Chapter 17 - The Daughter They Would Sacrifice
Mara called the fire department while Naomi and Tess drove toward Sterling Tower. Nobody wanted another rescue attempt built on hope and a locked door.
Sterling Tower's lobby filled with employees following the alarm. A security guard tried to stop Naomi at the elevator bank.
"The upper floors are restricted."
"There's a woman trapped on twenty-six," Naomi said. "Your system locked her in."
The guard frowned at his tablet. "That can't happen. The doors release automatically."
Naomi held up a photograph of Stairwell B. "That's what they told my mother."
His expression shifted. He radioed the fire commander, who was just arriving. Within minutes, firefighters were climbing the stairs with tools, not waiting for the building's software to cooperate.
Naomi was told to remain in the lobby. She hated it, but she did. Fighting the responders would only cost Claire time. Instead she called Claire and kept the connection open.
"Tell me what you see," Naomi said.
"The server room door is open. There's smoke coming out. Vanessa said the records are being purged. Dad's downstairs, arguing with the police."
"Can you get to a window?"
"The fire door won't move."
"Stay low. Cover your mouth with something. Help is coming."
Claire coughed. "Why are you doing this for me?"
Naomi looked through the lobby glass at the tower reflected in the river. "Because my mother wouldn't leave you up there."
Above them, a window flashed orange.
Then a firefighter's voice crackled over the commander's radio: "Twenty-sixth floor. One victim located. Fire door forced. Bringing her down."
Naomi closed her eyes. For one second, she let herself believe it.
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But Grant Sterling appeared beside the reception desk, flanked by two officers. He was pale and shaking.
"Vanessa's still up there," he said. "She has the server drive. And if she destroys it, they'll never find out what happened to all the other buildings."
