Chapter Four

"This meeting has officially began" Ellie said taking her seat. Every other person sat down. So this is what power felt like. "What is first on..." she was interrupted

"This meeting has been adjourned till further notice, you are all dismissed I expect your reports on my table from where I left off before break" everyone was confused but hurried out of the room. Silvia closed the door behind them and turned to face the stunned Ellie.

"Who are you?" Ellie asked with anger in her voice although she knew who Silvia was

"I should be asking you because obviously you know who I am and what are you doing here?"

"I am the new vice president of..."

'Acting vice president and since I'm back, your services are no longer needed. You have been relieved of duty. Just came to tell you, you have today to pack your things out of my office or I'll be calling security" and with that she grabbed the car key on the table. "I'm sure you can find your way.

Silvia drove to see Sandra before heading home. It was agreed that for the time being she would move back with her family. Their money was on Ellie, but then she needed to be where she would keep an eye on all of them. She wasn't going to overlook any detail no matter how small. Sandra had made sure, she had secretly bugged the house and given Silvia a wire so that any and every evidence would be taped.

Ellie was already back when she got back home. Although they knew she was out of hiding, they didn't expect her to be back so soon. Mother seemed over excited that she was back while dad seemed pissed off. She ignored them both and climbed to her room. They hadn't even mentioned her false accusations or how she fared during those times or how she got out but why should they?  They easily replaced her with a daughter she didn't know of. 

Fortunately her room wasn't occupied but things weren't as she left them. Someone had gone through her things. She was about to move into her own apartment before. However, she was back now and will move out once this case was closed.

She didn't go down for dinner and whenever she saw her dad he was always irritated and angry, mom on the other hand seemed to have a lot to say but never actually did while Ellie avoided her. Well what did she care? She had a lot to do in the office and at home. Detectives paid her regular visits both to ask question and to check on her. She saw her ex-fiancé Stan but they never said anything to each other. Though it seemed like he wanted to say something but was either interrupted or couldn't just say it.

Silvia knew that Sandra was on to something but wouldn't tell her. So far she hasn't noticed anything suspicious apart from her father. She confronted him but the only thing he could say was he was sorry. He never mentioned what or why he was sorry.

"Detective Bill is here to see you" her secretary informed her before letting him in.

"Gooday Miss Chamel" he said shaking hands. "I'll go straight to the point. We have a new lead in this case, the previous evidence were re-examined from a new angle and there were lots of irregularities, do you mind answering some questions?"

"Not at all"

"The poison found in your bag was in a small perfume bottle and according to our sources you have never purchased that brand of perfume, so can I ask where you got the bottle from?"

"Like I've said before, I don't know anything about the poison, don't even know its name content or where to purchase it"

"We are currently tracing its source but at any point did you live your purse unattended?"

"No, it happened so fast, just the three of us on the roof top, me, Fin, his two assistants,Stan was supposed to be there but he was running late. Fin was of the opinion to start without him and before I knew it we were already toasting. Fin was so eager that he gulped down his wine and collapsed on the floor"

"The poison was also found in all the other glasses including yours, however it is hard to tell whether the poison was in the wine or in the cups. Further checking Stan was deliberately delayed. His tires were punctured and the headlight smashed no eye witness account but evidence shows a knife pierce. Another question, where were you at the time of the murders?"

"I answered this question before, I got a call that they were going to blackmail me with the death of Fin and they had evidence to prove my innocence but would negotiate personally. They asked me to meet up" 

"Why did you go?" 

"I was desperate, rumors were going round and investors were pulling away, I wanted to save the company, we lost the deal with Fin, we were losing more, we couldn't afford to lose another. I wasn't close to Fin but I didn't want him dead"

"How did your signature get on the false document because after analyzing it turned out to be your signature?"

"I have no idea"

"That is not a good enough answer"

"What do you want me to say I don't know, honestly?"

"And the drugs?"

"I can't recognize one if I see it, they just popped out of nowhere which was very strange, I can't think of anybody who knew where the safe is and even if they do, they shouldn't have known the password"

"That fact complicates your Stand. We can't infer otherwise, if you are so certain"

"What the hell are you doing can't you knock?" Silvia faced the intruder, who had suddenly barged in

"I forgot something" she said without even sparring them a glance. She walked to the table fixed to the wall. She bent down feeling the surface, then the edges carefully moving her hands with patience. Both Silvia and the Detective abandoned the conversation and turned to watch her properly. It was like she couldn't find what she was looking for at first. She repeated it more carefully this time and the table divide into four, each part sliding in different direction. Silvia slumped back in her chair. Ellie proceeded to fill in the information that was required and the safe opened. It was empty. Ellie looked surprised, she swallowed and closed the safe. Standing she straighted her already straight clothes. She was about to leave when a phone rang.

"Give it to him" and the line went dead. Silvia turned to face Ellie. She had wanted to question her but decided against it. She kept her face expressionless. Ellie arched her brow not knowing what to make of the whole situation she walked out of the room. She quickly made a call. 

"It's gone" Ellie said to the receiver

"I clearly told you not to go there, come back this instance" the person said and disconnected.

Detective Bill who happened to be eavesdropping turned to face her with confusion. 

"I thought you said nobody knew the safe except you"

"I said I couldn't think of anybody who knew the safe and it's password. I may have been wrong"

"Do you have any idea what she was looking for?"

"I don't have an idea but I have a duplicate of what she was looking for, kind of surprised the original disappeared mysteriously. Made a duplicate but haven't gotten the time to look at it but you can have it" she handed a file and a drive to him.

"I bet your friends have the original, I'm aware you have other people working on your side. From the anonymous clues and tips, you don't need to be told it is not a coincidence. Guess I'll be leaving"

"When you have all hands on deck it would be hard to leave any stone unturned. This opens up new possibilities. I swear I have my suspicions about that one, don't even know how she is related to me. It looks like she came out of the blue. Unbelievable how one stranger can turn my life upside down because of her my family are like strangers to me and my engagement got cancelled and how could I forget , being convicted of a crime I'm sure she has a hand in it. The whole thing is just upsetting" she glanced at the Detective who was at the door.

"Welcome to the world of those their lives suck" he said shutting the door behind him.