Chapter 6 - The Safe Floor
Claire was moved to a secure suite on the hotel’s thirty-second floor.
Two uniformed officers remained outside.
Vanessa insisted on staying.
Cole protested.
Vanessa refused to leave her own hotel.
Julian was taken downtown for further questioning.
Marcus Vale disappeared before detectives could interview him.
That disturbed Claire more than anything.
At midnight, the hotel felt unnaturally quiet.
Claire stood at the window overlooking the city.
Thousands of lights glittered beneath her.
She had once belonged to this world.
Private elevators.
Charity galas.
Champagne receptions.
Drivers waiting under heated awnings.
Then Julian had died.
And society had forgotten her almost overnight.
Vanessa entered carrying two cups of coffee.
“I didn’t know how you take it.”
“Black.”
“So do I.”
Claire accepted the cup.
For several minutes, they stood without speaking.
Then Vanessa asked the question both women had avoided.
“Did you love him?”
Claire looked at her.
“Yes.”
Vanessa nodded.
“So did I.”
Something painful and absurd passed between them.
Two women grieving the same living man.
Claire sat.
“Tell me about your father.”
Vanessa’s shoulders stiffened.
“Conrad Hawthorne built this company from one failing motel.”
“That’s the public biography.”
“You think I’m lying?”
“I think everyone around Julian has a public biography.”
Vanessa considered that.
Then she sat opposite Claire.
“My father became paranoid about eighteen months ago.”
“What kind of paranoid?”
“He changed accountants.”
She paused.
“He fired his personal lawyer.”
Another pause.
“He started keeping paper copies of financial records.”
Claire leaned forward.
“Why?”
“He said someone inside the company was moving money.”
Claire felt a chill.
“Did he suspect Julian?”
“I don’t know.”
Vanessa stared into her coffee.
“My father never trusted Julian completely.”
“Yet he let you marry him?”
“We were supposed to marry next month.”
Claire noticed the past tense.
Vanessa continued.
“Julian convinced the board to approve three international acquisitions.”
“Which countries?”
“France, Monaco, and Switzerland.”
Claire’s heartbeat quickened.
Paris.
The city where Julian had supposedly died.
Before she could respond, the lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then the suite went dark.
Claire stood immediately.
Vanessa reached for her phone.
Outside the door came a muffled thud.
Then another.
Claire whispered, “Those were the officers.”
Vanessa stopped breathing.
A shadow appeared beneath the door.
Someone tried the handle.
Locked.
Then Claire heard metal scrape against metal.
Someone was bypassing the electronic lock.
Vanessa grabbed Claire’s wrist.
“Bathroom.”
“No.”
“What?”
“If we trap ourselves, we’re finished.”
The lock clicked.
Claire looked around.
One exit.
One balcony.
Thirty-two floors above the street.
The door slowly opened.
A man stepped inside.
May you like
Claire recognized him immediately.
Marcus Vale.
