Chapter 16 - The Order

Voss survived surgery. The bullet missed his heart but shattered his shoulder. Before the doctors wheeled him away, he told Mara that she had his permission to use every second of the recording.

A forensic specialist copied the memory card and checked its dates against Elena's printout. The voices were clear. A fire alarm howled in the background. Then Grant Sterling spoke over a security radio.

"There are battery packs in the basement. If inspectors see them, we're finished. Get the server room cleared."

Voss answered, "Mrs. Reyes is still inside. She's got a copy of the logs."

Vanessa's voice cut across the channel. "Keep the hold active until she comes out."

"The stairs are filling with smoke," Voss said. "There are children in there."

A pause. Then Vanessa: "They aren't our problem. Don't release that door."

Grant's voice returned. "Vanessa, enough. Unlock it."

"Then lose the company," she snapped. "Is that what you want?"

No release command followed. The audio ended with Elena pounding on steel.

Naomi stepped outside the specialist's office and threw up in a trash can. Tess held her hair back. When Naomi could stand, she leaned against the wall and stared at the ceiling.

"She heard my mother," Naomi said. "They all heard her."

"Yes," Tess answered.

"I spent three years thinking if I'd called her back faster, maybe she'd have listened to me."

"Naomi, your mom was trying to save those kids. The people who could open the door didn't. That's on them."

Mara filed the authenticated recording and requested emergency warrants. June published the portions cleared for release, with a careful explanation of what the audio did and didn't prove.

The district attorney announced an independent review of the fire. Sterling Properties stock plunged. Tenants demanded immediate inspections of every building using Lark locks.

Naomi thought the worst was over. Then Claire called from Sterling Tower. Her voice was a thin whisper.

"My father knows I gave you the records. Vanessa locked the doors to this floor. She's telling everybody I stole the money."

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A metallic alarm sounded behind her.

"Naomi," Claire said, "I can smell smoke."