Chapter 14 - The Red Binder
Elise stood so quickly her chair hit the wall.
"You have the deed?"
Victoire shook her head.
"I was supposed to get it tonight."
"From where?"
"Sébastien never told me."
He laughed. "Now I'm responsible for her imagination too?"
Victoire rounded on him.
"You said, 'After midnight, check the bridal suite safe.'"
The room went quiet.
The bridal suite had been closed for renovation for three weeks.
Vincent took two guards upstairs.
Elise followed.
Inside the suite, plastic covered the furniture. Fresh paint smelled sharp in the dark.
The wall safe sat behind a framed mirror. Victoire supplied the code.
0417.
"My father's birthday," Elise said.
"Sébastien gave it to me."
The safe opened.
Inside lay the red leather binder.
The original south bluff deed.
And a sealed envelope addressed in René Morel's handwriting.
TO ELISE - IF THE FOUNDER PROTOCOL IS EVER USED AGAIN.
Her hands trembled.
She opened it.
The letter was short.
Elise,
If you are reading this, someone inside the family has mistaken access for ownership. Do not save the hotel by protecting the family name. Save the people who work there by exposing whoever hurt them.
Trust the third badge. Trust Luc. And if Sébastien is involved, remember that love does not require blindness.
Elise stopped breathing.
Sébastien stood in the doorway behind her.
He had followed them.
His face was gray.
"He suspected me."
Elise lowered the letter.
"Before he died."
Sébastien looked at the floor.
"He suspected everyone."
"He named you."
A muscle moved in his jaw.
Then a guard shouted from the hall.
Sébastien shoved the door closed and locked it from outside.
Vincent rammed his shoulder into it.
Elise heard running footsteps.
May you like
By the time they forced the door open, Sébastien was gone.
So was the original deed.
