Chapter 4 - The Hotel Room Clues
Forty minutes later, police officers Vincent trusted had taken Keane and the gun.
Claire insisted on joining Vincent at the hotel.
“You’re staying here,” she told Emily.
“No.”
“With Mrs.
Palmer.”
“No.”
“Emily.”
Vincent crouched before her.
“I need you to protect something.”
Emily’s eyes widened.
“What?”
He tapped the coin jar.
“This.”
She hugged it.
“Don’t spend it.”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
That finally produced a tiny smile.
Room 614 was empty.
But the bathroom mirror contained three words written in soap.
CHECK THE VENT.
Marco removed the air-conditioning grille.
Inside sat a black flash drive and an envelope.
The envelope was addressed to:
CLAIRE BENNETT.
Claire’s hands shook as she opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
A younger Claire asleep on a sofa.
Beside her stood Daniel Mercer.
And beside Daniel—
Vincent.
Claire looked up sharply.
“You knew each other better than you said.”
Vincent took the picture.
On the back, Daniel had written:
If Claire ever sees this, Vincent kept his promise.
Claire’s eyes filled.
“What promise?”
Vincent suddenly remembered.
The night Daniel disappeared.
Daniel had called him from a pay phone.
“If something happens,” Daniel had said, “keep Claire out of it.”
Vincent had replied, “I will.”
“Especially if she’s pregnant.”
Vincent had gone silent.
Daniel had whispered:
“She hasn’t told me yet.
She thinks I don’t know.”
Then the line went dead.
Vincent looked at Claire.
May you like
“He knew about Emily.”
Claire covered her mouth.
