Chapter 7 - The Unguarded Afternoon
The following afternoon, Daniel kissed Vanessa goodbye in the driveway and drove off to his office. Shortly after, a chartered van arrived to take Rosa and the rest of the staff to their off-site training. The massive estate fell completely silent.
I stood in the mudroom, wearing the itchy, oversized gray uniform. My hands were deliberately stained with potting soil, making my fingernails look unkempt and dirty. In the pocket of the uniform rested a small, high-fidelity digital audio recorder, fully charged and ready. I pressed the record button, the small red light blinking unseen in the dark fabric.
I walked out the back door, walked around the perimeter of the estate, and re-entered through the service door near the kitchen.
I began wiping down the granite countertops, waiting. Ten minutes later, the sharp, rhythmic clicking of high heels echoed on the hardwood floors. Vanessa strode into the kitchen, wearing a designer tracksuit and carrying a massive leather handbag. She stopped, staring at me as if I were an insect that had crawled onto her pristine floor.
“Who the hell are you?” Vanessa demanded, her voice sharp and devoid of the sweet melody she used with Daniel.
I kept my head bowed, adopting a slight, nervous tremor in my voice. “Excuse me, miss. I am Maria. The agency sent me. The regular staff is away for training.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes dramatically, dropping her heavy bag onto the island counter.
“God, Daniel is so incompetent sometimes. I told him I needed my dresses steamed today.” She looked me up and down with blatant disgust. “Well? Don't just stand there staring like an idiot. Do you speak English?”
“Yes, miss,” I muttered, keeping my gaze fixed on her expensive shoes.
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“Good. Because I have a massive headache, and I don't have the patience to play charades with the help today. Go to the front door. There are deliveries waiting.”
The test had officially begun.
