Chapter 10 - The Service Corridor)
Daniel entered the corridor at a run.
“Noah!”
The hallway split in two directions.
He heard footsteps to the left.
He followed.
Behind him, Thomas and Marcus caught up.
Marcus spoke into his radio.
“Lock the exterior doors. Nobody leaves the property.”
Daniel turned a corner.
A small gray jacket lay on the floor.
Noah’s.
Daniel grabbed it.
“Noah!”
A voice came from behind a service elevator.
“Grandpa?”
Daniel rushed forward.
Noah sat beneath a housekeeping shelf.
Alone.
Daniel dropped to his knees and pulled him close.
“You okay?”
The boy was crying.
“The lady grabbed me.”
“What lady?”
“The white dress.”
Rebecca.
Daniel’s anger became almost physical.
“Where did she go?”
Noah pointed toward the elevator.
“She said come.”
“Did she hurt you?”
The boy shook his head.
“She wanted the black thing.”
The USB.
Daniel checked his inner pocket.
Empty.
He stared.
Rebecca had taken it during the blackout.
Thomas arrived.
“Is he okay?”
“Yes.”
Marcus reached them.
Daniel stood.
“She has the USB.”
Marcus immediately radioed the information.
Thomas said, “There are copies, right?”
Daniel looked at him.
“I photographed some files. Not everything.”
Noah pulled Daniel’s sleeve.
“Grandpa.”
“Yes?”
“Mommy has another.”
Daniel stared.
“What?”
“Another black thing.”
Daniel crouched again.
“Another USB?”
Noah nodded.
“Where?”
“Bear.”
Daniel frowned.
“What bear?”
“My bear.”
Emily had packed Noah’s stuffed bear when she gave him to the sitter.
Daniel turned to Marcus.
“Where are his belongings?”
“My office.”
“Get them.”
Marcus sent an officer.
Daniel carried Noah back toward the secured area.
Halfway there, Marcus’s radio crackled.
“Possible sighting. Female in white gown, level sixteen, east elevators.”
Daniel handed Noah to Thomas.
“Stay here.”
Thomas grabbed his arm.
“Daniel.”
“If you lose him again, I will never forgive you.”
Thomas nodded.
“I understand.”
Daniel and Marcus took the stairs.
Level sixteen.
No Rebecca.
A discarded veil lay near the elevator.
Marcus touched his radio.
“She may have changed clothes.”
Daniel looked toward the stairwell.
“Where would she go?”
“Loading dock?”
“Too obvious.”
“Guest room?”
Daniel suddenly remembered.
“The bridal suite.”
Marcus frowned.
“She’d go back?”
“If she needs something.”
They raced upstairs.
The bridal suite door was open.
Bridesmaids had been evacuated to the ballroom lobby.
Inside, drawers had been pulled open.
Rebecca’s gown lay on the floor.
She had changed.
Daniel entered the bedroom.
A suitcase stood open.
Empty.
Marcus searched the bathroom.
“Nobody.”
Daniel noticed a small jewelry box on the vanity.
Inside was Rebecca’s engagement ring.
She had removed it.
Beneath the ring lay a hotel keycard.
Room 1406.
Daniel picked it up.
“Did she have another room?”
Marcus checked his tablet.
“Not under her name.”
“Who’s registered in 1406?”
Marcus looked.
His expression changed.
“Michael Holt.”
Daniel stared.
They went downstairs.
Room 1406 was unlocked.
Michael sat on the floor beside the bed.
Blood stained his lower lip.
He was conscious.
Marcus checked him.
“What happened?”
Michael laughed weakly.
“She hit harder than I expected.”
Daniel crouched.
“Rebecca?”
Michael nodded.
“She wanted to know what I told you.”
“Where did she go?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re lying again.”
Michael looked up.
“I’ve spent six months lying. I’m trying to stop.”
Daniel grabbed his jacket.
“Then start by telling me who Bellweather is.”
Michael’s face changed.
“Where did you hear that name?”
“Emily.”
Michael looked toward Marcus.
“Get me a doctor.”
“You talk first.”
Marcus said, “Mr. Arden.”
Daniel released him reluctantly.
Michael wiped his lip.
“Bellweather isn’t a normal company.”
“What is it?”
“A financial network.”
“Owned by whom?”
“Nobody on paper.”
“Who controls it?”
Michael shook his head.
“People use it to hide transfers, leverage, settlements, payoffs.”
“Rebecca?”
“She was recruited through it.”
“By who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Richard?”
Michael hesitated.
“I met Richard once.”
“When?”
“Eight months ago.”
Daniel stared.
“You told me you hadn’t seen my brother.”
“I was ordered not to.”
“By Rebecca?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Michael’s voice dropped.
“Your wife.”
Daniel went still.
Marcus looked toward him.
Daniel whispered, “Catherine has been dead four years.”
Michael nodded.
“I know.”
“Then what did you say?”
“I didn’t say Catherine ordered me eight months ago.”
He looked exhausted.
“I said the instructions originally came from her.”
Daniel stared.
“Explain.”
“Before Catherine died, she placed sealed instructions with Samuel Price. They were supposed to be activated if specific financial events occurred.”
“What events?”
“Bellweather buying debt connected to Arden companies.”
Daniel’s mind raced.
“That happened?”
“Eight months ago.”
“Why wasn’t I told?”
“Because the instruction specifically said not to tell you until we knew who was involved.”
Daniel’s voice rose.
“We?”
“Samuel. Me. Richard.”
Daniel stepped back.
Everything was becoming more confusing.
“You were working with Richard?”
“Trying to.”
“Then why were you taking money from Rebecca?”
Michael laughed bitterly.
“Because she thought she bought me.”
Daniel remembered the eighty-five thousand dollar transfer.
“You were pretending?”
“At first.”
“At first?”
Michael looked away.
“I got scared.”
Daniel understood.
“You gave her information.”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Draft trust language. Medical authorization templates. Your schedule.”
Daniel wanted to hit him.
Instead he asked, “Did you forge my signature?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
“Rebecca already had samples.”
“Did you know she planned to drug me?”
Michael’s silence answered.
Daniel’s stomach turned.
“The champagne.”
Michael nodded.
“She planned to put something in one glass. Enough to make you disoriented.”
“And then?”
“An ambulance. Private physician. Temporary incapacity certification.”
“And she takes control.”
“Part of it.”
“What part?”
Michael met his eyes.
“Not your fortune.”
Daniel frowned.
“Then what?”
“Your voting shares.”
Daniel stopped.
Arden Development.
His company.
Michael continued.
“The trust amendments were never really about stealing cash. They wanted control of Arden Development for seventy-two hours.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“What can someone do in seventy-two hours?”
Michael laughed without humor.
“With a company that owns twelve major redevelopment sites?”
He looked directly at Daniel.
“Anything.”
Marcus’s radio crackled.
The officer sent to retrieve Noah’s belongings had found the stuffed bear.
Daniel turned.
Inside the bear, Emily had hidden a second USB drive.
And this one contained a folder that was not on the first.
May you like
Its name was simply:
CATHERINE.
