Chapter 16 - Smoke in the Regent

The alarm was real.

Smoke poured from a service hallway near the electrical room.

Construction workers evacuated while sprinklers activated in sections of the lobby.

Ethan shoved the ledger under his jacket.

“Everyone out.”

Jenna grabbed Lily’s stroller, but one wheel jammed in the narrow employee corridor.

“Leave it,” Ethan said.

She lifted Lily and ran.

Behind them, a man in a contractor jacket appeared through the smoke.

Paul Mercer.

He saw Ethan.

Then he saw the shape beneath Ethan’s jacket.

“Give me the book.”

Ethan backed toward the stairwell. “You set this fire?”

Paul’s expression was flat. “It’s not your company, Ethan.”

Jenna had already reached the exit door with Lily.

Ethan shouted, “Go!”

Paul lunged.

They hit the wall hard.

The ledger fell to the floor.

Paul grabbed it.

Then Margaret swung a metal fire extinguisher into his forearm.

He dropped the book with a curse.

Noah tackled him from the side.

Police arrived moments later.

The fire was contained before it spread beyond the service area.

Outside, Jenna stood shaking in the cold morning air, Lily pressed against her chest.

Ethan emerged soaked from the sprinklers and handed the ledger directly to Ortiz.

“Chain of custody,” he said. “Nobody else touches it.”

Ortiz gave him a quick nod.

Paul was led out in handcuffs.

As he passed, he looked at Margaret.

“You should have let the old man keep his secrets.”

Margaret stared back. “Arthur is dead. I’m not.”

Ortiz opened the ledger only after photographing the seal and the first page.

The entries confirmed Samuel Morgan’s continuing ownership interest.

They also documented payments to Victor Lang stretching back twenty years.

Then Ortiz reached the final pages.

One entry had been added in Daniel’s handwriting.

BRAKE INSPECTION - D.H. VEHICLE - ORDERED BY R.D.

Richard Donovan.

Below it, Daniel had written:

IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME, ASK CLAIRE WHAT SHE SAW.

Everyone turned toward Ethan.

May you like

Billionaire’s Wife Kicked a Waitress in Front of 300 Elites—One Slap Exp...

The billionaire’s wife tried to kick a waitress in the face in front of 300 wealthy guests. But seconds later, she whispered three...

My Mother Grabbed My Wife by the Hair Over Cold Soup—But What My Father...

My mother grabbed my wife by the hair over a bowl of cold soup. And the most shameful part? For one terrible second, I almost defe...

My Parents Kicked My 6-Year-Old Daughter and Me Out on Christmas—Then I...

My mother kicked my six-year-old daughter out of Christmas dinner, never realizing I was the only reason she still had a house to...

Claire had claimed she only learned about Daniel after the crash.

Daniel’s own handwriting said otherwise.