Chapter 1 - The Door at the End of the Lounge
The first thing Emilio Vega heard was his daughter screaming his name.
The second was Tessa Lang saying, "Relax. It was just a joke."
Ava was seven years old, barefoot, shaking, and wedged halfway inside the narrow service closet behind the reception lounge. Her silver party dress was torn at the shoulder. One knee was bleeding. Her hands were so cold they looked gray.
Emilio pulled her free and lowered her beside Marcus Hale, the only member of his security team he trusted without question.
"Ava, look at me," Emilio said.
She did, but only for a second. Her eyes went past Tessa.
Toward Calvin Reed.
"Uncle Calvin held the door shut."
The room went dead quiet.
Calvin's face tightened. "Kid, that's not what happened."
Tessa lunged toward Ava. "She's confused."
Emilio knocked Tessa's hand away.
"Don't touch her."
Tessa slapped him first.
The sound cracked across the marble.
Emilio stared at her.
Then he hit her once with an open hand.
Tessa spun into the decorative ice sculpture beside the bar. Her shoulder crashed through its center. Ice exploded across the floor, and she dropped beside the broken pedestal, soaked and stunned.
Calvin roared and charged.
Emilio slipped the wild swing and drove one hard counterpunch into his upper body.
Calvin flew backward into the cedar cigar display. Cabinet doors burst open. Wooden boxes and trays crashed around him.
Marcus stepped between Emilio and the guests.
"Enough," he warned. "Ava needs you."
That brought Emilio back.
He turned immediately.
Ava was crying without sound.
He crossed the wreckage and knelt in front of her. "I'm here."
Her little fingers locked around his jacket.
Tessa pushed herself upright. "You just assaulted us in front of two hundred witnesses."
"You locked my daughter in a closet."
"It was thirty seconds."
Ava whispered, "It was dark for a long time."
Calvin spat blood onto the marble. "She hid during the game. We found her. End of story."
Emilio stood.
"She said you weren't alone."
Neither Tessa nor Calvin answered.
"Start naming names."
Again, silence.
Then both of them made the same mistake.
Before looking at each other, they glanced toward the closed service door at the far end of the lounge.
Emilio saw it.
So did Marcus.
Marcus reached under his jacket.
Emilio put Ava behind him.
May you like
The brass handle on the service door slowly began to turn.
And someone on the other side whispered, "They know."
