Chapter 3 - THE MAN WITH THE KEYS
Reed answered on the second ring.
“Tell me you haven’t said anything yet.”
Ethan kept his voice steady.
“Come upstairs.”
“Why?”
“Room 814.”
A pause.
Then, “Who’s in 814?”
Grace stood beside the desk, photographing the notepad without moving it.
Ethan watched her.
Reed knew the room number.
He had arranged the private meeting himself.
“Luis is missing,” Ethan said.
“Missing? He probably got scared.”
“His phone is here.”
“You need to slow down.”
That phrase landed harder than it should have.
Slow down.
Reed had said it when Ethan wanted an independent review of the crash.
When he questioned the company’s emergency loans.
When he asked why his wife had been given authority over accounts he could still understand perfectly well.
A knock sounded.
Hotel security had arrived with the manager.
Grace explained what they had found.
The manager’s polite expression disappeared when he saw the bathroom.
“We’ll contact the police.”
“Preserve the cameras,” Ethan said. “This floor, the elevators, the service exits.”
The security officer nodded.
Reed arrived before they finished.
He stepped into the room, saw the notepad, and stopped.
Only for a second.
Ethan knew him well enough to see it.
“What happened?” Reed asked.
“That’s what we’re trying to find out.”
Reed moved toward the desk.
Grace blocked him.
“Please don’t touch anything.”
He looked offended.
“I’m his attorney.”
“Then you know why.”
Ethan studied the man who had helped him build Mercer Logistics from twelve trucks into a regional business.
Reed had stood beside him at his father’s funeral.
He had brought coffee to the hospital.
He had also possessed the passwords, agreements, and access codes Ethan had stopped checking.
“Give me the evidence drive,” Ethan said.
Reed’s expression tightened.
“It’s in my car.”
“You said it was in your pocket.”
“I moved it. For safety.”
Ethan held out his hand.
“Your keys.”
“This is ridiculous.”
“Then make it easy.”
Reed didn’t move.
Grace’s phone vibrated.
The hotel’s security desk had found a camera clip.
She opened it.
Luis walked into the elevator at 7:42.
A man followed him.
Dark suit.
Silver hair.
Reed.
Ethan lifted his eyes.
Reed looked at the screen.
Then he said, “There are things you don’t know.”
May you like
Behind him, the elevator doors opened again.
This time, two police officers stepped out.
