Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN WHO OPENED THE DOOR
Ortiz took the threatening message seriously.
By morning, Khloe had been moved to a room with restricted visitors.
Rachel stayed.
Marcus went downstairs only after Khloe told him she wanted an hour without anyone explaining what they were doing to save her.
He found Elaine waiting near a closed coffee stand.
“I need to tell you something.”
Her voice was so strained he stopped walking.
“Tell the detective.”
“I will. But you need to hear it too.”
She held out her phone.
At 8:39 the previous evening, Isabella had sent her a message.
Please override the lounge camera. Khloe needs to lie down. She’s embarrassed about being photographed.
Below it was Elaine’s response.
I don’t have approval.
Then Isabella’s answer.
Marcus authorized it. Use the executive event login. Adrian has confirmed.
Marcus stared at the screen.
“You turned it off.”
Elaine nodded.
“I thought I was giving your wife privacy.”
“You didn’t ask her?”
“No.”
“You didn’t ask me?”
“No.”
He turned away, pressing his hand against the back of his neck.
Elaine began crying.
“I know how that sounds.”
“You have no idea how it sounds.”
“I heard the glass break. I went looking for you because I thought—”
“You thought I needed to handle another disagreement.”
Her silence answered.
Marcus made himself look at her.
“Go upstairs. Give Ortiz your phone. Don’t delete anything. Don’t call Adrian.”
“I’m not trying to save my job.”
“Then stop talking to your boss and start telling the police.”
When Elaine entered Khloe’s room with the detective, she looked smaller than she had at the gala.
Khloe listened to the confession.
Then she asked one question.
“Did she say I was being difficult?”
Elaine wiped her cheeks.
“Yes.”
“Of course she did.”
“I’m sorry.”
Khloe looked toward the monitor.
“Give them everything. That’s what you can do for me.”
Elaine handed over her phone.
As she turned to leave, something seemed to catch in her memory.
“Wait.”
Ortiz stopped.
“Isabella had another phone.”
“What kind?”
“Small. Black case. She said her regular one was dying.”
“When did you see it?”
“After Khloe went upstairs.”
Elaine swallowed.
“She was talking to someone near the service elevator.”
Marcus stepped into the doorway.
“What did she say?”
May you like
Elaine looked at Khloe.
“She said, ‘She has the ledger. I can still fix this.’”
