Chapter 2 - Room Seventeen
Vincent moved Khloe behind him.
“Stay there.”
The command was quiet, but she obeyed.
He opened the door.
Room 17 wasn’t a storage room.
It was an office.
A hidden one.
Three computer monitors glowed against the far wall. Filing cabinets lined the room. A small security camera pointed toward the doorway.
And sitting beside a desk was a terrified young man Khloe recognized immediately.
“Evan?”
Evan Pierce worked in accounting.
Or at least he had until three weeks earlier.
Chad had announced that Evan had resigned without notice.
Evan looked exhausted. His shirt was wrinkled and his face was pale.
“Close the door.”
Vincent didn’t move.
“Why?”
“Because Wilkins has cameras everywhere.”
Khloe stepped inside.
“You quit.”
Evan laughed bitterly.
“No. I found something.”
He pointed toward the monitors.
Khloe stared at them.
Rows of financial transactions filled the screens.
“Chad’s been moving money through shell vendors for years,” Evan said. “Fake renovation invoices. Fake suppliers. Fake consulting contracts.”
Khloe felt the room tilt.
“How much?”
“I stopped counting after eleven million.”
Vincent’s expression changed slightly.
“Whose money?”
“Investors. Partners. Some of it belongs to people who don’t forgive accounting mistakes.”
Vincent understood immediately.
Khloe did not need anyone to explain.
“Why am I involved?”
Evan looked at her employee badge.
“Because I put the access code on your card.”
Khloe stared at him.
“You?”
“I needed someone Chad wouldn’t suspect.”
“You used me?”
“I was trying to protect the evidence.”
“You could have destroyed my life.”
“I know.”
Khloe’s anger rose.
“Tonight he accused me of theft!”
“I didn’t know he would do that.”
Vincent interrupted.
“The missing envelope.”
Evan nodded.
“It contains copies of transactions linking Chad directly to the accounts.”
“And the bracelet?”
“No idea.”
Khloe folded her arms.
“So Chad thinks I have the envelope because you gave me access to this room.”
“Yes.”
“Why scratch the number onto my badge?”
“In case something happened to me.”
Something cold passed through Khloe.
“What happened to you?”
Evan glanced toward the camera.
“I tried to go to the authorities.”
Vincent stepped closer.
“And?”
“Someone followed me home.”
Khloe’s anger disappeared.
Evan opened a drawer and removed a flash drive.
“Everything is here.”
Vincent didn’t take it.
“Give it to Khloe.”
She looked at him.
“Why me?”
“Because Chad has spent the last hour telling a room full of witnesses that you steal things.”
She understood.
If Vincent took the drive, Chad could claim it had been planted.
If Khloe found it inside the room her badge unlocked, the story became more complicated.
Evan handed it to her.
Footsteps sounded outside.
Vincent raised one finger.
Silence.
Someone tried the handle.
Locked.
Then Chad’s voice came through the door.
“Khloe.”
Her stomach tightened.
“I know you’re in there.”
Vincent looked toward the security camera.
“Does he have another entrance?”
Evan shook his head.
“No.”
Chad knocked.
“You’re making this worse.”
Khloe looked at Vincent.
He gave her no instruction.
This was her decision.
She walked toward the door.
“What do you want?”
“My property.”
“You accused me of stealing it.”
“Because you did.”
“Then call the police.”
Silence.
Khloe smiled for the first time that night.
“You don’t want police anywhere near this room, do you?”
Chad’s voice changed.
“Khloe, listen carefully. You have no idea who you're dealing with.”
Vincent almost smiled.
Khloe noticed.
Apparently Chad had forgotten who was standing beside her.
“Actually,” Khloe said, “I’m beginning to understand.”
Chad hit the door.
Evan flinched.
“Open it!”
Vincent stepped forward.
“Walk away, Chad.”
Silence.
Then:
“Moretti?”
Vincent’s voice became colder.
“You grabbed her once tonight. That was your free mistake.”
Chad backed away from the door.
They heard his footsteps retreat.
Evan exhaled.
Khloe looked at Vincent.
“Why are you helping me?”
It was the question she had been avoiding.
Vincent studied her for several seconds.
“Because I watched a man accuse you without evidence.”
“That doesn’t explain this.”
“No.”
“And you barely know me.”
“That’s true.”
“Then why?”
Vincent looked at the flash drive in her hand.
“Because Chad stole from me too.”
Khloe froze.
Vincent explained that one of the investment groups financing Wilkins Hospitality had quietly included money from a legitimate Moretti development company.
Three million dollars had disappeared through inflated construction contracts.
Vincent had attended the party because he already suspected Chad.
He had not expected Chad to expose himself publicly.
“You knew something was wrong before tonight?”
“I suspected.”
“And you let me walk into this?”
“I didn’t know you were involved.”
“I’m not involved.”
“I know.”
His certainty startled her.
“How?”
“Guilty people don’t usually demand that someone call the police.”
Evan interrupted.
“We need to copy the server before Chad wipes it remotely.”
He sat at the computer.
A progress bar appeared.
12%.
Khloe watched the door.
“What happens after we get this?”
“Authorities,” Evan said.
Vincent nodded.
“Lawyers first. Then authorities.”
Khloe looked at him suspiciously.
“You really expect me to believe the mafia king wants lawyers?”
For the first time, Vincent laughed.
It was brief.
“Most expensive men I employ.”
Despite everything, Khloe almost laughed too.
The progress bar reached 61%.
Then every monitor went black.
Evan stood.
“No.”
“What happened?”
“He killed the connection.”
Emergency lights flickered on.
Somewhere upstairs, an alarm began ringing.
Vincent immediately looked toward the door.
“Fire alarm.”
Evan shook his head.
“There’s no fire.”
Khloe understood.
“He’s evacuating the building.”
Vincent opened the door.
The corridor was empty.
Then his phone vibrated.
One of his security men spoke urgently through the speaker.
Vincent’s face hardened.
“What?”
He listened.
Then looked at Khloe.
“What happened?” she asked.
Vincent ended the call.
“The police just arrived.”
Khloe exhaled with relief.
But Vincent didn’t look relieved.
“They’re not here for Chad.”
May you like
He looked at the flash drive in her hand.
“They have a warrant for you.”
