Chapter 5: The Invitation Nobody Sent
Benjamin asked everyone to move into the hotel's private conference room.
Nobody argued.
Not even Victoria.
The room was located behind the reception area, separated from the lobby by two heavy wooden doors.
Inside, a long mahogany table reflected the warm light of a brass chandelier.
Naomi settled into a chair near the window.
Grace had finally fallen asleep.
Benjamin placed his phone beside Robert's laptop.
"Let's start with the invitation.""
Robert connected to the hotel's secure administrative system.
Daniel stood near the door, holding the tablet.
Marcus remained beside Harold.
Victoria took the chair at the far end of the table.
She crossed her legs and examined her nails.
"I hope this doesn't take all night.""
Benjamin ignored her.
"Robert?""
Robert opened the email.
"The message was created at 2:16 p.m. today.""
Naomi frowned.
"That's before I left Baton Rouge.""
"Correct," Robert replied.
Benjamin leaned forward.
"Was it actually sent?""
Robert checked the delivery information.
"According to the system, yes.""
"To whom?""
He read the recipient address.
Naomi recognized it.
It was an old email account she had stopped using after college.
"I haven't checked that address in years.""
Robert nodded.
"That could explain why you didn't see it.""
Naomi shook her head.
"But who knew I still had it?""
Nobody answered.
Robert continued examining the message.
"The invitation was created through an executive account. It also contains a digital authorization token.""
Benjamin frowned.
"Can you trace it?""
"Yes. But I'll need access to the company's central records.""
Benjamin nodded.
"Do it.""
Marcus shifted in his chair.
"Mr. Carter, perhaps we're overcomplicating a simple administrative issue.""
Benjamin turned toward him.
"A woman was assaulted in my lobby, my daughter received a meeting invitation she never requested, and my company has apparently authorized guest restrictions without my knowledge. Which part sounds simple?""
Marcus looked down.
Victoria gave an impatient sigh.
"This is all because of one slap.""
Naomi looked at her.
"One slap?""
Victoria shrugged.
"Yes. One slap. Nobody died.""
Benjamin slowly turned toward her.
"My daughter is sitting here with a newborn, trying to understand why strangers felt entitled to hurt her.""
Victoria rolled her eyes.
"You're making this personal.""
"It became personal when you put your hands on her.""
Harold leaned forward.
"Victoria, please stop.""
She snapped her head toward him.
"Don't start.""
Harold looked exhausted.
"You're making everything worse.""
Victoria stared at her husband.
"Whose side are you on?""
Harold didn't answer.
Robert suddenly spoke.
"I found something.""
Everyone turned.
He enlarged a section of the email metadata.
"The invitation wasn't created by the general manager's account.""
Marcus exhaled.
"Thank goodness.""
Robert continued.
"It was created using a temporary administrative credential.""
Benjamin frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"It means someone used a credential authorized for limited access to executive systems.""
"Who had it?""
Robert scrolled through the record.
Then he stopped.
"According to the access log, the credential was assigned to the hotel's transition consultant.""
Benjamin looked up.
"Name?""
Robert read it.
"Thomas Reed.""
Harold's face changed.
Victoria immediately looked toward the door.
Naomi noticed both reactions.
"Who is Thomas Reed?""
Benjamin answered.
"He was the consultant who helped evaluate the hotel before the acquisition.""
"Was?""
Benjamin nodded.
"His contract ended six weeks ago.""
Robert continued.
"But his access credentials were never revoked.""
Benjamin's expression darkened.
"Who was responsible for that?""
Robert checked another document.
"Marcus Bell.""
Marcus sat upright.
"That's not possible.""
Robert turned the laptop toward him.
"Your account approved the renewal.""
Marcus shook his head.
"I never authorized that.""
Robert pointed to the timestamp.
"Your digital signature is attached.""
Marcus looked genuinely frightened now.
"I need to call IT.""
Benjamin raised a hand.
"Not yet.""
He turned toward Daniel.
"Do you know Thomas Reed?""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes, sir.""
"Have you seen him recently?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Earlier today.""
Benjamin leaned forward.
"Where?""
"In the back office.""
Marcus immediately interrupted.
"Daniel!""
The young employee flinched.
Benjamin's voice became firm.
"Let him speak.""
Daniel looked at the floor.
"Mr. Reed came in around two o'clock. He said he needed to update some records.""
Robert asked, "Did you see what he accessed?""
Daniel nodded.
"He was using the administrative computer.""
"Was Marcus present?""
"No, sir.""
"Was anyone else?""
Daniel looked toward Victoria.
"Mrs. Whitmore.""
Victoria stood abruptly.
"That's absurd.""
Daniel continued.
"They were in the office together for almost twenty minutes.""
Harold turned toward his wife.
"Victoria?""
She lifted her chin.
"I was discussing a charity event.""
Daniel shook his head.
"You weren't.""
Victoria slammed her palm against the table.
"Young man, you need to be very careful about what you say.""
Benjamin looked at Daniel.
"You're not in trouble for telling the truth.""
Daniel took a breath.
"Thank you, sir.""
Robert closed the email window.
"Mr. Carter, I recommend we suspend the credentials immediately and conduct a full forensic review.""
Benjamin nodded.
"Do it.""
Marcus shifted.
"Sir, I can take care of the administrative side.""
Benjamin looked at him.
"You've already demonstrated how well you take care of it.""
Marcus fell silent.
Naomi watched her father.
He was angry, but he was controlling every word.
She understood why.
This wasn't only about what had happened to her.
Someone had manipulated the hotel systems.
Someone had used his name.
And someone had known she was coming.
Then her phone vibrated.
A message appeared from an unknown number.
*You need to stop asking questions about the hotel.*
Naomi stared at the screen.
Another message arrived.
*Your father doesn't know what happened last time.*
Her blood ran cold.
She looked toward Benjamin.
"Daddy?""
He immediately noticed her expression.
"What is it?""
She handed him the phone.
He read the messages.
His face became still.
Robert leaned over.
"May I?""
Benjamin passed him the device.
Robert examined the number.
"Don't respond.""
Naomi's voice trembled.
"What does that mean? What happened last time?""
Benjamin looked at her.
"I don't know.""
But his answer didn't sound convincing.
She searched his face.
"Daddy, is there something you're not telling me?""
Benjamin looked toward the window.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he sat down.
"Three years ago, before your mother died, she discovered something about one of our properties.""
Naomi's expression softened.
"Mom?""
Benjamin nodded.
"She believed someone inside the company was diverting money from several hotel renovation projects.""
Naomi remembered those months.
Her mother, Lorraine, had been quieter than usual.
She remembered late-night phone calls.
Closed office doors.
Arguments that stopped whenever Naomi entered the room.
"Did she find out who?""
Benjamin shook his head.
"She was preparing to show me something. But before she could, she became ill.""
Naomi looked down.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I thought it was over.""
Robert glanced up from the phone.
"Was the investigation ever completed?""
Benjamin shook his head.
"No. We never found the original financial records.""
Naomi felt a chill.
"Do you think this is connected?""
Benjamin looked at the message again.
"I don't know.""
Then Robert's laptop chimed.
A new file had appeared in the administrative archive.
It was an encrypted folder created under the same temporary credential used to generate Naomi's invitation.
Robert opened the folder.
Inside were dozens of scanned documents.
The first showed renovation payments.
The second showed vendor invoices.
The third contained a list of names.
Benjamin leaned closer.
Then he froze.
Naomi looked at the screen.
"Daddy?""
Benjamin pointed toward the bottom of the page.
There, beside several suspicious payments, was the name of a company that had received more than four million dollars from Carter Hospitality Group.
*Whitmore Strategic Consulting.*
Harold slowly stood.
Victoria's face lost its color.
Benjamin looked at the couple.
"Would either of you care to explain why your company received four million dollars from mine?""
Harold's mouth opened.
No words came out.
Victoria grabbed her handbag.
"Harold, we're leaving.""
Benjamin stood.
"Sit down.""
Victoria glared at him.
"You cannot order me around.""
Benjamin looked toward the door.
"No. But I can ask security to ensure that nobody removes company property or evidence from this room.""
Victoria stopped.
Then Harold spoke.
"Benjamin, I can explain.""
Benjamin looked at him.
"Then explain.""
Harold swallowed.
"The consulting company was created to manage several hotel transition projects. I was told the payments were legitimate.""
"By whom?""
Harold looked toward Victoria.
She stared at him.
"Don't you dare.""
Harold's voice dropped.
"By Evelyn.""
Benjamin closed his eyes.
The name struck harder than he expected.
His sister.
Again.
Robert turned toward him.
"Sir, we need to speak with Evelyn immediately.""
Benjamin nodded.
Then Naomi's phone vibrated again.
This time, there was an attachment.
A photograph.
It showed her mother, Lorraine, sitting in the same conference room.
The photograph was dated three years earlier.
On the back of the image, someone had typed a single sentence:
*Your mother knew who was stealing the money.*
Naomi stared at the picture.
Her hands began to shake.
Benjamin reached for the phone.
May you like
And when he saw the photograph, he whispered a name he hadn't spoken in years.
"Thomas Reed.""
