Chương 8
“And then the money makes me dirty.”
“Yes.”
“Whoever planned this thought about me before I ever saw her.”
“Yes.”
The room suddenly felt less like home. Every object seemed exposed: the mug in the sink, the cheap blinds, the envelope on the counter, the basket of unfolded laundry.
Dominic reached into his coat slowly and placed a business card on the floor between them.
It had only a phone number.
“If anything changes,” he said, “call that.”
“I already have your number.”
“That line is answered even if I can’t.”
“By who?”
“Daniel.”
She bent and picked up the card.
“Why do you trust him?”
“I don’t trust anyone completely.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
“It is.”
He turned toward the stairs.
“Dominic.”
He stopped.
“What did the florist message mean?”
He looked back.
“For B. I am still trying.”
Lena wished she had not asked. The answer was already visible in his face.
“I send flowers to my wife’s grave every Friday,” he said. “I don’t know why. She can’t see them, and she hated white flowers.”
“Then why white tulips?”
“Lily chooses them.”
He went down the stairs without another word.
The next morning, Lena found the pale-blue sweater outside her door again.
This time it came alone.
She wore it to the hospital.
Lily was sitting up, eating applesauce, and arguing with a nurse about the necessity of a blood-pressure cuff.
“It squeezes.”
“That’s its job,” the nurse said.
“It’s rude.”
Lena leaned against the doorway. “You’re allowed to be rude back, but only in your head.”
Lily smiled.
Dominic was asleep in the chair beside the bed, his chin tilted toward his chest. Without the alertness in his eyes, he looked younger and less invulnerable. One hand remained near the mattress.
Lily whispered, “He snores.”
Dominic opened his eyes. “I do not.”
“You did.”
“That was the air vent.”
“The air vent sounded like a bear.”
He sat up, saw Lena, and adjusted his cuffs as if he had merely been resting them.
“You came.”
“You asked.”
“I asked yesterday.”
“She might not have meant forever.”
Lily looked between them. “I meant today.”
A breakfast tray arrived. Lily refused the eggs and ate two pieces of toast. Lena peeled the foil from a packet of strawberry jam while Dominic answered messages on his phone.
His screen never stopped lighting.
“Do you work all the time?” Lily asked.
“Yes.”
“Mom said people who work all the time are hiding.”
Dominic’s thumb stopped.
Lena focused on the jam packet.
“What did she say I was hiding from?” he asked.
“Her.”
A long silence followed.
Lily licked jam from her finger.
Dominic placed his phone facedown.
“What else do you remember about the hotel?” Lena asked.
Dominic looked at her but did not object.
Lily frowned. “The lady cried.”
“What lady?”
“The one with water.”
“Why was she crying?”
“She said she didn’t know.”
“Did she say your name?”
“No. She called me baby.”
“Was she young?”
“Old.”
“How old?”
Lily considered. “Like thirty.”
Lena laughed before she could stop herself.
Dominic looked offended on behalf of adulthood.
“I’m twenty-nine,” Lena said.
Lily inspected her. “You don’t look old.”
“Excellent recovery.”
Dominic almost smiled.
“Did the lady wear a uniform?” Lena asked.
“A green shirt. Her name was…” Lily squeezed her eyes shut. “Mar…”
“Maria?”
“No.”
“Marisol?”
“Maribel.”
Lena knew a Maribel who had worked housekeeping at the Halcyon when Lena catered there. Six years was a long time in hotel work, but not impossible.
“Did she have silver clips in her hair?”
Lily looked surprised. “Butterflies.”
Lena stood.
Dominic stood too.
“What?”
“I know her.”
Maribel Ortega still worked at the Halcyon.
Detective Chen confirmed it within an hour, but Maribel had not reported for her shift since Friday. Her supervisor said she had called in sick. Her apartment was empty, and her sister had not heard from her.
“Does that make her guilty?” Lena asked.
“No,” Chen said over the phone. “It makes her missing from the easiest place to ask questions.”
Dominic arranged to have the hotel’s internal records delivered to his attorney. Chen obtained a warrant for the relevant security footage. The hotel management complained to both sides, which Lena found encouraging. People with something real to lose rarely cooperated cheerfully.
The ballroom had hosted a pharmaceutical sales conference Friday afternoon. Hundreds of employees, contractors, caterers, and hotel staff had moved through its service corridors. Several cameras had been undergoing maintenance after a network upgrade.
“Convenient,” Chen said.
“Planned,” Dominic replied.
They were in a private family lounge at the hospital. Elena Price had insisted Lena sign a confidentiality agreement before being allowed into the discussion. Lena refused. Dominic told Elena to stop asking.
A still image from the loading dock camera lay on the table. It showed a gray van entering at 4:12 p.m. The license plate was obscured by mud.
Daniel pointed to the windshield. “Parking permit.”
The bottom corner held a yellow square.
“Rosetti Logistics,” Dominic said.
Elena folded her hands. “Hundreds of contractors have those permits.”
“Not with a blue stripe,” Daniel said. “Blue is executive fleet.”
Dominic looked at him. “Who issues them?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Vincent’s office.”
No one spoke.
The door opened.
Vincent entered carrying two coffees.
“I heard we were holding a trial without defense counsel.”
He placed one cup in front of Dominic and took the empty chair across from Lena.
Dominic did not touch the coffee.
“Where is Aaron Velez?” he asked.
Vincent sat back. “The temporary driver?”
“The man you approved.”
“I approved the agency.”
“You met him Tuesday.”
“I meet dozens of contractors.”
“Lily saw him bring you papers.”
Vincent’s eyes moved toward the hospital corridor.
“She should not be questioned while medicated.”
“Dr. Shaw was present.”
“Your judgment becomes medical when it helps you.”
Dominic’s voice remained quiet. “Where is he?”
“I’ve had people looking.”
“Your people?”
“Our people.”
May you like
“There is no our right now.”
Vincent looked at Lena. “This is what fear does to him. It makes him theatrical.”
