Chapter 14 - THE EMPTY BALLROOM
Gideon had entered the hotel network remotely.
Every screen went dark.
The decoded video disappeared.
Evelyn disconnected the security system from the internet.
“Tell me you made a copy.”
“The download was incomplete.”
Only the audio remained.
The final name had not loaded.
Naomi stood in the empty ballroom.
The broken menu board still lay beside the table.
Police evidence markers surrounded its wooden pieces.
She remembered Warren’s face before he struck Lila.
Fear.
Not surprise.
Whoever planned the crash frightened him more than prison did.
Arthur approached Naomi.
“I signed the medical order.”
“Why?”
“Gideon showed me recordings of Ethan shouting at Warren. He showed me medical reports claiming Ethan was paranoid.”
“All forged.”
“I know that now.”
“You chose your company over my husband.”
Arthur accepted the accusation.
“Yes.”
Naomi looked toward Lila.
Her daughter stood beneath the camera with the white bow still in her hair.
Arthur followed her gaze.
“I failed Ethan. I failed you. And tonight, I failed her.”
Lila walked toward them.
“Did you know Uncle Warren would hurt me?”
“No.”
“Would you have believed him if there was no camera?”
Arthur could not answer immediately.
That hesitation devastated Naomi.
Lila understood it too.
“You should believe people before a camera tells you to.”
Arthur lowered himself until they were eye to eye.
“You are right.”
An alarm sounded from the hotel garage.
The ambulance transporting the real Miriam Sloane had disappeared.
Two fake police vehicles intercepted it.
Miriam and both paramedics were taken.
A message had been left on the ambulance door.
BRING THE CHILD TO SAINT ALDEN.
Naomi tore it down.
“He is not getting near her.”
Ortiz entered the ballroom.
The raid team was ready.
Arthur insisted on accompanying them.
Naomi refused.
“Stay with Lila.”
“I can help Ethan.”
“You can help him by protecting his daughter now.”
Arthur remained behind.
As Naomi walked toward the doors, Lila called her.
“Mommy.”
Naomi turned.
Lila held a broken piece of the menu board.
Gold lettering remained on it.
The surviving word was RETURN.
On the back, someone had written a message in black ink.
May you like
HE IS NOT UNDER SAINT ALDEN.
HE IS UNDER THE LAKE.
