Chapter 2 - Room 814
“Who is Marcus Vale?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Claire stood near the bed with Jonah against her chest while the question hung between them.
“Daniel.”
“I can explain.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because you don't have the whole story.”
“Then give it to me.”
Daniel looked toward the window.
Morning light had begun spreading across the bedroom floor.
For years, Claire had loved sunrise in this room.
They had chosen the house partly because of it.
Now the light felt invasive.
“Marcus works with Vanessa,” Daniel said.
“Doing what?”
“Consulting.”
“What kind?”
“Corporate restructuring.”
Claire studied him.
Daniel was a financial analyst for Harrington & Pierce, a private investment firm in Manhattan. His work was demanding but ordinary enough that Claire rarely asked for details.
Numbers.
Acquisitions.
Risk assessments.
Nothing that should have involved secret hotel meetings.
“Why was he in the room?”
“I didn't know he was coming.”
Claire's phone remained against her ear.
Anthony Bell was still there.
“Mrs. Mercer?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“I think it would be better if you came to the hotel.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Claire stared at him.
“Why?”
Anthony answered instead.
“Because what happened last night may involve more than a personal matter.”
Daniel's jaw tightened.
Claire felt a new kind of fear.
“What does that mean?”
“We have footage showing Mr. Mercer entering the room at 9:18 p.m. Ms. Reed entered approximately six minutes later.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Daniel whispered, “Claire.”
She raised one hand.
Anthony continued.
“At 10:07, a third person entered.”
“Marcus.”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“We cannot responsibly explain everything over the phone.”
“Why not?”
“Because the police have requested copies of our security footage.”
Claire opened her eyes.
Daniel had gone completely still.
“The police?”
“Yes.”
Claire looked at her husband.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
“Daniel.”
“I didn't commit a crime.”
Anthony spoke again.
“Mrs. Mercer, I strongly recommend that you speak privately with your husband before coming here.”
Claire almost laughed.
Privacy.
That concept seemed ridiculous now.
“Thank you,” she said.
She ended the call.
Daniel immediately began speaking.
“Marcus showed up unexpectedly.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I swear I'm not.”
Claire walked toward Jonah's bassinet.
She carefully placed the sleeping baby inside.
Then she turned around.
For the first time that morning, her hands were empty.
Daniel seemed to notice.
Maybe that made him think she was ready to listen.
“Vanessa called because she had information about my company.”
Claire frowned.
“What information?”
“She said someone inside Harrington & Pierce was manipulating client accounts.”
“What does that have to do with you?”
“She said my name appeared in documents.”
Claire stared at him.
“What documents?”
“I didn't know until last night.”
Daniel sat on the edge of a chair.
He suddenly looked exhausted.
“Vanessa told me she believed someone was using my authorization credentials.”
Claire's anger temporarily gave way to confusion.
“You thought someone was committing fraud under your name?”
“Yes.”
“And you didn't tell me?”
“I didn't want to scare you.”
“Stop saying things like that.”
Daniel looked up.
“You didn't protect me by lying. You protected yourself from having an uncomfortable conversation.”
He nodded slowly.
“You're right.”
That admission almost irritated her more.
“Why a hotel?”
“Vanessa said she had documents she couldn't email.”
“And the lipstick?”
Daniel touched his collar.
“She hugged me when I arrived.”
Claire stared.
“That explains a mark on your collar. Not spending the night.”
Daniel looked toward the bassinet.
“Marcus arrived and demanded the documents.”
“What happened?”
“He threatened Vanessa.”
“With what?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Exposure.”
“For?”
“I don't know everything.”
Claire folded her arms.
“Try.”
Daniel exhaled.
“Vanessa used to work for a consulting company called Vale Strategic. Marcus owns it.”
“Her boss?”
“Former boss.”
Daniel explained that Vanessa had discovered suspicious transactions between Vale Strategic and several investment firms, including Harrington & Pierce. She believed someone was diverting money through shell companies.
“And my credentials were attached to three transfers,” Daniel said.
“How much?”
“Almost four million dollars.”
Claire stared at him.
For several seconds, she forgot about Vanessa.
“You're saying someone stole four million dollars using your name?”
“Possibly.”
“Possibly?”
“I haven't verified the documents.”
“Why didn't you call your company?”
“Because if someone inside the company is involved, calling the wrong person could destroy the evidence.”
Claire walked toward the window.
Everything had changed again.
She hated that.
Five minutes earlier, she had known exactly what had happened.
Her husband had cheated.
Now there were competing possibilities, and none erased what he had done.
Even if Daniel hadn't slept with Vanessa, he had lied.
He had abandoned Claire and Jonah during the most vulnerable days of their lives.
That remained true.
“What happened after Marcus arrived?”
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“He demanded Vanessa's laptop. She refused. They argued.”
“And you?”
“I tried to get him out.”
“Did you?”
“Eventually.”
“Why didn't you come home?”
Daniel's expression darkened.
“Because Vanessa collapsed.”
Claire stared at him.
“What?”
“She'd taken something.”
“Drugs?”
“I don't know. Medication, maybe. She stopped responding.”
“You called an ambulance?”
“Yes.”
Claire remembered the security manager mentioning police.
“What happened to her?”
“She was taken to Mount Sinai.”
“Is she alive?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“I called the hospital.”
Claire looked at the clock.
6:21 a.m.
“Then why didn't you call me?”
Daniel had no answer good enough.
He knew it.
Claire knew it.
Finally he said, “I panicked.”
Claire nodded.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The truth.”
Daniel frowned.
“You didn't protect me. You didn't lose track of time. You panicked.”
He lowered his head.
“And when things became difficult, you chose yourself.”
Daniel stood.
“Claire—”
“No.”
She pointed toward the suitcase.
“You're still leaving.”
“Even after everything I just told you?”
“Especially after everything you just told me.”
His expression changed.
“You don't believe me?”
“I believe some of it.”
“That isn't fair.”
Claire stared at him.
“Fair?”
Daniel immediately regretted the word.
She walked closer.
“You left your eleven-day-old son and your recovering wife because an ex-girlfriend called. You lied about where you were going. You stayed with her all night. You came home smelling like her. And now I've learned that police are involved in something connected to your job.”
Daniel looked down.
“I may eventually understand why you did it.”
Claire's voice softened.
“But understanding isn't trust.”
He looked at her.
“And I don't trust you.”
That landed.
Daniel slowly picked up the suitcase.
He stopped beside Jonah's bassinet.
“Can I say goodbye to him?”
Claire hesitated.
Daniel waited.
Finally she nodded.
He approached.
Jonah slept with one tiny fist beside his cheek.
Daniel touched one finger to his son's hand.
The baby's fingers reflexively closed around it.
Daniel's eyes filled.
“Hey, buddy.”
Claire turned away.
She didn't want to watch.
“I'll fix this,” Daniel whispered.
Claire closed her eyes.
Daniel kissed Jonah's forehead.
Then he lifted the suitcase.
At the doorway, he looked back.
“I'm going to Ethan's.”
Claire nodded.
“I won't contact you unless you contact me first.”
“Thank you.”
Daniel left.
The front door closed downstairs.
Claire stood motionless.
Then she cried.
Not loudly.
There was no dramatic collapse.
She simply sank onto the bed and covered her mouth while tears ran between her fingers.
Eleven days earlier, Daniel had kissed her forehead in a hospital room and promised they would figure out parenthood together.
Now she couldn't imagine what together meant.
Jonah stirred.
Claire wiped her face and lifted him.
“It's okay,” she whispered.
She wasn't sure whether she meant him or herself.
At 7:03, her mother called.
Claire didn't answer.
At 7:19, Ethan texted.
Daniel is here. I won't bother you. Just wanted you to know he's safe.
Claire appreciated that.
She responded with two words.
Thank you.
At 8:11, she received an email from an address she didn't recognize.
Subject:
ROOM 814.
Claire stared at it.
The message contained no text.
Only an attachment.
A photograph.
She opened it.
Three people stood inside the hotel room.
Daniel.
Vanessa.
Marcus Vale.
The image appeared to have been taken secretly.
Daniel stood near the window.
Vanessa was holding a folder.
Marcus faced them.
But Claire barely noticed any of that.
She zoomed in.
On the desk behind Vanessa was a printed financial document.
Across the top was the Harrington & Pierce logo.
Below it were several names.
One belonged to Daniel.
Another belonged to Marcus.
And the third belonged to Claire.
Her blood went cold.
Claire had never worked for Harrington & Pierce.
She had never met Marcus Vale.
She enlarged the photograph again.
Beside her name was an account number.
And beneath that were three words.
AUTHORIZED BENEFICIARY: CLAIRE MERCER.
Then another email arrived.
This one contained only a sentence.
Ask your husband what happened to the $3.8 million.
Claire stared at the screen.
A knock sounded downstairs.
She wasn't expecting anyone.
The knock came again.
May you like
Then a man's voice called through the front door.
“Mrs. Mercer? Federal agents. We need to speak with you.”
