Chapter 7 - Room 417
Price and Brooks went to the hotel without uniforms.
Elena hated staying behind.
“You can barely walk,” Sofia reminded her.
“I can still think.”
“Then think while sitting.”
“You’re enjoying this.”
“A little.”
At the Grand Regent, Room 417 was empty.
The sheets were untouched.
No luggage.
No Caleb.
Price checked the bathroom.
Brooks examined the desk.
Then she saw the air vent hanging slightly crooked.
Inside was a flash drive taped to the metal.
“That kid wanted this found,” she said.
They opened it on an offline laptop.
Folders filled the screen.
Invoices.
Bank statements.
Court schedules.
Photographs.
And one spreadsheet labeled FOUNDATION DONORS.
Brooks scrolled.
“These aren’t donations.”
Price leaned closer.
Payments arrived days before sealed court actions.
A construction CEO paid $200,000.
Five days later, his company learned about a federal search warrant and destroyed records.
A pharmaceutical executive paid $350,000.
One week later, a confidential whistleblower’s identity leaked.
Names continued for pages.
Then Price saw one he recognized.
THOMAS MERCER — $85,000.
The sheriff hadn’t merely protected Harrison.
Harrison had paid him.
Brooks found Daniel Kessler next.
Her boss.
$420,000.
She leaned back.
“Son of a bitch.”
Price pointed at another column.
“What’s E.V.?”
Brooks’ expression changed.
“Evelyn Vale.”
Payments to Evelyn were larger than Harrison’s.
Millions.
“This whole thing might belong to her,” Brooks said.
Back at the apartment, Elena received a call on the secure line.
Nobody should have had the number.
She answered cautiously.
“Hello?”
Breathing.
Then a whisper.
“Elena?”
She sat straight.
“Caleb?”
Sofia ran over.
Caleb sounded terrified.
“I’m sorry.”
“Where are you?”
“I gave him access.”
“To my files?”
“He threatened my dad. I thought he only wanted to know what you had.”
“Caleb, listen to me. Where are you?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“You’re in danger.”
“I know.”
“Then let us help.”
A long silence.
Caleb began crying.
“I watched him hit you.”
Elena closed her eyes.
“You were there?”
“Security room. The balcony camera caught everything.”
Her heart stopped.
“There’s video?”
“There was.”
“What does that mean?”
“I copied it before Mercer deleted the system.”
Elena stood too quickly and nearly fell.
“Caleb, where is the copy?”
He whispered an address.
Then a sound came through the phone.
A door slamming.
Caleb gasped.
“No.”
“Caleb?”
Footsteps.
“Elena, he found me.”
“Who?”
Caleb’s voice shook.
“Mercer.”
A gunshot cracked through the line.
Sofia screamed.
Elena shouted Caleb’s name.
Then another voice picked up the phone.
May you like
Sheriff Mercer.
“Well,” he said quietly, “now I know where to find you too.”
