FABLE

The Accusation In The Hall

The Stepmother's Secret On The Marble Stairs

Mark: Lily, sweetie... what did you just say?

Lily: Mommy pushed me! Papa, stop hitting Clara! Mommy pushed the stroller!

Elena: Mark, don't listen to her! She's two years old! She's scared and confused! Clara must have told her to say that!

Clara: I never said a word to her, Mr. Miller! I was polishing the silver when I saw Mrs. Miller put her hands on the handle at the top of the landing!

Elena: You lying little thief! How dare you accuse me in my own home?! Mark, fire her right now! Call the police!

Mark: Silence! Both of you, shut up!

Mark dropped to his knees beside the stroller, unbuckling Lily with shaking hands. He pulled the crying toddler into his arms, holding her tight against his chest while his eyes slowly moved up the marble steps.

Mark: Elena... why is your red heel sitting on the third step?

Elena: I... I lost my shoe when I tried to jump forward to grab her! I was trying to save our daughter, Mark!

Clara: That's not true, Mr. Miller. She wasn't running down. She was standing at the top when she kicked off her shoe to make it look like she tripped.

Elena: You insolent girl! Mark, are you really going to take the word of a low-wage maid over your wife?!

Mark: Clara has been taking care of this house for four years, Elena. She was here before I married you.

Elena: And what does that mean?! Are you saying I would hurt my own stepdaughter?! I love Lily!

Clara: Then why did you ask me about Mr. Miller's life insurance policy yesterday?

Mark's body went stiff. He slowly stood up, still holding Lily close. His eyes darkened as he stared at his wife, whose face had suddenly turned deathly pale.

Mark: What did you just say, Clara?

Clara: Yesterday afternoon, while you were at the corporate board meeting, Mrs. Miller went into your home office. She was going through the safe. When I walked in with the laundry, she asked me if I knew whether Lily was the sole beneficiary of your trust fund.

Elena: She's making it up! She was snooping in your office, Mark! I caught her and threatened to fire her, so now she's trying to ruin me!

Mark: The safe code was changed last week, Elena. Only I have the code... unless someone went through my leather bag.

Elena: Mark, please! Look at me! You know me!

Mark: I thought I did. But right now, I don't know who the hell I'm looking at.

Clara: Check the security cameras, Mr. Miller. The hallway camera points directly at the top of the stairs.

Elena: The cameras are broken! You know the system has been down since Tuesday, Mark!

Clara: The main system was down, yes. But you didn't know about the nanny cam Mr. Miller installed inside the clock near the landing after the break-in last month.

Elena's jaw dropped. She turned her head toward the old mahogany grandfather clock standing at the top of the stairs. Her eyes widened in absolute horror.

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