Chapter 16 - The Last Lie Between Us

Miles looked at me across the table. I had never seen him so frightened, not even in the stairwell.

"I signed a report," he said. "After Arthur died."

My chest tightened. "What kind of report?"

"An inspection saying the service stairs and door locks were operating normally. Voss said without it the hotel would close and hundreds of people would lose their jobs. He threatened to make you believe I fought with your father."

"The stairs weren't working," I whispered.

"I know. I wrote a false conclusion."

Voss spread his hands triumphantly. "There we are. Nobody at this table has clean hands."

"You think that makes you innocent?" Miles asked.

"I think it makes your wife less eager to testify."

I wanted to run. I wanted to call our marriage a fraud. But Miles was finally telling the truth.

"My husband's report was false," I said. "He'll face whatever consequences follow. So will you."

Miles took a step toward me, then stopped.

"I have the original work notes," he said to Kim. "I kept them. I should have handed them over years ago. I will now."

Voss's smile faded for the first time. The false inspection wasn't his shield anymore. It was another piece of evidence.

His lawyer whispered something urgently. Voss glanced at the service exit. A fire alarm rang twice and went silent. I looked at the chandelier and saw its lights flicker.

"He's running," Nina said.

Voss shoved back his chair and headed toward the east corridor. Two officers followed, but the emergency doors had been locked remotely. Smoke began pouring from the adjacent archive hallway.

The ballroom erupted. Guests and employees moved toward the designated exits while staff guided them away from the smoke. I took Nina's arm and helped Evelyn toward an officer.

Miles smelled the air. "Electrical insulation. That fire's close to the old control room."

"Don't go after him," I begged.

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He met my eyes. "I'm not chasing Voss. There's a security operator still inside that room. I saw him when we came in."

Before I could answer, a voice screamed from the hallway: "Somebody help! The door's locked!"