Chapter 2 - SOMEONE KNEW BELLE'S ROUTINE
By midnight, Harlan had turned an empty consultation room into an investigation center.
He did not shout.
He did not throw things.
That somehow made everyone move faster.
Victor had Belle’s theater timeline projected across one wall.
6:42 p.m. — arrival.
6:51 — escorted backstage.
7:03 — Harlan pulled into emergency business call.
7:11 — Belle leaves children’s dressing room.
7:14 — hallway camera fails.
7:19 — exterior door opens.
7:33 — Rue finds Belle in the garage.
Fifteen minutes.
That was all it took.
I stood near the back.
“You said someone approached her inside.”
Victor nodded.
“Likely.”
“Then why did Belle say the man didn’t know her name?”
Harlan looked at me.
“Explain.”
“She said the butterfly lady knew her name before the man did.”
Victor rewound Belle’s statement.
There.
Exactly.
That suggested two people.
One supplied information.
One physically moved Belle.
Then a security analyst entered.
“We pulled staff communications.”
“Anything?” Harlan asked.
“One unusual access.”
A temporary credential downloaded Belle’s medical-response sheet three hours before the performance.
My stomach tightened.
“Medical sheet?”
Victor answered.
“Emergency information. Heart condition. Medication. What to do if she collapses.”
“Who can see that?”
“Family security. Venue medic. Child-services coordinator.”
“And?”
“Harlan’s executive assistant.”
Harlan went still.
“Rachel?”
Victor looked uncomfortable.
“Yes.”
I knew Rachel Sloan only by reputation.
Efficient.
Elegant.
Twenty years with Voss Holdings.
The person who controlled Harlan’s calendar so aggressively that politicians sometimes waited weeks for fifteen minutes.
“Did she download it?”
“No.”
Victor pointed to the screen.
“Her credential did.”
Harlan pulled out his phone.
Called.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
“Where is she?”
Victor checked.
“She left the theater at 6:58.”
Twelve minutes before Belle disappeared.
Harlan’s expression turned flat.
“Find her.”
Then my own phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
The message said:
YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE CLIP WHERE IT WAS.
My stomach dropped.
Harlan saw my face.
“What?”
I showed him.
Victor took my phone.
Another message arrived.
YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN THAT GARAGE.
My pulse raced.
“How do they know me?”
Harlan looked at me.
Maybe because his men had already run my background.
Maybe because someone had watched the rescue.
Then a third message.
ASK HARLAN VOSS WHY HE KNOWS THE NAME CALLAWAY.
I turned toward him.
Harlan went completely still.
He had heard my last name on the phone earlier.
Repeated it.
Rue Callaway.
At the time I thought he was simply remembering.
Now I knew differently.
“You know my family?”
He said nothing.
That was answer enough.
“Harlan.”
His eyes met mine.
“I knew a Callaway.”
“Who?”
He exhaled slowly.
“Your mother.”
Everything inside me stopped.
“My mother has been dead nine years.”
“I know.”
“How?”
Harlan looked at the butterfly clip.
May you like
Then at me.
“Because your mother was the last person to see Elsie Warren before she disappeared.”
