ROOM 408 PART -1

ROOM 408

PART 1 — THE BAG

The accusation began with a black canvas tote on a hotel security desk.

The woman from Room 408 stood on one side of it in an elegant cream pantsuit. The young cleaner stood on the other, still wearing her pale-blue housekeeping shirt. Between them, the hotel manager reached for the zipper.

The guest pointed at the bag.

"Open her bag. My bracelet vanished after she cleaned Room 408. She was alone in my room."

The manager unzipped the tote, reached inside, and pulled out a gold bracelet.

"It's here, inside her bag. How do you explain this?"

The cleaner did not reach for it. She pointed instead to the empty hook on the side of her housekeeping cart.

"I don't. Ask who touched my cart."

The guest opened her burgundy handbag and took out her phone.

"Stop lying. I'm calling the police."

The cleaner looked at the security tablet lying near the manager's hand.

"Check the fourth-floor hallway camera first."

The manager picked up the tablet and opened the recording archive.

"That camera faces your door and her cart."

The guest reached across the desk and tried to push the screen down.

"There's no need. You already found it."

The manager pulled the tablet away from her hand. On the screen, the fourth-floor corridor appeared. Room 408 was on the left. The housekeeping cart stood unattended outside it.

"Wait. The camera caught someone beside the cart."

The recording showed the guest leaving her room while the cleaner was still inside. She looked in both directions, approached the cart, and slipped the bracelet into the open black tote.

The manager raised his eyes from the screen.

"Then why does this show you putting it there?"

For the first time since entering the office, the guest had nothing prepared to say.

The cleaner did.

"Because she knows I testify on Tuesday."