Chapter 15 - THE MAN IN THE SERVICE TUNNEL
Charles Vance disappeared through the catering corridor.
Two officers followed.
Mark chased behind them.
The hotel contained old service tunnels connecting the kitchens, loading docks, and underground parking garage.
Charles knew them.
Of course he did.
He had represented the Reed family when the hotel was renovated.
Mark heard footsteps ahead.
Then a gunshot.
He stopped.
An officer shouted.
Charles had fired toward police.
The pursuit moved into the underground loading area.
Mark should have stayed back.
He did not.
He entered the tunnel.
Charles appeared near the far exit.
“Stop!”
Charles turned.
For one second, the two men looked at each other.
Mark remembered Charles standing beside his father at company dinners.
He remembered him shaking Daniel’s hand at graduation.
He remembered him speaking at Daniel’s funeral.
“You killed my brother.”
Charles laughed.
“Your brother killed himself by believing family loyalty meant something.”
Mark took another step.
“You drugged him.”
“I cleaned up Richard’s problem.”
“You sabotaged the brakes.”
Charles smiled.
“Samuel handled that.”
“Where is Samuel?”
“Far away.”
Mark realized Charles believed he was still winning.
“You mean Costa Rica?”
Charles’s smile vanished.
Mark had guessed.
But the reaction confirmed it.
“Thank you.”
Charles raised the gun.
Before he could fire, Detective Ortiz stepped from behind a concrete pillar.
“Drop it.”
Charles spun.
Three officers surrounded him.
His gun hit the floor.
He was arrested.
Upstairs, Richard had also been detained.
Victoria sat alone at a ballroom table while police questioned witnesses.
Mark returned.
Her silver dress looked strangely ordinary now.
She looked at him.
“Are you happy?”
“No.”
“You destroyed me.”
Mark sat across from her.
“You did that yourself.”
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“You do not know what my father did to me.”
“Then tell the police.”
“He raised me to believe your father stole everything from him.”
Mark said nothing.
“He told me I was the rightful heir.”
“You were entitled to nothing Daniel owned.”
“I know that now.”
Mark looked at her.
“Did you know Daniel would die?”
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
“Did you help cover it up?”
Silence.
Mark leaned closer.
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
The word barely left her mouth.
Mark stood.
“Then I have nothing else to say to you.”
Victoria grabbed his sleeve.
“Wait.”
He looked down.
“There is something Richard never told you.”
Mark pulled his arm free.
“What?”
Victoria glanced toward her father being escorted through the ballroom.
“Noah was not the final target.”
Mark’s blood turned cold.
“Who was?”
May you like
Victoria looked directly at him.
“You.”
