Chapter 7 - The Man Who Came Upstairs
Marcus closed the door behind him.
Vanessa raised her phone.
“I called the police.”
Marcus almost smiled.
“No, you didn’t.”
Vanessa looked at her screen.
No signal.
Marcus had a small jammer clipped to his belt.
Claire’s eyes moved toward his hands.
No gun.
Not visible anyway.
“What do you want?”
Marcus looked at Claire.
“The drive.”
“It’s with the police.”
“I know.”
Claire’s heart jumped.
Marcus continued.
“But you copied it.”
Vanessa looked at her.
Claire remained silent.
Marcus nodded slowly.
“You’re smarter than Mr. Mercer gave you credit for.”
Claire felt anger cut through the fear.
“That seems to be a common mistake.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“Where is the copy?”
Vanessa moved between them.
“You worked for my family for eleven years.”
Marcus’s face did not change.
“I worked for whoever paid me.”
“My father paid you.”
“Your father paid my salary.”
Vanessa understood.
“Julian?”
Marcus laughed quietly.
“Julian doesn’t have enough money.”
Claire’s stomach tightened.
“Then who?”
Marcus looked toward the window.
“People who prefer not to have their names discussed in hotel rooms.”
A crash sounded in the hallway.
Marcus turned.
Claire reacted.
She grabbed the heavy ceramic lamp from the side table and swung it with both hands.
It struck Marcus across the shoulder.
He stumbled.
Vanessa kicked the jammer away.
Claire ran toward the door.
Marcus seized her apron from behind.
The fabric tore.
Claire fell to one knee.
Vanessa grabbed a wine bottle from the bar and smashed it against the table.
“Let her go.”
Marcus released Claire.
He looked at the broken bottle.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
“You won’t use it.”
Vanessa stepped closer.
“You have no idea what kind of family I come from.”
The suite door burst open.
Detective Cole entered with two officers.
Marcus turned toward the balcony.
Cole shouted.
“Don’t.”
Marcus ran anyway.
He threw open the glass door and climbed onto the exterior maintenance ledge.
Claire stared in disbelief.
Wind tore through the suite.
Marcus edged toward the neighboring balcony.
Cole rushed outside.
Marcus almost reached it.
Then his shoe slipped.
For one terrible second, his body disappeared below the railing.
Vanessa screamed.
Cole grabbed Marcus’s wrist.
Another officer caught his jacket.
Together they dragged him back.
Marcus lay gasping on the balcony floor.
Cole handcuffed him.
Claire walked closer.
“Who hired you?”
Marcus looked up at her.
Fear had finally entered his eyes.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then help me.”
Marcus shook his head.
“If I tell you, my family dies.”
Cole crouched beside him.
“Who are you afraid of?”
Marcus looked toward Vanessa.
May you like
Then he whispered one word.
“Hawthorne.”
