Page 36 of Hannah.
As Lukas and I scrutinize the footage, he directs my attention to a crucial moment, pointing with urgency. “This is where the piece was located.” His finger highlights a specific frame in the digital narrative. I lean in to confirm what he’s telling me, and satisfied, we focus on this specific portion of the room.
We continue our meticulous examination of the footage, my focus intensifying as the pixels unfold a scene from the past. And then, there she is—Hannah, radiant in the glow of the gala. My heartbeat quickens involuntarily at the sight of her. God, even the digital picture of her shakes me to my core.
She was so painfully beautiful that night. I thought I was in some dream when I turned my attention from Astrid to see that the friend she had brought was none other than the woman who had been on my mind for years.
I fixate on Hannah's every move, captivated by her grace as she navigates the exhibition. She scans the surroundings, a picture of elegance amid the crowd. My mind briefly detours from the investigation, drawn into the memory of that night when she shimmered like a beacon, igniting my obsession for her all over again.
Her journey through the gallery leads her to where the jewelry should be. I watch her turn her head slightly to the left and then to the right as she moves. When she reaches the display where the jewelry is located, she shares the space with two other men I don’t recognize. She isn’t speaking to them but lingers for a long moment, looking at the artifacts for longer than I would expect.
As Hannah departs, the two men remain, becoming the focus of my scrutiny. Suspicion creeps in as they stand in proximity to the display. They eventually vacate the scene, leaving behind the void where the jewelry once resided.
“Did you see that?” Lukas asks. “After those two guys left, the piece was gone! Do you think they could have been the ones to steal it?”
I don’t answer him right away. A puzzle takes shape, the pieces aligning in a sequence of suspicious events. But as much as it seems like the two men must be guilty, having been the last ones on the scene, I’m transported back to the Van den Bosch estate years ago.
In the deep recesses of my mind, a memory resurfaces—the time when Hannah opened the door to her private world, unveiling her collection of odd objects and treasures that I still remember so vividly.
It’s like a snapshot from years ago when the reserved girl Hannah invited me into her personal space. Her bedroom, a sanctuary of secrets, carried whispers of stories held by trinkets and treasures scattered across shelves and tables.
Hannah's collection defied easy categorization. It was an eclectic mix of antique heirlooms, expensive pieces, and nearly worthless trinkets. It was visually captivating, with all of her little things carefully chosen and displayed. But now, thinking back, it’s all too clear that some items exuded an air of expensiverarity, just like the piece that is suddenly missing from my department.
Seconds pass as Lukas rewinds the footage to look at it again, and a disconcerting thought emerges. Could someone with such a captivating collection also be capable of theft?
No, it can’t be Hannah. Why in the world should she steal something like that?
The question hovers, challenging the fond memories I associate with Hannah. She had seemed so vulnerable showing me her collection, something she insisted she never shared with anyone. It almost feels like a betrayal, imagining that all of her little things could be the result of theft, but the similarities are too obvious to ignore.
No matter how much I don’t want to consider her, my rational mind keeps nudging me with reminders of Hannah's past escapades, like the covert exploration of her grandma’s private office at Andries’ wedding. I remember thinking it was odd then that she would pick things up and shuffle through drawers without a second thought. I shake my head, attempting to redirect back to the two men on screen. Without the knowledge of Hannah’s collection, they are the obvious suspects, so why not just focus on them?
“It must be those two guys,” I assert, agreeing with Lukas. Turning to the security guard, I inquire, “Is there a way we can identify them?”
“I will work on that,” the security guard assures, “It might take me a few days, but I’ll get right on it.”
Lukas seems to be waiting for me to add something else, and when I don’t, he asks, “Johan…shouldn’t we involve the police, too? I mean, this is a serious crime. They stole an antique object.”
“We're going to try to retrieve it without the police first. I wouldn’t want their presence disturbing the rest of thestudents.” I clap the security guard on the shoulder. “Our friend here is going to try to identify them, and if he can't, then we will go to the police and report them.”
Lukas seeks a timeline, asking the security guard when we can expect an update. The guard contemplates his next steps.
“I’ve got to speak to my boss so we can open an investigation, but I would think we’d have an answer in a few days. If I can’t finish it, I’ll let you know as soon as possible. We need a complete list of the attendees.”
I nod. “Lukas will give it to you. And anything else you need, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.”
With that, there isn’t much else we can do about the stolen jewelry for the moment. I’m stressed beyond belief–what if the security guard decides Hannah is the thief? How can I possibly protect her…or, I guess the real question is, should I even try to protect her?
Exiting the security department, Lukas lets out a low whistle. “I’ve never dealt with anything like this before. It’s just crazy to me that someone would go to the trouble of attending a private event to steal from it. Sure, that watch is worth money, but it’s far from being the most expensive object there. I’d even say it doesn’t break the top ten! So why risk getting into such trouble?”
“Some people are like that,” I tell him, my thoughts trailing back to Hannah's peculiar connection with items of value and the looming uncertainty I’m reluctant to confront. “It’s not always about money, I guess. Sometimes, it’s just about the power or the thrill.”
Lukas checks his watch and winces. “Hey, I hate to bail during all this, but I have a meeting to get to.”
“No problem,” I assure him, giving him a shoulder pat. “Just keep me in the loop if you find anything else out.”
With nothing else to do and too unsettled by the prospect of Hannah being involved in something so sinister, I decide to do afinal inventory check to make sure there isn’t something Lukas might have missed.
I roll up my sleeves and dive into the artifacts, feeling their cool surfaces under my fingertips. Each touch reassures me that almost everything is where it's supposed to be. But in the back of my mind, the missing antique weighs on me. I scan every nook and every shelf, determined to spot anything out of place. The watch is still missing at the end of my search, but I’m not surprised. It’s not like life has been easy for me lately.
I’m just starting to clean up when something disrupts my concentration—quick and purposeful footsteps echoing beyond my line of sight. I freeze, my senses heightened. I almost call out for Lukas but decide against it, not wanting to make myself known if it’s someone who shouldn’t be here.