Chapter 2 - The Hotel Room Was Empty

Alexander left the ballroom without saying goodbye to anyone.

Mrs. Bell went with him.

So did I.

Victoria followed three steps behind.

Nobody spoke in the elevator.

Alexander held the baby book against his chest.

Like it might disappear if he loosened his grip.

The hotel was five minutes away.

Room 814.

Alexander knocked once.

Then twice.

Nothing.

He looked at Victoria.

“Open it.”

“I don’t have a key.”

Mrs. Bell whispered:

“They were expecting me.”

Alexander called the front desk.

The manager arrived.

The door opened.

The room was empty.

Two cups of tea sat on the table.

Still warm.

A suitcase lay open on the bed.

Women’s clothing.

A gray sweater.

A blue scarf.

One photograph was missing from the bedside frame.

Alexander stepped farther inside.

“Where are they?”

Victoria looked pale.

“I don’t know.”

He turned.

“You knew they were here.”

“Yes.”

“And now they’re gone.”

“I didn’t move them.”

Mrs. Bell walked to the window.

She touched the curtain.

Then she looked down.

A black SUV was leaving the service entrance.

Alexander saw it too.

His jaw tightened.

“Whose car?”

Victoria didn’t answer.

I recognized it.

I had served coffee beside that vehicle every morning for two years.

“It belongs to Mr. Leo’s security team.”

Alexander looked at me.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

The room changed.

Mrs. Bell sat down slowly.

“No.”

Alexander was already calling his uncle.

Leo answered on the second ring.

“Alexander?”

“Where are they?”

Silence.

Then Leo sighed.

“You are upset.”

“My mother and my sister.”

“Come back to the house.”

“Where are they?”

“Some truths require context.”

Alexander’s voice dropped.

“Give me an address.”

Leo hung up.

Victoria closed her eyes.

Alexander looked at her.

“You still want to tell me these are rumors?”

“No.”

“Good.”

He walked toward the door.

Mrs. Bell stopped him.

“Wait.”

She had opened the hotel Bible.

Inside was an envelope.

ALEXANDER.

His hands shook when he opened it.

The note was written in blue ink.

If Leo reaches you before I do, do not believe that I abandoned you.

I watched every birthday from far away.

Even the wrong ones.

I am sorry.

—Mother

Alexander read it twice.

Then he turned the page over.

There was one more line.

Trust the woman who remembers the blue blanket.

Alexander looked at Mrs. Bell.

She started crying.

“What blue blanket?”

The old nanny pressed her lips together.

“The one Sofia wrapped around you before your father took you from her arms.”

Victoria whispered:

“Margaret…”

Mrs. Bell looked at her.

“You knew too much and said too little.”

Victoria lowered her eyes.

Alexander folded the note.

“Where did they take my mother?”

Mrs. Bell stood.

“I don’t know.”

Then she looked at the baby book.

“But I know where your father hid the rest of the records.”

Alexander stopped.

“Where?”

Mrs. Bell answered:

“The nursery.”

He frowned.

“The nursery was sealed after my father died.”

“Yes.”

“Leo has the only key.”

Mrs. Bell shook her head.

“No.”

She reached beneath the collar of her coat.

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A small brass key hung from a chain.

“I do.”