Chapter 7 - The Body From the Fire
Howard cleared his throat.
“There is still one thing we have not explained.”
Everyone turned.
“The body.”
Alessandro frowned.
“What body?”
Howard looked at Elena.
“The remains found in room 614.”
Silence.
Alessandro stared.
“The report said my mother’s body was too badly burned to identify.”
Howard nodded.
“But there was a body.”
“Yes.”
“Whose?”
Howard looked at Richard.
Richard shook his head.
“I never knew.”
Victor looked away.
Too quickly.
Alessandro noticed.
“Victor.”
No answer.
Elena spoke.
“There was a hotel employee.”
“What employee?”
“A night manager.”
“Name?”
“Daniel Price.”
Howard nodded.
“He disappeared that night.”
Alessandro looked at Victor.
“You killed him.”
Victor’s face hardened.
“No.”
Elena continued.
“Daniel saw Victor carrying fuel into the service corridor.”
Victor shouted:
“That is a lie.”
Howard opened his folder.
“Daniel made a call to me.”
Everyone looked at him.
“You?”
“I handled funeral arrangements for the hotel owner.”
Howard explained.
“Daniel knew me.”
“He called from the hotel at 11:42 p.m.”
“What did he say?”
Howard’s face tightened.
“He said if anything happened, Victor Sanz had threatened him.”
Alessandro stared.
“Why didn’t you go to police?”
“I did.”
“And?”
Howard looked at Richard.
“The report disappeared.”
Richard lowered his head.
Isabella whispered:
“Dad.”
Richard said:
“I did not know Daniel was dead.”
Howard’s voice sharpened.
“You knew the report named Victor.”
“Yes.”
“And you buried it.”
“Yes.”
Alessandro looked at Victor.
“What happened to Daniel?”
Victor stared back.
Then laughed softly.
“You want every old ghost tonight?”
“Yes.”
Victor’s expression changed.
Alessandro stepped closer.
“Every one.”
Victor looked toward the windows.
Then said:
“Daniel attacked me.”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
Victor continued.
“He saw the fuel.”
“He tried to stop me.”
“We fought.”
“He fell.”
Alessandro’s voice went quiet.
“Was he alive?”
Victor said nothing.
Howard closed his eyes.
Alessandro understood.
“You left him in the room.”
Victor looked at him.
“Yes.”
Silence.
“And started the fire.”
“Yes.”
Elena covered her mouth.
Isabella began crying again.
Richard looked physically ill.
Alessandro stared at Victor for a long time.
Then asked:
“Was my father supposed to be inside?”
Victor smiled without warmth.
“Yes.”
“But Elena switched rooms.”
“Yes.”
“And Daniel died instead.”
“Yes.”
Security moved in.
Victor raised one hand.
“Before you arrest me, ask Elena why she never told you one more thing.”
Alessandro turned toward his mother.
Her face went pale.
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