Chapter 6: The Girl in the Photograph
For several seconds, nobody moved.
My father stared at the photograph on his phone.
My mother covered her mouth.
Marcus grabbed the phone from his hand and enlarged the image.
Tasha was sitting in the passenger seat of a black SUV. Her wrists appeared to be tied, and her eyes were red from crying.
Vanessa Caldwell sat beside her, wearing the same fuchsia dress she'd worn at the wedding.
She was smiling.
Not nervously.
Not uncertainly.
She was smiling as though kidnapping my sister were an ordinary business transaction.
"Call the police," I said.
My father shook his head.
"They'll know.""
"Then what are we supposed to do? Let them hurt her?""
"Nia, listen to me. These people have connections inside law enforcement. We don't know who we can trust.""
I grabbed his jacket.
"That's my sister!""
"I know!""
"Then stop standing there!""
My father looked down.
For the first time since I'd seen him again, he appeared completely helpless.
Marcus pulled out his phone.
"I'm calling my head of security.""
My father grabbed his wrist.
"Not your regular security team.""
Marcus frowned.
"Why?""
"Because if Robert has someone inside your organization, he'll know immediately.""
Marcus stared at him.
Then he made another call.
"Paul? It's Marcus. I need you to listen carefully. Don't contact anyone through the hotel's internal system.
Find me three people you trust personally. No employees connected to Richard Hayes. And I want every available detail about a black SUV registered to Vanessa Caldwell.""
He ended the call.
I was pacing beside the diner counter.
My hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Then another message arrived.
This time, it was a voice recording.
I pressed play.
"Nia?""
Tasha's voice.
My knees nearly gave out.
"Please don't do anything stupid. They said they won't hurt me if Dad brings them what they want.""
A man's voice interrupted.
"Tell her the deadline.""
Tasha began crying.
"Midnight. They said midnight.""
The recording ended.
I looked at the clock.
11:18 p.m.
Forty-two minutes.
My father opened his notebook.
"The original ledger contains evidence of every illegal transfer Robert made. If he gets it, he can destroy the records connecting him to the money.""
Marcus frowned.
"Where is it?""
"Inside Room 2704.""
"Then we'll get it.""
My father shook his head.
"There's a problem.""
I turned.
"What problem?""
"The room is protected by a second security system. Robert installed it himself. If the wrong person opens the safe, it automatically sends an alert.""
Marcus looked toward me.
"Can you access the room?""
I nodded slowly.
"I have a master housekeeping key.""
My father stared.
"Why?""
"Because I work here.""
Marcus suddenly looked as though he'd forgotten that detail.
I continued.
"I clean the executive suites. Room 2704 is on the restricted floor, but housekeeping supervisors have access.""
"Can you get us inside?""
"Yes.""
My father looked worried.
"Nia, you're not going anywhere near that room.""
I stepped toward him.
"You don't get to disappear for twelve years and come back expecting to make decisions about my life.""
He flinched.
I regretted the words immediately.
But I didn't take them back.
Marcus approached me.
"Your sister needs us to be smart. We'll retrieve the ledger, but we won't hand it over without a plan.""
I nodded.
My father closed the notebook.
"There's another way.""
He removed a small brass key from his pocket.
"This opens a maintenance compartment behind the safe. I installed it years ago.""
Marcus looked surprised.
"You installed the safe?""
"No. I installed the emergency access panel.""
I stared at him.
"Why would you do that?""
My father looked at the table.
"Because I knew Robert would eventually try to hide something there.""
We reached the Grand Meridian at 11:37 p.m.
The main entrance was deserted.
Most of the wedding decorations had been removed, but white roses still covered the reception tables.
The rooftop looked strangely peaceful.
It was difficult to believe someone had nearly died there hours earlier.
Paul Reeves was waiting near the private elevator.
He was accompanied by two security officers.
"Mr. Whitmore.""
Marcus shook his hand.
"Any news?""
Paul handed him a tablet.
"We located the SUV. It's currently parked outside an abandoned printing warehouse near the airport.""
"Is Tasha there?""
"We believe so.""
My father leaned closer.
"Who owns the building?""
Paul checked the screen.
"An investment company registered in Delaware.""
My father gave a humorless laugh.
"One of Robert's shell companies.""
Marcus looked at him.
"Can we get inside?""
"Not without alerting them.""
Paul continued.
"We also discovered something else. Vanessa's phone has been communicating with a number registered to a private office in Switzerland.""
My father nodded.
"Robert.""
I looked at the elevator.
"Can we please get the ledger now?""
Marcus pressed the button.
"Room 2704.""
The elevator climbed.
Nobody spoke.
When the doors opened, I led them through the executive corridor.
The carpet was thick and silent beneath our shoes.
Room 2704 stood at the end.
I inserted my housekeeping key.
The lock clicked.
Inside, the suite smelled of old leather and expensive cologne.
Everything was immaculate.
A large desk stood beside the window.
A black leather sofa faced the fireplace.
The walls displayed photographs of the Whitmore family.
Marcus approached one.
It showed Robert holding him as a baby.
He looked away.
My father walked toward the study.
"The safe is behind that painting.""
He removed the framed photograph of an old sailing yacht.
A metal safe was built into the wall.
Marcus entered a code.
Nothing happened.
My father stepped forward.
"Move.""
He examined the keypad.
Then he entered a different combination.
A soft click sounded.
The safe opened.
Inside were several folders, a black USB drive, and a thick leather-bound book.
The ledger.
My father lifted it carefully.
"This is it.""
I looked at the book.
"Can we take it?""
"Yes.""
He placed it inside his coat.
Marcus picked up the USB drive.
"What about this?""
My father examined it.
"Digital copies of the transactions, probably.""
Marcus slipped it into his pocket.
Then I noticed a photograph tucked beneath the folders.
It showed Evelyn standing beside Robert.
They were holding hands.
But what caught my attention was the date.
The photograph had been taken three weeks earlier.
I looked at Marcus.
"Your father has been seeing your mother?""
Marcus snatched the photograph.
His face went pale.
"That can't be right.""
My father examined it.
Then he looked toward the bedroom.
"Wait.""
He walked inside.
A moment later, we heard him curse.
"What?"" I asked.
He emerged holding a second photograph.
This one showed Robert standing beside Olivia.
And behind them, partially visible in the mirror, was Richard Hayes.
Marcus's expression hardened.
"They've all been working together.""
My father nodded.
"Yes. But there's something else.""
He turned the photograph over.
A handwritten message appeared on the back.
The wedding is the final opportunity. After the ceremony, Marcus will sign everything.
I looked at the date.
It was written two days before the wedding.
Then Marcus's phone vibrated.
He checked it.
His face changed.
"Paul?""
"Yes, sir?""
"There's been a development.""
Paul listened to his earpiece.
Then he looked at Marcus.
"Your mother has disappeared from the medical suite.""
I felt my stomach drop.
"What?""
Paul checked his tablet.
"Someone entered her room eleven minutes ago.""
Marcus grabbed his jacket.
"Who?""
Paul enlarged the security image.
The person was wearing a nurse's uniform.
But the face was unmistakable.
Olivia.
My father's phone vibrated.
A new message appeared.
It was from an unknown number.
*You have the ledger. Now bring it to the warehouse. Come alone.*
Beneath the message was another photograph.
Evelyn was sitting in a chair.
Her hands were tied.
May you like
And behind her stood a man Marcus had spent twelve years believing was dead.
Robert Whitmore.
