Chapter 9 - Lock Every Exit
Daniel grabbed Charlotte and pulled her behind the marble reception desk.
Another gunshot echoed.
Guests dropped to the floor.
The emergency lights painted the lobby red.
Adrian disappeared through a staff corridor.
Celeste screamed after him.
"Adrian!"
He didn't return.
Charlotte looked toward the elevators.
"Samuel is upstairs."
Daniel shook his head.
"We don't know that."
"The shot came from seventeen."
"Which may be exactly where they want you to go."
Charlotte saw security cameras rotating toward them.
Marcus was watching.
She remembered the hotel's original control system.
Her father had designed a secondary override.
"There's another control room."
"Where?"
"Basement level two."
Daniel signaled one investigator to stay with the guests.
He and Charlotte moved through the kitchen.
Employees hid beneath counters.
Charlotte stopped beside the executive chef.
"There's an emergency exit behind cold storage."
The chef stared at her.
"Who are you?"
"The person trying to get everyone out alive."
They continued downstairs.
At basement level two, Charlotte found the old electrical room.
The panel had been replaced.
"Marcus removed the override."
Daniel checked the hallway.
"Then we improvise."
Charlotte noticed a red manual lever behind glass.
Fire evacuation release.
She smashed the glass.
The moment she pulled the lever, alarms exploded throughout the hotel.
Magnetic locks disengaged.
Guests began pouring outside.
Marcus' voice came over the speakers.
"Charlotte."
She froze.
"You always were stubborn."
"Let Samuel go."
"Bring me the ledger."
"You don't need the ledger."
Marcus laughed.
"You don't understand what you're holding."
Charlotte looked toward Daniel.
Marcus continued.
"Your mother didn't die because of money."
Charlotte's heart tightened.
"Then why?"
"Because she discovered who Adrian really worked for."
The speaker went silent.
Charlotte stared upward.
Daniel said quietly.
"We need Samuel alive."
They entered the service elevator.
Seventeen.
The doors opened.
Smoke filled the hallway.
Suite 1704 stood open.
Charlotte ran inside.
Samuel sat tied to a chair.
Blood covered one side of his shirt.
"Samuel!"
She rushed toward him.
Daniel checked the room.
Samuel opened his eyes.
"You came."
"Of course I came."
Charlotte cut the ropes.
Samuel grabbed her wrist.
"Adrian isn't the top."
Charlotte stopped.
"What?"
"Victor."
"Victor Hale?"
Samuel shook his head weakly.
"Higher."
Footsteps approached.
Daniel raised his weapon.
A woman appeared in the doorway.
Celeste.
Her white silk dress was torn.
Mascara streaked down her face.
"I can help you."
Charlotte stared at her.
"You?"
"Adrian locked me in the lounge."
"You worked with him."
"I moved money."
Celeste swallowed.
"I introduced people."
"But I didn't know about Eleanor."
Samuel suddenly coughed.
Celeste looked at him.
Then at Charlotte.
"There's a private board meeting tomorrow morning."
Charlotte frowned.
"Why?"
"Adrian is selling Solmere."
"To whom?"
Celeste's voice trembled.
"A company called Northstar Capital."
Daniel went still.
Charlotte noticed.
"You know it."
Daniel looked at her.
"Northstar doesn't buy hotels."
"What do they buy?"
May you like
Daniel's expression darkened.
"Governments."
