Chapter 7: What Gloria Remembered
“I remember seeing that key before.””
Daniel stared at his mother.
“When?””
Gloria's fingers curled around the edge of the vanity.
“Years ago.””
Jessica stood behind him, silent.
Daniel lowered the brass key.
“Where?””
Gloria looked at the tablet.
At the photograph.
At the message on the screen.
Then she finally looked at Daniel.
“Your father had one.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No. You said he didn't have any connection to that hotel.””
“I said I didn't know about one.””
“Mom.””
Gloria closed her eyes.
For a few seconds, the only sound in the dressing room was the soft hum of the mirror lights.
Then she spoke.
“The night your father died, I woke up because he wasn't beside me.””
Daniel listened.
“I called him.””
“What did he say?””
“He said he had to go somewhere.””
“Where?””
“He wouldn't tell me.””
Gloria's voice trembled.
“I asked him if something was wrong. He said no. He told me not to wait up.””
Daniel stared at her.
“And you never told me?””
“You were seventeen.””
“I was old enough to know my father was dying.””
Gloria flinched.
“He wasn't supposed to die.””
The words stopped Daniel cold.
Gloria continued.
“When the police called, they said he had been found at a hotel.””
Jessica looked down.
Daniel noticed.
“You knew?””
Jessica shook her head.
“I knew about the hotel. I didn't know your mother knew.””
Gloria looked at her.
“How did you know?””
Jessica hesitated.
“Because of the letter.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“What letter?””
“The one I threw away.””
“You said you never opened it.””
“I didn't.””
“Then how do you know about the hotel?””
Jessica looked toward the floor.
“Because the envelope was already torn.””
Daniel stared.
“Someone had opened it before.””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
Gloria stepped forward.
“What did you see?””
Jessica swallowed.
“A photocopy.””
“Of what?””
“A hotel receipt.””
Daniel looked at the key.
“Room 214?””
Jessica nodded.
Gloria's face drained.
Daniel caught it.
“You know that room.””
Gloria didn't answer.
“Mom.””
She looked at him.
“Yes.””
“How?””
Gloria's eyes filled.
“Because I went there.””
Daniel's breath caught.
“You went to the hotel?””
“After the police called.””
“You said you didn't.””
“I didn't want you to know.””
“Why?””
“Because I found something.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“What?””
Gloria reached into her purse.
Her hands shook as she pulled out an old photograph.
She placed it on the vanity.
Daniel stared.
It was a picture of his father standing outside Room 214.
Beside him stood a woman.
The same woman from the photograph Jessica had found.
Daniel picked it up.
“Who is she?””
Gloria's voice became barely audible.
“Her name was Camille.””
Jessica's head snapped up.
Daniel looked at her.
“Your Camille?””
Jessica shook her head.
“I never knew her name.””
Gloria stared at the photograph.
“She worked with your father.””
“Where?””
“At his company.””
Daniel frowned.
“My father didn't have a female business partner.””
“He didn't tell me everything.””
“Was he having an affair?””
Gloria's eyes closed.
“I don't know.””
Daniel turned away.
The room felt smaller.
All morning, every answer had created another question.
Then Tasha suddenly spoke.
“Wait.””
Everyone looked at her.
She pointed toward the photograph.
“That woman.””
Daniel looked at her.
“What?””
“I've seen her.””
Jessica stepped forward.
“Where?””
“At the rehearsal dinner.””
Daniel froze.
Tasha nodded.
“She was outside.””
“When?””
“Yesterday.””
Jessica's face went pale.
“What was she doing?””
“She was watching the building.””
Daniel looked at the dressing-room door.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“I didn't think she mattered.””
Gloria picked up the photograph.
“She knew your father.””
Daniel stared at the image.
Then his phone buzzed.
A new message.
*ROOM 214 ISN'T THE SECRET.*
Another appeared.
*THE KEY OPENS WHAT YOUR FATHER HID.*
Daniel looked at Gloria.
“Where is the hotel?””
Gloria answered immediately.
“Twenty minutes from here.””
Jessica stepped forward.
“Daniel, don't go.””
He looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because whoever is sending these messages wants you there.””
“Maybe.””
“They could be setting you up.””
Daniel stared at her.
“You've spent the entire morning setting me up.””
Jessica recoiled.
“That isn't fair.””
“No?””
He held up the brass key.
“You stole my father's letter.””
She started crying.
“You staged an attack on my mother.””
“I know.””
“You hid this key.””
“I know.””
“And now you're telling me not to follow the evidence.””
Jessica's voice broke.
“Because I know what happens when you do.””
Daniel stopped.
“What does that mean?””
Jessica looked at Gloria.
Then back at him.
“I went to that hotel three months ago.””
Gloria's face changed.
Daniel whispered, “Why?””
Jessica's tears fell.
“To find out who your father was meeting.””
“And?””
Jessica looked toward the blinking camera.
“I found something.””
Daniel waited.
“What?””
Jessica took a breath.
“I found the woman.””
May you like
The room went silent.
“And she told me something about you.””
