Chapter 12 - Damian's Growing Doubts
That evening, Damian sat at his mahogany desk in the study, staring at a stack of security audit reports from the night of Holland’s rescue.
Something about the timeline didn't add up.
The chief of security had reported that the basement latch was secured from the inside with an industrial padlock that required a master key.
Yet Maria had supposedly locked him in without ever possessing a master key.
Damian dialed the county jail directly, asking to speak with the officer handling Maria’s preliminary detention hearing.
“Officer Vance, this is Damian Ashford,” Damian said into the receiver.
“I want to review the physical evidence recovered from the maid’s quarters last week.”
“Mr. Ashford, that’s actually why I was trying to reach you,” the detective’s voice crackled over the line.
“We ran forensic dusting on the padlock from the hatch. Maria’s fingerprints aren't on it anywhere.”
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“Whose fingerprints are on it?” Damian demanded, standing up from his leather chair.
“Only one partial print,” the detective replied slowly. “And it belongs to your wife, Celeste.”
