Chapter 5: Room 814
The lights came back on.
For one second, nobody moved.
Then Evelyn looked at her phone again.
The message was still there.
*ASK EVELYN WHAT HAPPENED TO THOMAS IN ROOM 814.*
I stared at her.
“What happened in Room 814?””
Evelyn didn't answer.
“Evelyn?””
She lowered the phone.
“I don't know.””
My stomach tightened.
“That wasn't what your face said.””
“I was surprised.””
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“You were terrified.””
She looked toward the window.
Rain streaked the glass in silver lines.
“I need to explain something.””
“Then explain it.””
She drew a slow breath.
“Twenty years ago, I was not your attorney.””
“I know.””
“I was a junior associate at Parker, Bell & McKenna.””
I frowned.
“You were there?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“Here.””
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“The hotel?””
She nodded.
“Room 814.””
The silence between us became unbearable.
“What were you doing here?””
Evelyn looked down at the photograph of Thomas lying on my desk.
“I was working late that night.””
“That doesn't answer my question.””
“No.””
She swallowed.
“It doesn't.””
I folded my arms.
“Start at the beginning.””
She hesitated.
Then she spoke.
“Thomas came to the hotel at 10:06 p.m.””
“How do you know?””
“Because I checked him in.””
I stared at her.
“You worked at the hotel?””
“No. My firm maintained an office on the eighth floor. We rented several rooms for visiting clients.””
I looked toward the documents.
“What client?””
“Thomas.””
“Why?””
“He said he needed to finalize a transfer before midnight.””
The same transfer.
The one I had seen in the binder.
The one supposedly signed after his death.
I felt cold.
“Did Michael Grant come with him?””
“Yes.””
“Who else?””
Evelyn looked at me.
“You.””
I stopped breathing.
“What?””
“You came to the hotel that night.””
“No.””
“You don't remember?””
“I was home.””
“You were with Daniel.””
“He was asleep.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“You came to the hotel around 10:40.””
“That’s impossible.””
“I watched you walk through the lobby.””
I stared at her.
“What was I wearing?””
“A black coat.””
“I don't own one.””
“You did then.””
I pressed my hand against the edge of the desk.
Memories moved strangely through my mind.
A dark hallway.
A telephone ringing.
Daniel asleep in his room.
Thomas telling me he had to meet someone.
I had assumed that was from another night.
Evelyn continued.
“You were crying.””
“I don't remember.””
“You asked me where Room 814 was.””
My mouth went dry.
“Then what happened?””
“You went upstairs.””
“With Thomas?””
“I don't know.””
“You don't know?””
“I stayed downstairs.””
“Why?””
“Because Michael told me to.””
My eyes narrowed.
“You listened to Michael?””
“I was twenty-seven.””
“That isn't an excuse.””
“I know.””
Her voice cracked.
“I've regretted it for twenty years.””
I turned away from her.
“Why didn't you ever tell me?””
“Because I didn't understand what I had seen.””
“You saw me enter a hotel room with my husband.””
“Yes.””
“And then?””
“Twenty minutes later, Michael came downstairs alone.””
My heart pounded.
“Where was Thomas?””
“I asked.””
“What did Michael say?””
Evelyn looked at me.
“He said Thomas had left through the service elevator.””
“That was a lie.””
“Yes.””
“How do you know?””
“Because I checked.””
I turned back.
“What did you find?””
“Nothing.””
“Nothing?””
“The service elevator logs had been erased.””
My eyes widened.
“Who erased them?””
“I don't know.””
“You were a lawyer.””
“Junior associate.””
“You still should have reported it.””
“I tried.””
“To whom?””
“My supervising partner.””
“What did he say?””
Evelyn's eyes filled with something between shame and anger.
“He told me to forget it.””
“Why?””
“He said Thomas had died of a heart attack.””
I stared at her.
“But Thomas's death wasn't until the next morning.””
“Yes.””
“And you believed him?””
“I wanted to.””
The words landed heavily.
I walked to the desk and sat.
“I remember that morning.””
Evelyn said nothing.
“I remember the call from the hospital.””
Her eyes remained on me.
“I remember driving there.””
“I know.””
“I remember seeing Thomas.””
“I know.””
“I remember touching his hand.””
Evelyn whispered, “Eleanor…”
“Don't.””
I stood again.
“Don't tell me what I remember.””
She nodded.
I looked at her carefully.
“You said you saw me at the hotel that night.””
“Yes.””
“Did Thomas die that night?””
“I don't know.””
“You've had twenty years to find out.””
“I tried.””
“Apparently not hard enough.””
She flinched.
Then her phone vibrated.
She looked down.
A new message.
Her expression changed.
“What?””
She turned the screen toward me.
It was a photograph.
Old.
Grainy.
Taken inside a hotel room.
Room 814.
Thomas was standing beside the window.
Michael stood across from him.
And someone else was sitting in a chair with their back to the camera.
I moved closer.
“Who is that?””
Evelyn enlarged the image.
There was a small scar visible along the person's right wrist.
I knew that scar.
I had seen it every day for months.
I stepped backward.
“No.””
Evelyn looked at me.
“You recognize him.””
I whispered, “Richard.””
“Richard who?””
“My husband's business partner.””
“Richard Collins?””
“Yes.””
Evelyn's face changed.
“The hotel manager?””
I nodded.
“But the man in this photograph is younger.””
“It's him.””
“Then the hotel manager has been connected to this since 2006.””
I stared at the photograph.
Three men in Room 814.
Thomas.
Michael.
Richard.
And whoever had taken the picture.
I looked at Evelyn.
“Who sent this?””
She checked the sender.
“Unknown number.””
“Same one?””
“No.””
“What does that mean?””
“I don't know.””
I reached for the photograph.
Evelyn stopped me.
“Don't touch it.””
“Why?””
“There may be fingerprints.””
“From twenty years ago?””
“No.””
She pointed to the corner.
“Look.””
A timestamp had been added digitally.
*TODAY — 2:13 PM.*
My pulse jumped.
Someone had photographed the photograph today.
Someone had access to the original.
Someone was deliberately feeding us pieces.
I looked at Evelyn.
“They want us to know.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
She didn't answer.
My phone vibrated.
Daniel.
I answered immediately.
“Daniel?””
“Mom.””
His voice was low.
“Where are you?””
“I’m home.””
“Are you safe?””
“For now.””
“Is Evelyn with you?””
“Yes.””
There was a pause.
Then Daniel said, “Put her on.””
I looked at Evelyn.
“Why?””
“Because I need to ask her something.””
I handed Evelyn the phone.
“Daniel?””
His voice sharpened.
“Did you ever meet my father alone?””
Evelyn looked at me.
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Two days before he died.””
Daniel inhaled sharply.
“What did he tell you?””
Evelyn hesitated.
“He asked me to prepare documents.””
“What documents?””
“A power-of-attorney agreement.””
Daniel's voice became almost a whisper.
“For whom?””
“For you.””
I looked at Evelyn.
“You never told me that.””
“I couldn't.””
“Why?””
“Because your husband told me not to.””
Daniel spoke again.
“What did he say?””
Evelyn looked at the rain outside.
“He said, ‘Daniel will need protection from Michael.’”
The line went silent.
Then Daniel asked the question I had been afraid to hear.
“Did my father know he was going to die?””
Evelyn didn't answer immediately.
Finally, she said, “I think he knew someone wanted him gone.””
My hand tightened around the desk.
Daniel whispered, “Mom?””
“Yes.””
“I found something.””
“What?””
“I went back to the bridal suite.””
“Why?””
“To get my wallet.””
“And?””
“There's a hidden compartment behind the mirror.””
Evelyn looked at me.
“What did you find?””
Daniel's breathing became uneven.
“A key.””
“To what?””
“I don't know.””
“Daniel, listen to me. Don't touch anything.””
“Too late.””
My heart stopped.
“What did you do?””
“I opened the compartment.””
“What was inside?””
A pause.
Then he said, “A photograph.””
I closed my eyes.
“Of what?””
“Dad.””
My throat tightened.
“When?””
“That's the problem.””
Daniel's voice cracked.
“It isn't from 2006.””
I stared at Evelyn.
“What do you mean?””
“I mean the picture was taken recently.””
Another silence.
“Mom…”
“Yes?””
“I recognize the room.””
“Which room?””
He whispered, “Room 814.””
The call went dead.
I stared at the phone.
Then Evelyn's screen lit up.
Another message had arrived.
She read it.
Her face went completely white.
“What?””
She slowly turned the phone toward me.
The message contained an address.
May you like
And beneath it, six words:
*COME ALONE, ELEANOR. THOMAS IS WAITING.*
