Chapter 5: Twelve Complaints Nobody Was Allowed to See
The conference room fell silent.
Twelve separate complaints.
Twelve different dates.
Twelve people who had tried to report Vanessa Whitmore.
Daniel leaned forward.
“Marcus, explain.””
Marcus opened the first report.
“This complaint was filed eight months ago by a restaurant hostess. She alleged that Miss Whitmore called her incompetent, threw a menu at her, and demanded she be removed from the dining room.””
Vanessa scoffed.
“She was terrible at her job.””
Marcus continued.
“The hostess was subsequently transferred to another property.””
Daniel looked at Richard.
“Who approved the transfer?””
Richard adjusted his cuff.
“I don't remember.””
Marcus opened the second report.
“A valet employee reported that Miss Whitmore threw his name badge on the ground and told him he was lucky to have a job.””
Gregory shifted in his chair.
Daniel noticed.
“Something to add, Gregory?””
“No, sir.””
Marcus opened another report.
“A housekeeper reported being accused of stealing jewelry from Miss Whitmore's suite. The jewelry was later found inside a shopping bag in the guest's room.””
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“That woman was careless. I never trusted her.””
Marcus continued.
“She was dismissed three days after filing her complaint.””
Daniel slowly looked up.
“Dismissed?””
“Yes.””
“On whose authority?””
Marcus hesitated.
“The termination authorization was signed by Gregory Mills.””
Everyone turned toward Gregory.
He stared at the table.
Richard immediately intervened.
“Gregory was acting within his operational responsibilities.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Was he?””
“Yes.””
“Then why were the complaints never investigated?””
Richard sighed.
“Daniel, you have to understand that hospitality is complicated. We deal with demanding guests every day. Not every disagreement requires an internal investigation.””
Daniel nodded slowly.
“Agreed. But assaulting a guest is not a disagreement.””
Richard looked away.
Vanessa stood.
“This is ridiculous. You're digging through old complaints because you want to embarrass me.””
Daniel didn't raise his voice.
“You embarrassed yourself.””
She grabbed her handbag.
“Richard, we're leaving.””
Richard remained seated.
“Vanessa, sit down.””
She stared at him.
“What?””
“Sit down. We need to resolve this.””
For the first time, Vanessa seemed genuinely surprised.
She slowly lowered herself into her chair.
Daniel looked toward Marcus.
“Continue.””
The fifth complaint involved a casino employee.
The sixth involved a guest.
The seventh involved a restaurant manager.
The eighth involved an elderly woman who had accused Vanessa of deliberately knocking a drink from her hand.
Naomi wasn't present, but Daniel could picture her sitting in the lounge with her daughter, wondering how many people had been treated the same way.
He rubbed his forehead.
“Why weren't these reports escalated?””
Marcus looked at Richard.
Richard answered.
“Because the complaints were reviewed at the property level.””
“By whom?””
“Management.””
“Which management?””
Richard hesitated.
“Gregory and his team.””
Daniel looked at Gregory.
“Did you review all twelve?””
Gregory swallowed.
“Some.””
“Some?””
“I don't remember every individual complaint.””
Daniel leaned forward.
“Do you remember signing termination documents?””
Gregory's hands tightened.
“Those were personnel matters.””
“Do you remember authorizing employees to be transferred after complaints involving Vanessa?””
Gregory looked toward Richard.
Daniel followed his gaze.
“Stop looking at him. I'm asking you.””
Gregory lowered his eyes.
“Yes.””
Richard suddenly stood.
“This meeting is becoming inappropriate.””
Daniel remained seated.
“Sit down.””
“Daniel—”
“Sit. Down.””
Richard stared at him.
Then slowly returned to his chair.
Daniel turned toward Marcus.
“I want every complaint reviewed independently. I want the employees contacted. Nobody is to face retaliation for speaking with investigators.””
Marcus nodded.
“Understood.””
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“You can't be serious. Are you going to fire people because I had disagreements with them?””
Daniel looked at her.
“No. We're going to investigate whether people were punished for reporting your behavior.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Richard, tell him this is nonsense.””
Richard rubbed his temples.
“Daniel, perhaps we can handle the matter through the legal department.””
Daniel nodded.
“Absolutely.””
Richard appeared relieved.
“Good. Then we'll arrange a meeting next week.””
“No.””
Richard frowned.
“No?””
“We'll preserve the evidence today. Legal will review the complaints tomorrow. And until the investigation is complete, nobody involved in these reports will be permitted to alter personnel records or access the original complaint files.””
Richard's face darkened.
“You're overstepping.””
Daniel looked at him.
“I'm exercising the authority of the controlling ownership group.””
Richard went quiet.
Then Marcus spoke.
“There's something else.””
Daniel turned.
“What?””
Marcus opened a folder on his laptop.
“The twelve complaints aren't the only records. There are also several confidential incident reports that were removed from the hotel's normal management dashboard.””
Richard's expression changed instantly.
“Marcus, that's enough.””
Marcus looked at him.
“I think Mr. Carter should see them.””
Richard stood again.
“Those reports are confidential.””
Daniel looked at Marcus.
“Were they legally removed?””
“No, sir. They were archived under an administrative override.””
“Who authorized the override?””
Marcus didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
The name appeared on the screen.
*RICHARD LAWSON.*
Daniel stared at the document.
Richard straightened his jacket.
“I authorized an administrative consolidation. It's standard practice.””
“Why were the complaints hidden?””
“They were duplicate entries.””
Marcus shook his head.
“They weren't.””
Richard glared at him.
“Be careful.””
Daniel noticed the threat.
“Richard, are you threatening my director of operations?””
Richard immediately looked at Daniel.
“No. I was advising him to follow proper procedures.””
Daniel closed the laptop.
“Then you'll have no problem cooperating with an independent investigation.””
Richard's phone vibrated again.
This time, he answered.
“Not now.””
A woman's voice could be heard faintly through the speaker.
Richard stepped away from the table.
“I said not now.””
Then he ended the call.
Vanessa stared at him.
“Who was that?””
“Nobody.””
“Richard.””
He ignored her.
Daniel exchanged a glance with Marcus.
Something wasn't adding up.
An hour later, Naomi sat in the private lounge feeding Amara.
The baby had finally settled.
Naomi looked at her phone and found three missed calls from an unfamiliar number.
A message followed.
*Unknown Number: You need to be careful about trusting your father. Ask him what happened to the previous hotel director.*
Naomi frowned.
She read it again.
Then another message arrived.
*Unknown Number: This isn't the first time someone has tried to expose Richard Lawson.*
Her stomach tightened.
She immediately called her father.
Daniel answered on the first ring.
“Hey, sweetheart. Everything okay?””
“Dad, someone just sent me a strange message.””
“What kind of message?””
She read it aloud.
Daniel went silent.
“Send me a screenshot.””
“Dad, what happened to the previous hotel director?””
A pause.
“His name was Samuel Brooks. He left the company two years ago.””
“Why?””
“That's what we're investigating.””
Naomi frowned.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I didn't want you worrying about business problems.””
“I'm already involved now.””
Daniel sighed.
“I know.””
“Dad, the message said someone tried to expose Richard before.””
Another silence.
Then Daniel spoke.
“Naomi, listen to me. Don't respond to that number. Don't delete anything. I'll have our security team examine it.””
“Do you think someone is watching me?””
“I don't know. But I won't take chances.””
Naomi looked toward the door.
“Dad?””
“Yes?””
“I don't think this is just about Vanessa anymore.””
Daniel's voice lowered.
“Neither do I.””
Before he could say anything else, a loud knock came from the lounge door.
Naomi startled.
Patricia opened it.
A young man wearing a hotel security uniform stood outside.
“Miss Carter?””
“Yes?””
He looked nervous.
“There's something you need to see.””
Naomi stood carefully, keeping Amara close.
“What is it?””
The young man glanced down the hallway.
Then he held out a small envelope.
“Someone left this at the security desk. It has your name on it.””
Naomi took it.
Her hands began to tremble.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed Daniel Carter standing outside a hotel two years earlier, speaking with an older Black man.
On the back, someone had written:
*YOUR FATHER DIDN'T TELL YOU WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO SAMUEL BROOKS.*
Naomi stared at the photograph.
Because the man standing beside her father wasn't a stranger.
He was the same man who had held her at her college graduation.
May you like
The man who had disappeared from her father's life without explanation.
And the man Naomi had always known as Uncle Samuel.
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