Chapter 2 - The Key Her Mother Left Behind
Charlotte didn't return to the hotel that night.
She walked six blocks through the rain before entering a small twenty-four-hour diner.
Only after choosing a booth near the back did she open her fist.
The brass key rested against her scraped palm.
Her mother had been dead for six months.
Officially, Eleanor Vale had suffered a sudden heart attack during a business trip to Geneva.
Charlotte had believed that story until three weeks earlier.
That was when an anonymous envelope arrived at her apartment in Boston.
Inside were copies of financial transfers involving Solmere Holdings.
Millions of dollars had been moved into private shell companies.
Every transfer had been authorized after Eleanor's death.
Yet several carried Eleanor Vale's electronic signature.
Charlotte knew immediately that something was wrong.
Her mother's signature authorization should have been terminated the moment she died.
Charlotte returned to New York without telling anyone.
She cut her hair.
Changed the way she dressed.
Used her middle name when booking rooms.
And stayed away from every property owned by the Vale family.
Until today.
Her phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
Charlotte hesitated before answering.
"Hello?"
For several seconds, there was silence.
Then a man's voice spoke.
"You shouldn't have gone to the Solmere."
Charlotte straightened.
"Who is this?"
"You were seen."
"By whom?"
Another pause.
"By everyone who matters."
The call ended.
Charlotte stared at the screen.
She immediately removed the battery from her temporary phone.
Someone knew she was investigating.
Someone had been waiting for her.
A waitress approached with coffee.
Charlotte thanked her and forced herself to breathe normally.
Then she noticed a television mounted above the counter.
A local entertainment program was showing footage from the Solmere lobby.
Charlotte watched herself being dragged across the marble floor.
The headline beneath the video read:
SOCIALITE CELESTE HARRINGTON REMOVES HOMELESS TRESPASSER FROM LUXURY HOTEL.
Charlotte nearly laughed.
Homeless.
Within hours, the story had already been rewritten.
Celeste was being praised online for protecting wealthy guests.
Charlotte had been transformed into a criminal.
Then the television showed Marcus Reed giving a statement.
"The individual entered restricted areas and refused repeated requests to leave."
Charlotte's expression changed.
Marcus had lied publicly.
That meant he wasn't merely afraid.
He was involved.
The waitress placed a cup of coffee in front of her.
"That's awful."
Charlotte looked up.
"What?"
The waitress pointed toward the television.
"Nobody deserves to be treated like that."
Charlotte managed a small smile.
"Thank you."
As the waitress walked away, Charlotte noticed an envelope underneath the coffee saucer.
Her blood went cold.
It hadn't been there before.
She opened it carefully.
Inside was a photograph.
Her mother stood beside Samuel in front of Suite 1704.
On the back, Eleanor had written a message.
Charlotte recognized the handwriting immediately.
If you're reading this, I failed.
Don't claim the company yet.
Find the black ledger first.
May you like
Charlotte stared at the final sentence.
Because the person who killed me is still running Solmere.
