Chapter 13 - Room 1908.
Luca left the stage without explaining anything to the guests.
Cross intercepted him near the ballroom doors.
"My team is checking every exit."
"She did not leave the building."
"How do you know?"
"Victoria wants the trust."
Luca looked toward the upper floors.
"She still believes Noah is upstairs."
They reached the nineteenth floor by service stairs because the elevators had been disabled.
The fake carrier was still inside the family suite.
One guard lay unconscious beside the door.
Marcus was gone.
Luca found Emily's earring in the hallway outside Room 1908.
He tried the handle.
Locked.
Cross prepared to force entry.
Luca stopped him when voices came through the door.
Victoria was speaking.
"Your mother should have taught you when to surrender."
Emily answered, breathless but defiant.
"My mother taught me exactly what kind of woman you are."
Cross activated a recording device.
Inside the room, Emily sat tied to a chair.
Marcus stood near the window.
Victoria held the original trust amendment.
Margaret had deliberately allowed a convincing duplicate to be stolen earlier that evening.
Victoria believed it was real.
"Tell me where Noah is," she said.
"No."
"Then I will find him without you."
Emily looked at Marcus.
"She'll discard you too."
Marcus laughed.
"I have been paid very well."
"So was everyone in the ledger."
His smile faded.
Emily continued.
"Ask her what happened to the last man who knew too much."
Victoria slapped the arm of the chair.
"Enough."
Emily had succeeded in making her angry.
"Did you order Gabriel's death?"
Victoria stared at her.
"Gabriel chose a child over this family."
Outside the door, Luca closed his eyes.
Cross kept recording.
Emily pushed again.
"And Noah?"
Victoria's voice became colder.
"Noah is a signature with a heartbeat."
"If he disappears, the company stays yours."
"Exactly."
Cross looked at Luca.
They had what they needed.
Then Marcus opened the door from inside.
He had heard a sound in the hall.
Cross moved first.
Federal agents rushed the room.
Marcus tried to escape through the adjoining suite but was tackled before reaching the second door.
Luca crossed directly to Emily and cut her restraints.
Victoria backed toward the window.
"You recorded me."
Luca looked at her with exhausted disgust.
"You finally told the truth."
Cross placed her under arrest.
For one second, victory seemed complete.
Then Victoria smiled.
"You still think the baby is safe."
Luca's expression changed.
Victoria nodded toward Marcus's fallen phone.
A message glowed on the screen.
PACKAGE RECOVERED FROM BROOKLYN.
May you like
Cross grabbed his radio.
No one at the safe house answered.
