Chapter 6 - DANIEL CARTER'S WARNING
They found Daniel Carter in the hospital stairwell.
He was wearing socks, a hospital gown, and pure terror.
Emma rushed to him.
"Dad, what happened?"
Daniel grabbed her wrist.
"They came back."
"Who?"
His eyes moved to Vincent.
Recognition flashed across his face.
"Moretti."
Vincent stopped several feet away.
"Mr. Carter."
Daniel pointed at him.
"Your uncle knows."
Emma's skin prickled.
Vincent lowered his voice. "Knows what?"
Daniel looked at Emma.
"Last year I found a cable running behind the old service console in the Bellmore. It wasn't on any plan. It fed a hidden recorder into the executive meeting rooms."
Emma remembered her father's fall from a maintenance ladder. Everyone called it an accident.
Daniel continued.
"I copied the access logs because I thought somebody was spying on guests. Then Dominic Moretti came to see me. Offered money. Told me to forget what I'd seen."
"Did you?" Vincent asked.
Daniel gave him a tired look. "I raised Emma. What do you think?"
Emma almost smiled.
"Where are the logs?"
Daniel's face changed.
"In the box they took from your apartment."
Vincent cursed under his breath.
Daniel squeezed Emma's hand.
"But I kept one thing somewhere else."
"Where?"
"Bellmore kitchen. Old staff tablet. Cracked screen. Nobody used it after the renovation."
Marco frowned. "What is on it?"
"A recording. Dominic and Victoria. They were talking about Isabella's signature."
Emma's heartbeat jumped.
Daniel leaned closer.
"And they said your name, sweetheart."
Emma went still.
"Mine?"
"Yes. Months before tonight."
The hospital lights flickered.
May you like
Then the fire alarm began to scream.
Through the small stairwell window, Emma saw a man in a black coat entering Daniel's room.
