“Not yet.””
She stopped.
I faced Charles.
“How long?””
He frowned.
“How long what?””
“How long has this been happening?””
He looked confused.
“Tonight?””
“No. This culture.””
Silence.
“You heard Thomas,” I continued.
“Vanessa lied about availability in front of another employee. Eric supported her without checking facts. Neither seemed concerned anyone would challenge them. That tells me this wasn’t unusual.””
Charles’s shoulders dropped slightly.
“Maya…”
My stomach tightened.
He knew something.
“What?””
Charles glanced at the employees watching us.
“Can we use my office?””
“No.””
His eyes met mine.
“I think you’ll want privacy.””
That was not reassuring.
I nodded toward a conference room beside the lobby.
“Five minutes.””
Charles instructed security to remain with Vanessa and Eric.
Then we entered the small room.
The door closed.
Charles stayed standing.
I sat.
“What aren’t you telling me?””
He ran a hand across his face.
“We’ve had complaints.””
My anger sharpened.
“How many?””
“Several.””
“Several means nothing.””
“Nine formal complaints in the last eighteen months.””
I stared at him.
“Nine?””
He nodded.
“Why wasn’t corporate informed?””
“They were handled internally.””
“By whom?””
His silence answered me.
“You?””
“Yes.””
I stood.
“Charles.””
“I thought they were service failures.””
“Nine separate complaints?””
“Not all involved Vanessa.””
“That makes it worse.””
He looked toward the door.
“I know.””
I stepped closer.
“What exactly did the complaints say?””
Charles hesitated.
“Guests said certain employees treated them differently based on clothing, perceived income, race, accent, or family background.””
The words sat heavily between us.
“And what happened?””
“Coaching. Written warnings in some cases.””
“Anyone terminated?””
“No.””
“Why?””
“I was trying to protect the property from lawsuits.””
I stared at him.
“You protected the property by hiding discrimination complaints?””
“When you say it like that—”
“How else would I say it?””
His face reddened.
I turned away and looked through the glass wall toward the lobby.
Vanessa stood between the two security officers.
Eric was typing frantically on his phone.
I pointed.
“Take his phone.””
Charles frowned.
“What?””
“Eric’s phone. Now.””
“Why?””
“Because anyone who starts sending messages after hearing the owner has discovered concealed complaints probably isn’t texting about dinner.””
Charles hurried out.
One guard approached Eric.
I watched Eric resist.
Then his phone was taken.
Seconds later, Charles returned carrying it.
“He was messaging someone named Richard.””
My heartbeat changed.
“Richard who?””
Charles handed me the phone.
The screen was still unlocked.
I read the most recent message.
**She’s here. Maya Bennett. In person.
She knows about Vanessa. Whitmore might tell her about the complaints. Call me NOW.**
I looked up.
“Who is Richard?””
Charles stared at the floor.
“Richard Cole.””
The surname hit immediately.
I looked toward Vanessa.
“Cole?””
Charles nodded.
“Her father.””
My jaw tightened.
“What does her father have to do with my hotel?””
Charles didn’t answer quickly enough.
“Charles.””
“He’s regional vice president.””
I went completely still.
Richard Cole supervised eleven Beaumont Crown properties.
He reported directly to our chief operating officer.
And his daughter worked at my front desk.
No disclosure had ever reached me.
“How did Vanessa get hired?””
Charles looked miserable.
“Richard recommended her.””
“Was she qualified?””
“She had hospitality experience.””
“That wasn’t my question.””
His silence told me everything.
I returned to the lobby.
Vanessa saw my face and began shaking.
I held up Eric’s phone.
“Your father is Richard Cole?””
She said nothing.
“Answer me.””
“Yes.””
Eric looked at her.
Apparently, even he hadn’t known.
I laughed once, without humor.
“So that’s why you weren’t afraid of complaints.””
Vanessa’s tears stopped.
Something harder appeared underneath them.
“My father has nothing to do with this.””
“He has everything to do with this if employees believed complaining about you was useless.””
She crossed her arms.
For the first time since being fired, some of her old arrogance returned.
“You can fire me. Fine. But you should probably speak to him before making this into something bigger.””
Charles inhaled sharply.
I stared at her.
“Was that a threat?””
“No.””
“It sounded like one.””
She shrugged.
“My father has been with this company eighteen years.””
“So?””
“He knows people.””
“So do I.””
Vanessa almost smiled.
That expression disturbed me more than her panic had.
“You don’t understand,” she said.
“What don’t I understand?””
Charles suddenly stepped between us.
“Vanessa, stop talking.””
She ignored him.
“My father didn’t just recommend me.””
Charles turned.
“Vanessa.””
“He built this region.””
“Enough.””
“He knows exactly how these hotels operate.””
I watched Charles.
His fear wasn’t about Vanessa anymore.
It was about what she might reveal.
“What did he do?”” I asked.
Nobody answered.
I stepped toward Charles.
“Tell me.””
His face went pale.
“There are financial issues.””
My pulse hammered once.
“What kind?””
He lowered his voice.
“Vendor payments. Staffing accounts. Guest compensation funds.””
“How much?””
“We don’t know.””
My voice sharpened.
“How much, Charles?””
“Possibly several million.””
The room seemed to tilt.
For a moment, I forgot about Vanessa entirely.
“Who knows?””
“Richard.””
“Who else?””
Charles swallowed.
“Possibly someone at corporate.””
That was worse.
Much worse.
A corruption problem inside one hotel was manageable.
A corruption problem connected to corporate leadership could threaten the entire company my mother had spent thirty years building.
Then Vanessa started laughing.
Softly.
I turned.
“What is funny?””
“You really don’t know.””
“Know what?””
She wiped the last tears from her cheeks.
“You walked in here thinking this was about a hotel room.””
My skin prickled.
Charles whispered, “Vanessa, don’t.””
She looked directly at me.
“My father told me you’d eventually come looking.””
I froze.
“What?””
“He said if Maya Bennett ever arrives without warning, call him immediately.””
Eric stepped away from her.
Even he looked frightened now.
I moved closer.
“Why would your father expect me?””
Vanessa opened her mouth.