Chapter 14 - The Waiter Who Was Never Hired)
The catering company had no record of the waiter.
Daniel already knew that.
But cameras outside the mansion had captured every service vehicle arriving for the gala.
Marcus collected the footage from neighboring properties because Whitmore's internal archives had been erased.
At four in the morning, they found him.
A young man in catering clothes entered through the west gate.
He did not arrive in a staff van.
He came in the passenger seat of a black sedan.
The license plate belonged to a private security company.
Richard recognized the company.
"They worked for Grandfather."
Daniel stared.
"Twenty years ago?"
"And apparently still exist."
The company was called Meridian Protective Services.
Its listed headquarters occupied two rooms above a dental office in Manhattan.
Daniel arrived with Gabriel.
The receptionist denied knowing the waiter.
Daniel placed the photograph on her desk.
She glanced at it for half a second.
Too long.
"You know him."
"No."
Gabriel leaned toward her.
"Tell Michael Hale that Gabriel Cole is here."
The woman froze.
Daniel turned.
"You think Michael is here?"
Gabriel watched the receptionist.
"I think this office belongs to him."
A door opened behind them.
The waiter from the ballroom appeared.
He raised his hands immediately.
"I don't want trouble."
Daniel stepped toward him.
"Name."
"Lucas Grant."
"Who hired you?"
Lucas looked toward Gabriel.
"Michael Hale."
Daniel's pulse quickened.
"Where is he?"
"I don't know."
"Why did you give my mother the glass?"
"Instructions."
"What was in it?"
"Orange juice."
"Nothing else?"
"Nothing."
"Why replace her drink?"
Lucas hesitated.
Daniel moved closer.
"Why?"
"There was a tracking marker on the base."
Daniel frowned.
"What?"
"A chemical marker invisible under normal light."
Gabriel understood.
"To identify who handled the glass afterward."
Lucas nodded.
Daniel stared.
"My father's note said the glass was meant to identify the man who replaced it."
Lucas looked confused.
"I replaced it."
"No. Someone removed it after the confrontation."
Lucas shook his head.
"That wasn't me."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
Gabriel asked, "How was the marker tracked?"
"Special ultraviolet reader."
"Who had one?"
"Michael."
Daniel looked around.
"Where is Michael?"
Lucas sat.
"I haven't seen him in six months."
"Then who gave you instructions?"
"Messages."
"From Michael?"
"I assumed."
Daniel took out Thomas's photograph.
"Do you know this man?"
Lucas looked.
His face changed.
"I've seen him."
Daniel's heart pounded.
"Where?"
"Outside this office."
"When?"
"Three days ago."
"Did he come inside?"
"No."
"What did he do?"
"He left an envelope in the mailbox."
Daniel looked at the receptionist.
She stood slowly.
"We still have it."
Daniel's voice sharpened.
"You never opened it?"
"It was addressed to Michael."
"Get it."
She returned with a brown envelope.
Daniel stared at the handwriting.
Thomas.
Gabriel nodded.
"Same writing."
Daniel opened it.
Inside were two photographs.
The first showed Vanessa bumping into Eleanor.
The second showed someone collecting the missing glass from a service tray minutes later.
Daniel recognized him.
His stomach dropped.
Marcus Vale.
Daniel's oldest friend.
The man who had told him the collision was deliberate.
The man who had helped investigate the erased footage.
The man who had approved Vanessa's security access.
Daniel looked at Gabriel.
"No."
Gabriel said nothing.
On the back of the photograph Thomas had written one sentence.
Marcus did not betray you because of Charles.
Ask him who he is protecting.
Daniel called Marcus.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
He called Eleanor.
"Is Marcus at the house?"
"No."
"Has he contacted you?"
"No. Why?"
Daniel looked at the photograph.
"I'll explain later."
He ended the call.
They drove to Marcus's apartment.
Empty.
Closets open.
Suitcase gone.
Laptop missing.
On the kitchen counter was a glass of unfinished wine.
He had left quickly.
Daniel checked building security.
Marcus had departed forty minutes earlier.
Destination unknown.
Then Daniel received a text from Marcus.
I am sorry.
Another arrived.
I never wanted Eleanor hurt.
Daniel typed.
Where are you?
Marcus replied.
If I tell you, he dies.
Daniel stared.
Who?
There was no response.
Daniel called.
Marcus declined.
Then a photograph arrived.
A hospital bed.
A thin older man sleeping beneath blankets.
Most of his face was turned away.
But Daniel recognized the silver hair.
The shape of the jaw.
Thomas Whitmore.
His father.
Alive.
Daniel's hands shook.
A final message followed.
I have been protecting him for six months.
Daniel called again.
Marcus answered this time.
"Daniel."
"Where is he?"
"I can't tell you."
"That's my father."
"I know."
"You knew he was alive."
"Six months."
Daniel closed his eyes.
"Why?"
"Because he came to me."
"Why you?"
Marcus began crying.
Daniel had known him for fifteen years.
He had never heard him cry.
"He said everyone from his old life had been compromised."
"Even Mom?"
"He didn't know."
"Richard?"
"Yes."
"Gabriel?"
"Yes."
"Charles?"
"Obviously."
Daniel gripped the phone.
"What happened to Dad?"
"He's sick."
"What kind of sick?"
"Something neurological. Some days he knows exactly who he is. Other days he remembers nothing."
Daniel sat heavily.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because he made me promise."
"You let me believe he was dead."
"I was trying to keep him alive."
Daniel thought of Eleanor using those exact words.
Everyone seemed to justify silence with survival.
"Where is he?"
Marcus breathed shakily.
"Daniel, listen to me. Someone is searching hospitals. They know he's alive."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"You stole the glass."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Thomas told me it would identify a Blackwell operative."
"Did it?"
"No."
"What did you discover?"
Marcus paused.
"The marker showed up somewhere else."
"Where?"
"On an object inside your house."
Daniel felt cold.
"What object?"
"The silver envelope opener on your mother's desk."
Daniel froze.
Eleanor had handled the glass.
That explained transfer.
"Mom touched the glass."
"I thought that too."
"Then?"
"The marker wasn't on the handle."
Daniel waited.
"It was on the blade."
Daniel's pulse accelerated.
"What does that mean?"
"Someone deliberately transferred it."
"Who?"
Marcus whispered.
"Daniel, there is someone inside your home trying to communicate with your father."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
A noise came through Marcus's phone.
A door.
He stopped speaking.
"Marcus?"
Silence.
Then Marcus whispered.
May you like
"Someone's here."
The line disconnected.
