Chapter 5 — Room 714
Walter survived.
The hospital confirmed that he had suffered a severe blood pressure crisis after missing a time-sensitive medication.
Without the doctor at the gala, he might not have made it.
Richard wanted Lena to go home.
She refused.
At 1:20 in the morning, she stood with Priya outside Room 714.
The room had been booked under Walter’s name.
Priya unlocked it using an emergency master key.
The lights were off.
Nothing appeared disturbed.
Walter’s overnight bag sat on a chair.
A folded suit jacket rested across the bed.
Lena searched the desk.
“No blue folder.”
Priya checked the safe.
Empty.
“There,” Lena said.
A piece of blue cardboard stuck out from beneath the dresser.
Priya pulled on gloves and retrieved it.
The folder contained copies of bank transfers, invoices and handwritten notes.
Several pages had Malcolm Caldwell’s signature.
At the back was a list of fourteen names.
Walter’s name was the third.
“What is this?” Lena asked.
Priya studied the heading.
“Beneficiaries reported as deceased.”
Lena felt cold.
“But Walter is alive.”
“So are at least four others on this list. I recognize them from tonight’s program.”
The foundation had continued collecting donations in their names while recording them as dead in internal documents.
A sound came from the bathroom.
Priya raised one hand, motioning for Lena to stay back.
She pushed open the door.
A young hotel housekeeper stood inside, trembling.
Her name was Marisol.
She was seventeen days into her first month on the job.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t know where else to hide.”
“Hide from whom?” Priya asked.
Marisol pointed toward the folder.
“I saw Mr. Voss searching this room before the gala.”
“Why didn’t you report it?”
“He said he would have my mother deported.”
Lena stepped closer.
“Did he take anything?”
Marisol nodded.
“A small bottle from Mr. Dwyer’s medical bag.”
Priya and Lena exchanged a look.
“What kind of bottle?”
“I don’t know. He poured something out and replaced it with water.”
Lena’s heartbeat quickened.
Walter had not simply lost his medication.
Someone may have sabotaged it before the gala.
Priya reached for her phone.
The lights went out.
May you like
A second later, smoke began pouring under the hotel-room door.
Someone had set the corridor on fire.
