Chapter 3 - The Footage He Tried to Erase
Richard came out of the office five minutes later.
Todd followed.
Richard looked furious.
“The footage is gone.”
Jenna’s stomach dropped.
Margaret stood.
“Gone?”
“Deleted.”
Todd raised both hands.
“Don't look at me.”
Dominic remained seated.
“Who has administrator access?”
Richard answered.
“Me and Todd.”
“Remote backup?”
“No.”
“Cloud storage?”
Richard shook his head.
Todd smiled.
“Guess there’s no proof.”
Margaret lifted her phone.
“I have proof.”
Todd laughed.
“You filmed afterward.”
A trucker stood.
“My dashcam points through the front window.”
Everyone looked at him.
He shrugged.
“Parked right there.”
Todd’s smile disappeared.
The trucker continued.
“Don't know if it caught the slap. But it'll show what happened afterward.”
Margaret added, “And I photographed the clock at 7:18.”
Another customer raised her phone.
“I started recording when Jenna said, ‘You hit me.’”
Another said, “I have him saying she shoved him.”
Kayla stepped forward.
“And we all saw him carry the recorder out.”
Dominic looked at Todd.
“Forty-seven witnesses.”
Todd’s breathing became shallow.
Richard turned toward him.
“Did you delete it?”
“No.”
“Did you?”
“No!”
Dominic interrupted.
“Then you won't mind if a forensic technician examines the system.”
Todd looked at him.
“You can't touch company equipment.”
“I won't.”
Dominic held up his phone.
“But Richard can hire someone.”
Richard nodded.
“I will.”
Todd stepped closer.
“You can't do this to me.”
Richard stared at him.
“I can fire you.”
Silence.
Todd laughed once.
“You're kidding.”
“Give me your keys.”
“Richard.”
“Keys.”
“You owe me.”
Richard’s expression changed.
“For what?”
Todd suddenly stopped talking.
Dominic noticed.
So did Jenna.
Richard stepped closer.
“What do I owe you for?”
“Nothing.”
“That's not what you just said.”
Todd tossed his keys onto the counter.
“Forget it.”
He started toward the exit.
Jenna moved aside.
Todd stopped beside her.
“You happy now?”
She looked at him.
“No.”
He seemed surprised.
Jenna continued.
“I’ll be happy when I stop being afraid of people like you.”
Todd leaned closer.
Dominic rose.
But Jenna raised one hand.
She didn't need rescuing from a sentence.
Todd whispered, “You'll regret this.”
Jenna stared directly into his eyes.
“No. You will.”
Todd walked out.
One of Dominic's men glanced at him.
Dominic shook his head.
Nobody followed.
Richard turned toward Jenna.
“I’m sorry.”
She looked at him.
“You didn't hit me.”
“No. I just ignored every warning that told me he eventually would.”
That silenced her.
Richard looked toward Kayla.
“And apparently I ignored more than yours.”
Kayla crossed her arms.
“Yes.”
Richard nodded slowly.
“Then tomorrow morning, everybody gets interviewed separately. Nobody loses hours for speaking.”
Dominic finally approached Jenna.
“Police?”
Jenna looked at him.
“What?”
“Do you want them called?”
Richard immediately said, “Absolutely.”
But Dominic didn't look at Richard.
He looked at Jenna.
“Her decision.”
Jenna thought about Noah.
About rent.
About Todd telling her nobody would believe her.
She looked around at the phones.
The witnesses.
Margaret.
Kayla.
Then she nodded.
“Yes.”
Richard called.
Twenty minutes later, officers entered Maple Street Diner.
Statements were taken.
Phones were cataloged.
The recorder was secured.
Todd was located outside in his truck.
But another problem appeared before the police left.
One officer approached Richard.
“Sir, we need to ask about something else.”
Richard frowned.
“What?”
“Your manager says the deletion wasn't about tonight.”
Richard stared.
“What does that mean?”
The officer glanced toward Dominic.
“He claims there were other recordings on that system somebody didn't want found.”
Dominic’s expression changed.
May you like
Jenna saw it immediately.
This was no longer just about a slap.
