Chapter 6 - When the Ballroom Went Black
The blackout lasted eleven seconds.
Long enough for someone to scream.
Long enough for Marcus to disappear.
When emergency lighting flickered on, Noah’s bassinet was empty.
I stopped hearing the room.
“NOAH!”
Evelyn stared at the empty bassinet.
Victor grabbed my arm.
“Service elevators.”
I tore free and ran.
Guests scattered as hotel security rushed toward the exits. Mom shouted my name behind me, but nothing existed except the image of Noah’s empty blanket.
At the service elevator, one door was closing.
I jammed my hand between it.
The doors reopened.
Marcus stood inside holding Noah.
A travel bag rested beside his shoes.
Noah’s passport protruded from Marcus’s jacket.
“What are you doing?”
Marcus’s face had changed completely.
No arrogance.
Fear.
“Get in.”
“Give me my son.”
“Claire, listen to me.”
“Give me Noah.”
“They’re coming.”
“Who?”
He looked past me toward the corridor.
“Your family.”
For one absurd second, I almost laughed.
“My mother is bleeding on the ballroom floor because of you.”
“I didn’t mean for her to hit her head.”
“You kicked the chair.”
“I needed you angry.”
That stopped me.
“What?”
“I needed you to freeze the accounts.”
My stomach dropped.
Marcus looked terrified.
“Northstar needed the transfer window open. Your freeze forced Meridian to activate the emergency continuity protocol.”
“You knew about Northstar?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
The elevator alarm began beeping.
Marcus pressed Noah toward me.
I took my son instantly.
Then Marcus said the sentence that changed the shape of everything.
“Your mother told me.”
I stared at him.
“No.”
“Six months ago.”
“You’re lying.”
“She came to my office and told me that if I loved you, I would help her move Vance assets before your thirty-third birthday.”
My birthday was nine days away.
“What happens on my birthday?”
Marcus looked at Noah.
Before he could answer, Victor appeared at the corridor entrance.
Marcus went white.
“Don’t trust him.”
Victor stopped.
“Claire, step away from Marcus.”
“Why?”
“Because Daniel Mercer is missing.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“Ask Victor who last saw him.”
Victor’s expression did not change.
“Ask Marcus why he bought three one-way tickets to Switzerland.”
My arms tightened around Noah.
Three tickets.
Marcus.
Noah.
And someone else.
“Who was the third ticket for?”
Marcus looked at me.
He did not answer.
Hotel security came running.
In the confusion, Mom appeared behind Victor, one hand pressed to her injured temple.
Marcus saw her.
And whispered:
“Ask Helen.”
I turned.
May you like
Mom’s face collapsed.
Because she already knew exactly whose name was on that third ticket.
