Chapter 2: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
For three seconds, Evelyn Hayes looked like a woman who had forgotten how to breathe.
Then she recovered.
“Get her out of here,” she snapped.
The order came so sharply that one of the guards instinctively stepped toward Victoria.
Arthur blocked his path.
“Nobody touches her.””
Evelyn stared at her brother.
“Arthur, listen to yourself. This woman has accused me of involvement in our mother's death because she doesn't want to be fired.””
“I haven't fired her,” Arthur replied.
“Then fire her now.””
“No.””
Evelyn's cheeks flushed.
“You're embarrassing yourself.””
“Possibly. But I'm also asking a question you haven't answered.””
Arthur moved closer to his sister.
“Why did you react like that when she mentioned our mother?””
Evelyn looked around the room.
The guests had stopped pretending not to listen.
She straightened her dress, a silver gown that had cost more than Victoria earned in six months.
“Because it's a disgusting accusation.””
“Then tell me where you were the night Mother died.””
“I was at home.””
“Who can confirm that?””
Evelyn's mouth tightened.
“My husband, at the time. You know that.””
“Your husband was in London.””
The words fell like a stone.
Evelyn stared at him.
Arthur remembered the details of that night with painful clarity. His mother, Margaret, had called him at 9:14 p.m. She had sounded tired but cheerful, asking whether he planned to visit on Sunday.
He had promised he would.
At 10:06 p.m., Evelyn called him.
Their mother had been found unconscious in her bedroom.
By the time Arthur reached the hospital, Margaret was dead.
The official explanation had been a sudden cardiac event. She had been sixty-four, had no documented history of serious heart disease, and had complained of dizziness twice in the preceding month.
Arthur had wanted a second investigation.
Evelyn had begged him not to turn their mother's death into a public spectacle.
He had listened.
For fifteen years, he had regretted it.
“I was with a friend,” Evelyn said.
“Which friend?””
“I don't remember.””
“Convenient.””
“Arthur!””
Richard stepped between them.
“This is precisely why we need to stop. Everyone is tired, emotions are running high, and a waitress is making wild accusations.””
Arthur turned toward him.
“Sit down, Richard.””
Richard hesitated.
“I said sit down.””
He sat.
Victoria stood beside the security guard, her hands clenched so tightly that her nails pressed into her palms.
Arthur noticed.
“Victoria, what exactly did you see that connects Evelyn to my mother's death?””
Victoria glanced at Evelyn.
Evelyn gave her a cold smile.
“Go on. Tell everyone your story.””
Victoria swallowed.
“Three nights ago, I was cleaning the private lounge on the second floor. I was supposed to finish before the evening guests arrived, but I dropped a tray of glasses. My supervisor told me to stay late and clean everything.””
She paused.
“While I was wiping the floor, I heard people arguing in the office next door.””
Arthur frowned.
“What office?””
“The executive office near the service elevator.””
Richard's eyes narrowed.
“That office is restricted to senior management.””
“I know. That's why I didn't go inside.””
“Then how did you hear anything?”” Richard demanded.
“The door was open.””
He looked toward Arthur.
“This is absurd.””
Arthur ignored him.
“Continue.””
Victoria took a breath.
“I heard a man's voice say, ‘The old problem is back.’ Then a woman said, ‘It should have been buried with Margaret.’”
Arthur went completely still.
Margaret.
His mother's name had not been mentioned in a company meeting for years.
“What happened next?”” he asked.
“The woman said, ‘If Arthur starts asking questions, we lose everything.’ Then the man said, ‘He won't get the chance.’”
Evelyn laughed.
It was a brittle, ugly sound.
“You expect him to believe this?””
Victoria turned toward her.
“I heard your voice.””
Evelyn's expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Arthur saw it.
“You said it was a mistake to leave the original records where he could find them,” Victoria continued.
“And you said the same thing that night in the office that you said just now.””
“What did I say?”” Evelyn demanded.
Victoria looked directly at her.
“‘You know enough.’”
Evelyn's face drained of color.
Richard rose again.
“This is going nowhere. Arthur, I strongly advise you to contact a lawyer before you make another decision.””
Marcus Vale gave him a sharp look.
“I'm already a lawyer, Richard.””
“Then act like one.””
Marcus did not answer.
Arthur turned to his chief financial officer.
“Richard, you said the merger documents were being signed tomorrow.””
“Yes.””
“Who prepared the final transfer schedule?””
“Our legal and finance teams.””
“Who has access to the original records?””
Richard spread his hands.
“Dozens of people.””
“Names.””
“Arthur, that's an unreasonable demand in the middle of dinner.””
Arthur pulled out his phone.
“Then I'll ask the board in the morning.””
For the first time that evening, Richard looked genuinely frightened.
Not angry.
Not offended.
Frightened.
Victoria saw it too.
She stepped closer to Arthur.
“Mr. Hayes, there's something else.””
Arthur lowered his phone.
“What?””
“The man who switched your plate wasn't wearing a restaurant uniform when he came into the building.””
“Then what was he wearing?””
“A dark suit. He put on the kitchen jacket after entering through the service corridor.””
“Did you see his face?””
“Yes.””
“Can you describe him?””
“Brown hair. Tall. A scar near his left ear.””
Arthur glanced toward the kitchen entrance.
One of his guards had returned with the restaurant manager, a sweating man named Peter Dawson.
“Sir,” Peter said, “the kitchen staff are accounted for. But one of the temporary contractors has disappeared.””
Arthur's eyes sharpened.
“Name?””
“Daniel Price. He was hired this afternoon to help with a refrigeration repair.””
“Who authorized him?””
Peter hesitated.
“Mr. Cole's office.””
Every face turned toward Richard.
Richard stood so quickly that his chair toppled behind him.
“That is a lie.””
Peter looked terrified.
“I have the authorization form, sir.””
“Show me.””
Peter reached into his jacket and produced a folded sheet of paper.
Arthur took it.
At the bottom was Richard Cole's signature.
Richard stared at the document.
“I never signed that.””
“Then someone forged your signature,” Arthur said.
“Exactly!””
“Which would mean someone in my company used your authority to bring an unknown man into a private dining area.””
Richard opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Arthur handed the document to Marcus.
“Make copies. Preserve the original.””
Marcus nodded.
Then he looked at Victoria.
“Miss, if what you are saying is true, you're in danger. You should not leave the hotel alone.””
Victoria gave a humorless laugh.
“I'm already in danger.””
Arthur looked at his head of security.
“Arrange protection for her and her brother. Immediately.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“You cannot be serious. You're giving a stranger private security because she told a story?””
Arthur's voice hardened.
“I'm giving protection to a witness because someone may have tried to poison me.””
The word poison made several guests gasp.
Peter looked at the plate.
“Sir, we should have that tested.””
“Agreed.””
Arthur's guard carefully covered the dish and arranged for the kitchen's remaining food samples to be secured.
Then Arthur turned to Victoria.
“You said you heard them discussing original records. Where are those records now?””
Victoria shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“Did you see anything else?””
She hesitated.
Then she reached into the pocket of her apron.
“I found this after the argument.””
She unfolded a small piece of paper.
It was a photograph, creased down the middle and marked with a brown stain.
Arthur took it.
The image showed his mother standing beside a younger man outside a hospital entrance.
Margaret was smiling.
The man beside her was wearing a dark suit, with one hand resting on her shoulder.
Arthur recognized the hospital immediately.
He also recognized the man.
Richard Cole.
Fifteen years younger, with darker hair and no gray at his temples.
Arthur stared at the photograph.
“Why do you have this?””
“It was on the floor outside the office.””
Richard's face turned ashen.
“That photograph means nothing.””
Arthur lifted his eyes.
“You told me you barely knew my mother.””
“I knew her through the company.””
“You told me you met her only twice.””
Richard swallowed.
“That was years ago.””
Arthur turned the photograph over.
On the back, someone had written a date.
The date was two days before Margaret died.
Beneath it were five words in faded blue ink.
*Ask Richard what he gave her.*
Arthur felt the room tilt.
He looked up.
Richard was already moving toward the exit.
Two guards blocked his path.
“Step aside!”” Richard shouted.
“Sir, you're not leaving,” one guard said.
Richard struck the guard's arm and tried to push past him.
The second guard caught his shoulder.
“Let go of me!””
Arthur approached slowly.
“Richard, what did you give my mother?””
“I gave her nothing!””
“Then explain the photograph.””
“I don't have to explain a fifteen-year-old photograph to you.””
Arthur held it up.
“Someone thought otherwise.””
Richard's gaze flicked toward Evelyn.
It was quick.
Almost invisible.
But Arthur caught it.
So did Victoria.
Evelyn backed away from the table.
“This is madness,” she whispered.
Arthur turned toward her.
“Then help me end it.””
She shook her head.
“I can't.””
“Can't or won't?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
Before she could answer, a phone began vibrating on the table.
It was Victoria's.
She looked down at the screen.
Her brother's name appeared.
She answered immediately.
“Noah? Where are you?””
At first, there was only static.
Then a boy's frightened voice came through.
“Vic, I'm sorry. I should've listened.””
Victoria's face crumpled.
“Noah, listen to me. Where are you?””
A man's voice interrupted.
“Tell your sister what happens when she doesn't follow instructions.””
A muffled struggle followed.
Then Noah screamed.
Victoria nearly dropped the phone.
“NOAH!””
Arthur reached for it.
“Who is this?””
The man chuckled softly.
“You should be more worried about your own family, Mr. Hayes.””
The call ended.
Victoria stood frozen, the phone pressed against her ear.
Arthur looked toward his security chief.
“Find the boy. Now.””
The chief was already moving.
But Arthur's attention returned to the photograph.
Someone had tried to kill him.
Someone had threatened a seventeen-year-old boy.
And someone knew what his mother had received two days before her death.
He looked at Richard.
“Until we know the truth, you are suspended from every company position you hold.””
Richard's face twisted.
“You'll regret this.””
Arthur stepped closer.
“No, Richard. I regret something that happened fifteen years ago.””
He glanced at the photograph one last time.
“And I think you know exactly what it was.””
Richard said nothing.
Then his phone buzzed.
A message appeared on the screen.
Arthur caught only three lines before Richard turned it facedown.
*The girl has the key.*
May you like
*Get it before midnight.*
*Or we all go down.*
