Chapter 2: The Missing Bottle
The first thing I noticed was that Andre wasn't looking at the broken wine tower anymore.
He was looking at Harlow.
She had stopped screaming.
That interested me more than anything else.
"What was taken?"" I asked.
Andre glanced toward the guests.
"Mrs. Bellmont, I would rather discuss this somewhere private.""
Harlow immediately stepped forward.
"Absolutely not. Whatever ridiculous story you're inventing, you can say it in front of everybody.""
Andre adjusted his jacket.
"Madam, this is a hotel security matter.""
"Then call security.""
"I intend to.""
Dashiell rubbed his forehead.
"Can we please stop making this worse?""
I turned to him.
"Your wife just destroyed a display worth more than your first car.""
"Mom, please.""
"And you're worried about making it worse?""
Harlow grabbed a napkin and rubbed at her dress.
"This is unbelievable. She attacked me, humiliated me, and now the hotel staff is conspiring against me.""
Andre said nothing.
He simply removed his phone and made a call.
"Mr. Mercer? I need you on the Meridian Roof immediately. Yes, there's been an incident.""
Harlow rolled her eyes.
"Wonderful. A whole investigation over spilled wine.""
I watched her closely.
Her hands were shaking.
Not because I had poured wine over her.
Something else was bothering her.
A few minutes later, a broad-shouldered man in a dark security uniform stepped onto the terrace.
His name was Victor Mercer.
He had managed security at the Meridian for eleven years and had known Edward before his retirement.
"Mrs. Bellmont," he said, approaching me.
"Are you hurt?""
"No.""
He glanced at Harlow.
"Would you like medical assistance?""
"Would I like medical assistance?"" Harlow repeated.
"Your hotel allowed this woman to punch me!""
Victor didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at Andre.
"What happened?""
Andre explained the destruction of the wine tower, then described what he had noticed earlier that afternoon.
Victor's expression changed.
"You're certain?""
"Completely.""
Harlow laughed sharply.
"Could somebody explain what's going on?""
Victor turned toward her.
"Mrs. Bellmont's late husband had a private collection in the Meridian cellar. Some of those bottles were placed under special inventory restrictions.""
Harlow folded her arms.
"So?""
"So one bottle was reported missing this afternoon.""
The silence that followed was different from the one after the crash.
This time, even Dashiell looked alarmed.
"What bottle?"" he asked.
Victor opened a folder on his tablet.
"A 1961 Château Latour.""
I blinked.
That wasn't one of Edward's anniversary bottles.
It was something else.
Edward had purchased it years earlier through a private collector. He had told me it was an investment, but he had never explained why he kept it separate from the rest of his collection.
I remembered the day he brought it home.
He had carried the wooden case into his study himself.
When I asked what was so special about it, he had kissed my forehead.
"Something important, sweetheart. One day you'll understand.""
He never got the chance to explain.
"Was it insured?"" I asked.
Victor nodded.
"Yes. But there's a complication.""
"What complication?""
"The bottle was scheduled to be transferred to a private buyer tomorrow morning.""
Harlow suddenly laughed.
"Well, there you go. It's probably just paperwork.""
Victor turned the tablet toward her.
"Your name appears in the cellar access log.""
Dashiell looked at his wife.
"Harlow?""
She stared at the screen.
Then she shook her head.
"That's impossible.""
Victor enlarged the record.
"Your temporary event access code was used at 3:18 p.m.""
"I was working downstairs.""
"At the time, you were assigned to the ballroom on level six.""
"That's not true.""
Andre spoke quietly.
"I saw you near the cellar corridor.""
Harlow spun toward him.
"You saw nothing!""
Andre didn't raise his voice.
"I saw you leave carrying a small black case.""
Dashiell stared at her.
"What black case?""
Harlow's mouth opened.
Then closed.
I stepped closer.
"Harlow, where is the bottle?""
She gave me a cold look.
"Why would I take your husband's old wine?""
"Because you apparently have a problem with things that belong to this family.""
"Don't flatter yourself.""
Victor raised one hand.
"Let's keep this professional.""
He asked Harlow to accompany him to the security office.
She immediately shook her head.
"I'm not going anywhere.""
"Mrs. Bellmont, this is a request while we clarify the inventory discrepancy.""
"Then clarify it here.""
Victor looked at Dashiell.
"Sir, do you know where your wife was this afternoon?""
Dashiell hesitated.
"I was in a management meeting.""
"Did she tell you she planned to visit the cellar?""
"No.""
Harlow grabbed his arm.
"Dashiell, tell them I'm innocent.""
He looked uncomfortable.
"Then explain the access code.""
"I don't have to explain anything to these people.""
Victor nodded toward the broken wine tower.
"Unfortunately, we now have two separate incidents involving restricted property.""
I looked at the floor.
The remaining wine was spreading beneath the cocktail tables.
Then I noticed something.
A small silver object lay beside the mirrored stand.
I bent down carefully.
It was an antique key.
Edward's key.
I knew it because I had once watched him attach it to a leather cord and tuck it inside his study desk.
I picked it up.
"Andre?""
He came closer.
"Yes, ma'am?""
"Where did this come from?""
His face went pale.
"That shouldn't be here.""
"Why?""
He looked toward Victor.
Then back at me.
"Because it opens the private cabinet beneath the cellar.""
I closed my fingers around the key.
Harlow suddenly stopped wiping her dress.
For the first time that night, she looked genuinely frightened.
Dashiell noticed.
"Harlow?""
She stepped backward.
"That key isn't important.""
I looked at her.
"How do you know what it opens?""
She said nothing.
Victor slowly reached for his radio.
And then Harlow made a mistake that changed everything.
May you like
She looked directly at my son and whispered:
"Because I already opened it.""
