Chapter 6: The Photograph From Inside His House
Daniel locked the balcony door.
Then he checked every window in the suite.
Lily stood behind him, clutching the hem of his jacket.
"Daddy, where's Teddy?""
He turned immediately.
"We'll find him, princess.""
"Did someone take him?""
Daniel knelt.
"Maybe he fell somewhere. Daddy will look.""
Lily's lower lip trembled.
"He can't sleep without me.""
Daniel hugged her.
"I know.""
He took out his phone and called Michael.
"Get upstairs. Now.""
"What's happened, sir?""
"Someone entered the suite or accessed the balcony. I need security at every entrance.""
"I'm on my way.""
Daniel ended the call and looked at the photograph again.
It had been taken inside his home.
He recognized the bedroom.
The blue curtains Clara had chosen.
The little wooden shelf above Lily's bed.
The yellow night-light shaped like a moon.
The photograph had been taken from beside the wardrobe.
Someone had been inside his daughter's bedroom.
His hands began to shake.
He called the police.
Then he called his home security company.
Within minutes, Michael arrived with two guards.
"Sir?""
Daniel handed him the photograph.
Michael studied it.
"Is this Lily's bedroom?""
"Yes.""
"Who has access to the house?""
"Me. The housekeeper. You. The security team.""
Michael looked at the photograph again.
"Anyone else?""
Daniel thought.
Then his stomach tightened.
"Margaret.""
Michael looked up.
"Mrs. Collins?""
"She has visited the house before.""
"When?""
"Several times after Clara died. She helped with Lily.""
Michael's expression changed.
"Should I contact the housekeeper?""
"Already do it. I want every access record from the past thirty days.""
Michael nodded.
Daniel turned toward the guards.
"Nobody enters this suite without my permission. And I want someone watching the elevators.""
One guard nodded.
"Understood, sir.""
Lily tugged at his jacket.
"Daddy?""
"Yes?""
"Can I have Mommy's picture?""
Daniel looked at her.
She was still upset about Teddy, but she was trying not to cry.
He picked up the framed photograph and handed it to her.
She pressed it against her chest.
"Mommy will help us find him.""
Daniel kissed her forehead.
"Maybe she will.""
Twenty minutes later, Evelyn arrived with a police officer.
Officer James Miller was in his late forties, with a calm voice and a notebook tucked beneath his arm.
He examined the balcony, the tray, and the photograph.
"Have you touched anything else?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Only the paper and the photograph.""
"Did you see anyone enter the room?""
"No.""
"Any unusual noises?""
"Someone knocked. Room service claimed there was an order for my daughter.""
Officer Miller looked at the tray.
"Do you have a record of the order?""
Daniel turned toward Michael.
"Find out who delivered it.""
Michael nodded.
Evelyn stepped closer.
"Officer, we also have evidence of possible corporate fraud involving forged documents.""
Miller glanced at her.
"Is it connected to this incident?""
"We don't know yet.""
Daniel handed him the photograph.
"This was taken inside my house. Someone has been watching my daughter.""
The officer studied it carefully.
"Do you recognize the person who took it?""
"No.""
"Anyone who might want to frighten you?""
Daniel looked toward the closed door.
"Several people.""
Evelyn opened her briefcase.
"Officer, I have a preliminary report showing unauthorized transfers from a company account.""
Miller glanced at the papers.
"How much money?""
"Approximately two million dollars over eighteen months. We haven't completed the audit.""
Daniel looked at her.
"Two million?""
Evelyn nodded.
"Funds were transferred through three consulting companies. All three share the same registered mailing address.""
"Which address?""
She handed him a page.
Daniel read it.
Then he looked up.
It was the address of Richard and Margaret Collins's private office.
"Call the bank," he said.
Evelyn shook her head.
"We need a formal preservation order before the records can be fully released.""
"Then get one.""
"I've already started.""
Officer Miller closed his notebook.
"Mr. Bennett, I recommend you take your daughter somewhere secure tonight.""
Daniel looked at Lily.
"Can we go home, Daddy?""
He brushed her hair away from her face.
"Not yet, sweetheart.""
"Why?""
"Because I want to make sure everything is safe first.""
She nodded.
Then she whispered:
"Can we sleep with the lights on?""
Daniel's throat tightened.
"Absolutely.""
Meanwhile, in the private office upstairs, Richard Collins was pacing.
Margaret sat behind the desk, holding a glass of water.
"You shouldn't have brought that document downstairs," Richard said.
She looked up.
"You told me the amendment was ready.""
"It was ready.""
"Then why is Daniel still controlling everything?""
Richard slammed his hand against the desk.
"Because you couldn't keep your mouth shut!""
Margaret stood.
"Don't blame me.""
"You told him about Clara.""
"I didn't tell him anything important.""
"You told him enough.""
Margaret walked toward the window.
"He was going to discover it anyway.""
Richard laughed bitterly.
"Not if you'd followed the plan.""
She turned.
"What plan?""
"The one where he signs the transfer agreement tomorrow and leaves the hotel permanently.""
Margaret shook her head.
"He's never going to sign.""
"He will if we give him the right reason.""
Richard opened a drawer and removed a folder.
Inside were photographs of Daniel, Lily, and the hotel.
Margaret stared.
"Where did you get those?""
"Someone has been watching him.""
"Richard...""
He placed another photograph on the desk.
It showed Eleanor Bennett entering a small apartment building.
Margaret's face changed.
"She's back?""
Richard nodded.
"Apparently.""
Margaret lowered her voice.
"Does Daniel know?""
"Not yet.""
She looked at the photograph.
"Then we need to find her before he does.""
Richard closed the folder.
"And this time, Margaret, nobody makes a mistake.""
Back in Suite 701, Daniel was speaking to his mother again.
Eleanor had refused to explain anything over the phone.
She insisted they meet in person.
"I need to see you," she said.
"Then come to the hotel.""
"No.""
"Why not?""
"Because I don't trust the people there.""
Daniel looked toward the door.
"Mom, somebody entered my daughter's bedroom.""
Eleanor gasped.
"What?""
"They left a photograph. They threatened Lily.""
"Oh, Daniel...""
Her voice broke.
"Then it's already happening again.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
"Tell me what happened to Clara.""
His mother was silent.
Then she spoke slowly.
"Your wife discovered that Richard had been transferring money from the hotel accounts. At first, she thought it was a bookkeeping error. She asked him to explain.""
Daniel remembered Clara mentioning irregular expenses once.
He had been traveling at the time.
She had promised to handle it.
"I never knew.""
"She didn't want to worry you. She thought she could fix it quietly.""
"And you helped her?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because she was my daughter-in-law. And because I loved her.""
Daniel sat down.
"What happened next?""
Eleanor took a shaky breath.
"She found something worse than the missing money.""
"What?""
"Richard had been using a private account connected to a company that didn't exist on paper. Money was being transferred into it every month.""
"Who owned the account?""
"I never found out.""
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
"Why didn't you go to the police?""
"We tried.""
"Who is we?""
"Clara and I.""
Daniel froze.
"When?""
"Two days before the accident.""
His heart began beating faster.
"What accident?""
Eleanor started crying.
"The night Clara died.""
Daniel stood.
"Mom, Clara's death was caused by a medical emergency. That's what the doctors told me.""
"I know.""
"Then why are you talking about an accident?""
"Because I don't believe it was one.""
Daniel gripped the phone.
"Are you saying someone killed my wife?""
"I don't know.""
"Did you see something?""
"I was supposed to meet her that night. She called me and said she had found the final piece of evidence.""
Daniel's voice became barely audible.
"What happened?""
"She never arrived.""
He looked at the photograph of Clara on the bedside table.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because someone sent me a message the following morning.""
"What message?""
Eleanor's voice dropped.
"They said if I told you what Clara had discovered, Lily would be next.""
Daniel felt as though the air had disappeared from the room.
For two years, his mother had allowed him to believe she had abandoned them.
She had stayed silent while he buried his wife.
While he raised their daughter alone.
While he spent sleepless nights wondering whether he could ever make Lily feel safe again.
"Where are you now?"" he asked.
"In a small apartment outside the city.""
"Send me the address.""
"No.""
"Mom.""
"Daniel, listen. I have something Clara gave me before she died.""
"What?""
"A recording.""
He stopped breathing.
"Of what?""
"Her final conversation with someone.""
"Who?""
Eleanor hesitated.
Then she whispered:
"Your father.""
Daniel's eyes widened.
"My father has been dead for eight years.""
"I know.""
"Then how could Clara have spoken to him?""
His mother began crying again.
"Because the man we buried wasn't your father.""
Daniel sat down heavily.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
Then he heard a sound outside the suite.
A soft metallic click.
He turned toward the door.
"Mom, stay on the phone.""
"What is it?""
"Someone's outside.""
He approached the entrance.
Michael stood in the corridor, speaking to a security guard.
Daniel opened the door.
"Michael?""
The driver turned.
"Sir?""
"Did you hear something?""
Michael shook his head.
"No, sir.""
Then a voice came from inside the suite.
"Daddy?""
Daniel spun around.
Lily was standing beside the bed.
She was holding something in her tiny hand.
It was a small brass key.
Daniel recognized it immediately.
It was the key to Clara's old writing desk.
The desk that had disappeared from Suite 701 after her death.
"Where did you get that, sweetheart?""
Lily pointed toward the wardrobe.
"From the little box.""
Daniel approached.
"What little box?""
She pointed again.
Behind the wardrobe, a narrow wooden panel stood slightly open.
Daniel pulled it back.
Inside was a small hidden compartment.
And inside that compartment sat a black leather notebook, a sealed envelope, and a tiny digital recorder.
Daniel recognized Clara's handwriting on the envelope.
*For Daniel. If Lily finds this, make sure she knows her mother loved her.*
His hands trembled as he opened it.
There was only one sentence inside.
The truth about your father is in the recording. But don't trust the man who brings it to you.
Daniel slowly looked toward Michael.
His driver was standing perfectly still.
And for the first time in twenty years, Daniel noticed something strange about the small silver ring Michael wore on his right hand.
It was identical to the one his father had worn.
Michael looked down at it.
May you like
Then he whispered:
"Mr. Bennett, I think it's time you knew who I really am.""
