Runaway Princess Bride novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: Cuffed

The cuff was cold, and it was the first time anyone had ever put me in one.

My second thought was how loud the room was.

My first was that Eli had begun to scream.

"Dee! Dee, don't let them!"

The deputy holding him looked helpless.

"It's all right, Eli," I called. "Look at me. I'm fine."

I wasn't, but I made my face smile.

Tristan had pushed through the crowd and stopped at the foot of the stage.

For the first time I saw him angry.

He didn't shout.

He went very quiet, and every person near him took half a step back.

"Sheriff," he said. "Before that warrant goes any further, you should see what my aide has."

The thin aide came forward holding a laptop open on both palms.

"The corridor outside the bridal suite has a camera," he said. "It belongs to the lodge's management company, not to Mr. Stroud. Their head of security gave me the file an hour ago, when I explained what it might show."

Clinton took a step toward him.

"That's private property."

"It's evidence," the aide said.

The sheriff looked at Tristan.

Then he looked at the laptop.

He pressed play.

The ballroom was so quiet I could hear the screen's tiny speakers.

On the screen, Clinton Stroud walked down a corridor with a key in his hand.

He stopped at my door, glanced back to see no one was looking, went inside and locked it.

The timestamp read 2:11 p.m.

At 2:19 the door burst open.

I ran out, barefoot, clutching the torn front of my dress.

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