She stared through the window.
“Nothing.”
“The photographs look intimate.”
“We were eating pancakes.”
“One shows her holding your award.”
“She carried it.”
“Another shows you leaving together.”
“We arrived together too.”
Sophie exhaled.
“If we’re asked, we can say Claire was helping with wardrobe tonight. She had credentials. It’s plausible.”
Claire turned from the window.
She had heard every word.
“She wasn’t helping with wardrobe,” I said.
Claire lifted the badge still hanging from her wrist.
WARDROBE ASSISTANT
She gave it a small wave.
Sophie’s voice softened.
“I’m not trying to insult anyone.”
“No,” Claire said. “You’re doing it professionally.”
Sophie went quiet.
“Claire,” I said.
“What? That was almost praise.”
“I’ll call you back,” I told Sophie.
“Do not make a statement.”
“I heard you.”
I ended the call.
Claire removed the badge and placed it beside the trophy.
“Tonight was fun.”
“It was.”
“Right up until I became staff.”
