightly.
Every cop in New York knew the Eleanor Harrington cold case.
It was legendary.
“And you’re accusing this woman of holding you against your will?” he asked.
“Not here,” Eleanor said calmly. “In a private psychiatric facility in Geneva. Under the alias Clara Vance. I have the medical records, the transfer logs, and the financial statements proving Evelyn Langley paid the facility two million dollars a year to keep me locked away.”
Evelyn thrashed wildly.
“She’s lying! It’s forged! All of it is forged!”
The detective turned to his officers.
“Cuff her.”
Two officers grabbed Evelyn’s arms.
They wrenched them behind her back.
The sharp metallic click of handcuffs echoed loudly in the silent ballroom.
Evelyn Langley, the queen of Manhattan high society, was being treated like a common criminal.
“Victoria!” Evelyn shrieked as they dragged her toward the door. “Call the lawyers! Call Arthur! Don’t let them take me!”
Victoria couldn’t move.
She was still on the floor, paralyzed by shock and humiliation.
The guests around her—the people she had spent years trying to impress—were actively backing away.
Nobody wanted to be near her.
She was toxic.
The detective walked over to Victoria.
He looked down at her tear-stained face.
“Are you Victoria Langley?”
Victoria nodded weakly.
“We’ll need you to come down to the precinct for questioning as well.”
Victoria’s eyes widened in terror.
“Me? I didn’t do anything! I didn’t know!”
The detective didn’t care.
“You’re wearing a two-hundred-thousand-dollar dress paid for by stolen funds, ma’am. Stand up.”
Victoria looked desperately at Daniel.
“Daniel. Please. Tell them I’m innocent.”
Daniel turned his back on her.
He walked over to his aunt and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
“Officer,” Daniel said over his shoulder. “Take her out the back. She’s ruining the carpet.”
Victoria let out a shattered wail.
Two officers pulled her to her feet.
As they escorted her out in her massive, heavy silver gown, she looked entirely ridiculous.
A fake princess being dragged out of a stolen castle.
I stood by the hallway, clutching my sewing bag.
Victoria caught my eye as they walked her past.
She opened her mouth to speak.
To curse me.
To blame me.
But I didn’t give her the chance.
I looked her dead in the eye, and whispered two words.
May you like
“Trash it.”
Victoria broke into fresh, hysterical sobs as the doors closed behind her.
