Chapter 5 - FIFTEEN YEARS AGO
Ethan had not heard his mother use that tone in years.
“Take Noah to my room,” he told the officers beside her. “Lock the door. Nobody enters unless I say so.”
Vivian opened her mouth to object. Ethan held her gaze until she turned and went with them.
Elena’s throat felt dry. “My mother was a housekeeper here. Her name was Rosa Morales.”
“I remember Rosa,” Ethan said. “She used to give me oranges from the garden.”
“She found your father’s car in the garage after it was supposed to have left. The front bumper was damaged. There was dirt on the tires. He came home that night, Mr. Vale.”
Ethan shook his head. “The police said he died on the road.”
“His car went off the road before he made it home. Somebody brought it back, then took it out again.”
Julian pushed himself against a shelf. “That’s what Rosa told me. I was twenty-two. I thought she was lying.”
“Why didn’t you tell Ethan?” Elena asked.
“Because Mom said Rosa wanted money.”
Elena looked at Ethan. “My mother never asked for money. She was given an envelope and told we would lose our apartment if she spoke again.”
“Who gave her the envelope?”
“I don’t know. She kept it hidden.”
“Can you get it?”
“She died last winter. I found her old things last week.” Elena took a breath. “I came here tonight because I thought someone at this party might tell me what the envelope meant.”
Grant gave a humorless smile. “And you happened to be standing near Noah when the glasses fell.”
Ethan turned on him. “Stop questioning her.”
A police officer entered the cold room with a phone sealed in a clear bag. “We recovered this from Mr. Grant’s pocket. It belongs to the man downstairs.”
Grant straightened. “I took it as evidence.”
“Then why did you delete the last message?”
“I didn’t.”
“The message is recoverable,” the officer said. “We’re taking the phone.”
Julian’s eyes narrowed. “Grant, who brought you into this?”
Grant said nothing.
A crash sounded above them. Ethan was already moving when the officer’s radio burst to life.
“Someone opened the door to Mr. Vale’s suite.”
“Noah,” Elena said.
Ethan ran for the stairs. By the time they reached the upper hall, both officers guarding his room were on the floor, conscious but dazed.
The door stood open.
May you like
On Noah’s bed lay his little blue birthday jacket.
Noah was gone.
