SWNOVELS Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN – A JOB FOR THE INVESTIGATOR
“Jasmine, may I present Anton Luschek,” she stared by way of introduction. “He is perhaps the most decorated digital forensics expert on this continent when it comes to video recovery and analysi
Lodded arse greeting, then turned towards an array of monitoring equipment surrounding them, the largest screen frozen on a grainy but unmistakable visage
Hegestured to the largest mondtor, where the frosen frame of a nondescript figure clad in dark clothing was barely discernible amidst heavy pixelation and distortion
“However, through a great deal of data excavation and recovery techniques, I was able to isolate this rather poor quality video sipper from the residual memory cache, ”
Jasmine fremmed, struggling to comprehend the significance of the grainy, nearly indecipherable few seconds of footage seemingly depicting an Intruder entering the museum late at night Clube must have shared her confusion, as the leaned forward intently. “But who is that? And what does a single tiny piece of an old recording really accomplish towards Identifying your
Lesche’s mouth stretched into a grim line as his fingers danced over the console before him in a precise cadence. “Ah, but you see this is merely the starting point.”
With a few delt bystrokes, a complex array of fibers, sharpening algorithms and cleaning subroutines rapidly focused and resolved the choppy visual data imounprecedented clarity Suddenly, the shadowed figure’s features came into cring, undeniable resolution – the distinctive arched case, the piercing eyes, the unmistakable haughty sneer.
It was Lucinda Stone, renowned artist and Jasmine’s bitter verbal assailant from the pre–gala event.
The bottom seemed to drop out of Jasmine’s stomach as she absorbed the damning footage, Lucinda that hateful, threatened prima donna hadbeen the one to violate the act of this exhibition, toile her work in such a twisted, unforgivable manner.
“Oh my god.“Beth breathed, hand flying is her mouth. Even the usually unappale le looked briefly tuned before her features hardened in simmering outrage.
“That arrogant, psychotic witch!” She bit out, slimming a fist her palm as her eyes later should have known stoop to criminal depravity to strikeout!”
that transparently threatened by your immeme talent would
For several suspended moments, à muffocating silence descended over the mall office suite, the four decupants awash in the weight of confirmation, of having the colprit’s face seared into
undeniable a
Finally, it was Jasmine who found her voice, the words emerging in a low, measured rasp of slouchy culminating fury.
“How has is this even possible?” She pinned Sabine and Taschel with a look beimaning with betrayal and simmering horror.
“This woman, this this menace managed to infiltrate the innermont sanctum of your museum, one of the most prestigious art temples in the world?? What set of lapse could allow for such in unacceptable security breach?
Sabine looked equally stricken, clasping her hands contritely at the shook her head. “I cannot offer any sufficient explanation or justification, Jasmine. Only know that this represents a cataclysmicure in our protective protocols, one which shall be thoroughly dissected and rectified by any means necessary.”
Her flory ay bored into Jasmine’s icy determination sharpening her cultured tones, “at more importantly at present now that we have confirmed visual evidence of the criminal identity, the Bergaurdim’s entire resources are at your disposal to pursue any legal professional camilations you see fit.”
A measured exhale escaped Jasmine’s lips as the confirmation seemed to set across her shoulders with an odd ballast of empowerment.
Of course, she should have recognized then from the very beginning – Lucinda’s undisguised derision, her dismissive belittling of Jasmine’s artistic ethos and trajectory.
Her fists clenched and unused slowly as she absorbed the weight of the decision etching out before her. Engage the morally bankrupt one–percenter in an impenetrably messy legal quagmite that could potentially cloud the unveiling of her life’s work? Or take a more direct approach?
Her harel eyes slowly refocused, sparking with determination. “Thank you, Sabine, M. Lasche, for your efforts in retrieving this evidence.“Jasmine placed a steadying hand on Claire‘ locman her sister–in–law baked poised to unleash a tirade.
“I know what I need to do from ben.” She took a fortifying breath and turned toward the door, squaring her shoulders. “Excuse me for you.
Exchanging mystified looks, Claire and Beth hesitantly stepped aside as Jasmine swept past them into the outer hallway, pulling her phone from her clutch with calculated movements. She scrolled through her contact until finding the one the sought her thumb hovering over the call button momentarily. Then, seeming to reconsider, Jasmine switched over to a text exchange and rapidly ryped out a succinct message.
“Mix Stone, we need to talk face–to–face immediately about a matter of grave conce. Please let me know and where would be most convenient for you.”
She hit send, then began striding towards the central lobby, foodfalls schning with purposeful finality as the other three remained behind, utterly bewilde
Her phone buzzedless than sixty seconds later, a tese response from Lucinda appearing:
“Very well then, Ms. Delacroix Meet me at the Petics Mastrovilos Cade in twenty minutes. Andds make it snappy Thaven’t got all night to indulge whatever childish histrionics you’ve concocted this tirren ”
Jasmine’s jaw clenched briefly, but she steeled half as the altered her path out of the quiet from and hailed a cab for the shout ride across the Seine
Throughout the silent journey, her thumb abendly strolled andre–scrolled through the garishly obscured digital image of Lucinda intrating the museum on that cursed night
She would not be swayed, would not engage this woman on her dubiously Inglimate pable battleground of rigated actions. No his brand of depravity demanded a more intimate confrontation, unfettered by artifice on theatrics.
It was time for Lucinda toplocally unmasked, one way or another.
The obscenely opulent cale was mercifully devoid of other patron when Jasmine arrived, sve for the staff idling near the bar.
Her gaze instantly fell upon the lone figure poised at one of the plush, fabric banquettes flanking the main for the fronde coiffure signaling she had arrived before famine. Steadying herseli, Jasmine crossed the space, heels capping out a funereal calence against the gleaming parquet floors underfoor
She gave no gresting but merely food beside the table, thumb flicking her phone’s screen reveal the rancid digital evidence obtained at such great cottonight.
Lucinda glanced up disinterestedly, clearly poised to deliver some demissive aspersion – until her eyes fell upon the pixelated but unmistakable footage.
The infamous antid’s expression underwent a visible transformation as she absorbed the implications, all color rapidly draining from her immaculately sculpted features. “What what is ther meaning of this?” the hissed in a scandaloed whisper.