Chapter 6: The Missing Recording
Thomas Reed stared at the security officer.
“Are you telling me someone accessed my office account?””
The officer nodded.
“Yes, sir.””
“Who?””
“We're still checking the access logs.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Has the original recording been preserved?””
“Yes, Mr. Brooks. We created a protected backup before the deletion request completed.””
“Good. Make another copy and send it directly to independent compliance.””
The officer nodded.
“Immediately.””
Gregory looked toward the elevators.
“I have a meeting.””
Marcus didn't turn.
“Not until we understand what happened.””
Gregory laughed bitterly.
“You cannot detain me.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Nobody is detaining you. But you should understand that attempting to destroy evidence could make this situation considerably worse.””
Gregory adjusted his cuffs.
“I had nothing to do with that deletion.””
Thomas looked at him.
“Then why are you so anxious to leave?””
Gregory's eyes narrowed.
“Careful, Thomas.””
For years, Thomas had been afraid of Gregory.
Gregory controlled regional budgets, staffing decisions, performance reviews, and promotion recommendations. He could make a manager's life difficult with one email.
But today was different.
Today, Thomas had watched a young mother being humiliated in front of hundreds of people.
And he had finally seen what his silence had helped create.
“I'm not afraid of you anymore,” Thomas said.
Gregory stared at him.
“You should be.””
Thomas shook his head.
“That's exactly the problem.””
The security officer returned to his tablet.
“Mr. Reed, we have the login information.””
Thomas looked at him.
“Show me.””
The officer turned the screen around.
The access attempt had come from a workstation inside the executive administration suite.
Gregory frowned.
“That doesn't prove anything.””
Evelyn examined the details.
“Actually, it narrows the list of people who could have initiated the request.””
Thomas looked at her.
“Who has access?””
“Your office administrator, regional operations, and two authorized compliance supervisors.””
Gregory immediately spoke.
“Then it could have been anyone.””
Evelyn nodded.
“Yes. That's why we're reviewing the individual login records.””
She scrolled down.
Then she stopped.
“Interesting.””
Marcus glanced at her.
“What?””
“The deletion request was initiated using a temporary administrator credential.””
Thomas frowned.
“Temporary credentials are generated for maintenance.””
“Correct.””
“Who requested this one?””
Evelyn looked at the screen.
“The request was approved yesterday afternoon.””
“By whom?””
She turned the tablet toward him.
Thomas read the name.
Then he looked up.
“That's impossible.””
Danielle adjusted Amara's blanket.
“What is it?””
Thomas didn't answer immediately.
Evelyn spoke quietly.
“The temporary credential was approved by Gregory Shaw.””
Gregory shook his head.
“I approve dozens of maintenance requests.””
Evelyn continued.
“But the request specifically mentions the atrium security system.””
Gregory looked away.
Marcus turned toward the security officer.
“Can you establish whether the credential was used by Gregory himself?””
“Not yet, sir. We need the building access records.””
“Then get them.””
The officer hurried away.
Vanessa stood near the reception desk, clutching her handbag.
She looked as though she wanted to disappear.
But Marcus noticed her watching Gregory.
He also noticed Gregory watching her.
There was fear between them now.
Not the ordinary fear of being caught in an embarrassing situation.
Something deeper.
Something that suggested they knew more than they were admitting.
Marcus approached Vanessa.
“Miss Whitmore.””
She flinched.
“Yes?””
“Did you know about the attempt to delete the footage?””
“Absolutely not.””
“Did Gregory tell you to contact anyone in security?””
“No.””
“Did you communicate with him before he arrived downstairs?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“I sent him a message.””
“What did you tell him?””
“Nothing important.””
Marcus waited.
Vanessa looked toward Gregory.
He gave her a warning glance.
She looked back at Marcus.
“I told him there was a problem.””
“What problem?””
“That you were here.””
Marcus nodded.
“And what did he say?””
Vanessa pressed her lips together.
“He told me to stay quiet.””
Marcus turned toward Evelyn.
“Please preserve her message records too.””
Vanessa immediately protested.
“You can't just take my phone!””
Evelyn remained calm.
“We aren't taking your phone. We're requesting that you preserve relevant communications while the investigation proceeds.””
Vanessa looked furious.
“I don't have to cooperate with this.””
Marcus nodded.
“That's your decision.””
He stepped away.
But Danielle had been watching Vanessa closely.
“Can I ask you something?””
Vanessa turned.
“What?””
“Why did you hit me?””
Vanessa scoffed.
“I already told you. You walked into me.””
Danielle shook her head.
“I apologized. I didn't insult you. I didn't touch you. I was carrying my baby.””
Vanessa looked away.
Danielle continued.
“You didn't know who my father was. You didn't know what company he owned. You didn't know anything about me.””
She paused.
“Would you have treated me differently if I had been wearing a designer dress?””
Vanessa said nothing.
“Would you have treated me differently if I had walked in carrying an expensive handbag instead of this one?””
Danielle glanced at her worn leather tote.
Vanessa finally responded.
“I'm not going to stand here and be lectured.””
Danielle's eyes filled again.
“Then maybe you should have thought about that before you decided I wasn't worth respecting.””
For a moment, even Vanessa seemed unable to respond.
Marcus gently touched Danielle's shoulder.
“That's enough, sweetheart.””
She nodded.
He turned toward the hotel staff.
“Can someone arrange a private room where my daughter can feed her baby comfortably?””
Thomas immediately responded.
“Of course. We'll prepare the presidential suite.””
Danielle looked uncomfortable.
“I don't need a presidential suite.””
Marcus smiled faintly.
“I know.””
He turned toward Thomas.
“An ordinary private room will do. And please make sure the staff understands that nobody is to disturb her.””
Thomas nodded.
“Absolutely.””
A female employee approached Danielle.
“Miss Brooks, I can show you to the family lounge. It's quiet, and we have everything you'll need.””
Danielle smiled.
“Thank you.””
Before she could leave, Monica stepped forward.
“Miss Brooks?””
Danielle turned.
Monica looked close to tears.
“I owe you an apology.””
Danielle remained silent.
Monica continued.
“I saw what happened. I knew you hadn't done anything wrong. And I still let Richard tell you to leave.””
“Why?””
Monica looked down.
“Because I was scared.””
Danielle adjusted her baby.
“Scared of losing your job?””
Monica nodded.
“I have two children. I'm the only person earning money at home. I kept telling myself that staying quiet was the safest thing to do.””
Danielle's expression softened slightly.
“I understand being afraid.””
Monica looked up.
“But that doesn't excuse what I did.””
“No,” Danielle said.
“It doesn't.””
Monica wiped her eyes.
“I'll tell the investigators everything.””
Danielle nodded.
“Then tell them the truth.””
Monica stepped aside.
Danielle followed the employee toward the family lounge.
Marcus watched her go.
He waited until she was out of earshot before turning toward Thomas.
“Now I want to discuss something else.””
Thomas straightened.
“Yes, sir.””
“Your management structure.””
Thomas nodded.
“I understand.””
Marcus looked toward the reception desk.
“Your employees knew Vanessa had influence. They knew Richard would protect her. They knew Monica was afraid to speak. And they knew a woman could be slapped in front of everyone without consequences.””
Thomas lowered his head.
“I won't defend that.””
“Good. Because I don't want excuses.””
Marcus turned toward Evelyn.
“Have the board begin an independent review of the entire regional operation. Not just this hotel.””
Evelyn typed something into her tablet.
“Understood.””
Gregory suddenly interrupted.
“You can't use one incident to dismantle an entire management team.””
Marcus looked at him.
“I'm not.””
“Then what are you doing?””
“Examining a system that allowed this to happen.””
Gregory scoffed.
“Your daughter was involved in a disagreement. That doesn't mean the entire organization is corrupt.””
Marcus looked at the folder.
“Then you should have no problem with an independent investigation.””
Gregory had no answer.
At that moment, the security officer returned.
“Mr. Reed, we found something.””
Thomas turned.
“What?””
“The maintenance access credential was used from the executive administration suite at 10:18 a.m.””
“Who was in that area?””
The officer checked the report.
“According to the access records, three people entered within the relevant time window.””
He read the names.
“Mr. Shaw. Ms.
Whitmore. And the hotel's executive assistant.””
Vanessa immediately shook her head.
“I never went near the security system.””
Gregory looked toward the officer.
“Can you prove who used the computer?””
“Not yet.””
The officer opened another screen.
“But there's something else.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“What?””
“The system recorded a second request. Someone attempted to export the footage to an external storage device before initiating the deletion.””
Evelyn frowned.
“Was the export successful?””
“No. The request was blocked.””
Thomas exhaled.
“Thank goodness.””
The officer continued.
“But the system captured the destination device identifier.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Can we trace it?””
“Yes, sir.””
“Do that.””
The officer nodded and stepped away.
Gregory checked his watch.
“I have nothing further to discuss.””
Marcus didn't stop him.
Instead, he said:
“Before you leave, remember something. The recording is preserved. The witness has spoken.
The payment records exist. And the investigation is no longer limited to what happened in this lobby.””
Gregory stared at him.
Then he walked toward the elevators.
Vanessa remained behind.
She looked at her phone again.
A new message appeared from Gregory.
*Gregory:* We need to meet tonight. Bring the original contract.
Vanessa typed a response.
*Vanessa:* I don't have it.
His reply came instantly.
*Gregory:* Don't lie to me. You know what happens if they find it.
Vanessa's fingers trembled.
She deleted the notification.
But she hadn't noticed that Evelyn was standing nearby.
Evelyn had seen the message.
And when Vanessa finally looked up, Evelyn was already speaking into her phone.
“Mr. Brooks, there's another development.””
Marcus turned.
“What is it?””
Evelyn lowered her voice.
“Vanessa appears to have received a message from Gregory about an original contract.””
Marcus frowned.
“What contract?””
Evelyn looked toward the document case.
“I believe it may be the agreement authorizing the consulting payments.””
Marcus considered this for a moment.
“Can we establish whether that agreement was properly signed?””
Evelyn nodded.
“We can request the original.””
Then Monica, who had been standing near the reception desk, spoke again.
“Mr. Brooks?””
Marcus turned.
“What is it?””
Monica looked frightened.
“I know where the original contract is.””
Evelyn stepped closer.
“Where?””
Monica swallowed.
“In the locked records room behind Gregory's office.””
Thomas frowned.
“Why would it be there?””
Monica looked toward the elevators.
“Because I was the one who put it there.””
Marcus waited.
Monica's voice dropped.
“And there's something you need to know about the signature on that contract.””
Evelyn opened her tablet.
“What signature?””
Monica looked directly at Marcus.
“The ownership authorization.””
She paused.
“It wasn't signed by you.””
Marcus went completely still.
“Then whose signature was it?””
Monica's answer sent a chill through the room.
“It was your daughter's.””
And Danielle, who had just returned from the family lounge carrying her sleeping newborn, stopped walking.
Because she had never signed any hotel contract.
May you like
Not once.
Not in her life.
