Chapter 1 - The Reservation That Vanished
By the time Ethan Vance reached the Bellweather Crown Hotel, snow had
turned downtown Chicago into a Christmas postcard. White lights wrapped
the trees along Michigan Avenue, brass bells hung above the revolving
doors, and a thirty-foot Christmas tree glittered beneath the lobby
chandelier. Six-year-old Lily slept against Ethan’s shoulder with her
stuffed rabbit, Buttons, trapped between them. In his other hand, Ethan
carried twelve red roses.
The roses were for Sarah.
Three years earlier, Ethan’s wife had died two weeks before Christmas.
Since then, every December 18, Ethan and Lily bought twelve roses, one
for every month Sarah had fought cancer, and placed them beneath her
portrait in the hotel where she and Ethan had started their company.
This year was supposed to be quiet.
It stopped being quiet at the front desk.
The receptionist looked Ethan over: worn wool coat, travel-creased
shirt, snow on his shoes, sleeping child.
“Name?”
“Ethan Vance. I have a reservation under the executive block.”
She typed for perhaps three seconds.
“Nothing.”
“Would you check again?”
Her smile hardened. “I did.”
A second receptionist leaned against the counter. “There are motels near
the interstate.”
Ethan looked at her. “My daughter has been traveling since noon.”
“And we have a charity gala tonight,” the first woman said. “Our guests
are arriving.”
“I’m one of your guests.”
“No, sir. You’re someone standing at my desk without a reservation.”
Lily stirred. “Daddy?”
“I’m here, sweetheart.”
“Are we seeing Mommy’s picture?”
“Yes.”
The second receptionist exchanged an amused glance with the first.
Ethan saw it.
He had spent eleven years building Bellweather Hospitality from one
failing roadside property into nine hotels. He still visited anonymously
twice a year because Sarah had once told him, “A hotel isn’t judged by
how it treats the person in the penthouse. It’s judged by how it treats
the person who looks like he can’t afford the lobby.”
Nobody at the desk recognized him.
That was useful.
A service door opened. An older housekeeper entered carrying folded
towels. Her silver-threaded braid hung over one shoulder. Her badge read
ROSA DELGADO.
She noticed Lily first.
“Poor baby,” Rosa murmured. “Long trip?”
“Very.”
She looked toward the desk. “Did you check the founder’s block?”
The first receptionist’s face changed.
“Rosa, please return upstairs.”
“The founder’s block,” Rosa repeated. “Reservations from corporate
sometimes—”
“I know how to do my job.”
Rosa lowered her eyes.
Ethan didn’t.
“What’s your name?” he asked the receptionist.
“Brittany Cole.”
“And hers?”
“Kelsey.”
Kelsey gave a little laugh. “Are you writing a complaint?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“I’m remembering.”
Before Brittany could answer, a boy of perhaps nine emerged from the
service corridor carrying a trash bag almost as large as he was.
He wore an oversized hotel uniform shirt.
Rosa spun around.
“Mateo, I told you to stay downstairs.”
The boy flinched.
Brittany’s expression became vicious.
“If he wants dinner, he finishes the ballroom trash.”
Ethan stared.
“Is that child an employee?”
“No,” Brittany said. “His mother works laundry. He hangs around.”
Mateo’s hands were red from cold and cleaning chemicals.
Rosa whispered, “His mother is sick.”
Kelsey shrugged. “Then somebody has to earn what they’re given.”
Ethan slowly placed Lily on a velvet sofa and covered her with his coat.
Then he took out his phone.
Brittany sighed. “Sir, calling customer service won’t—”
Ethan dialed a private number.
The general manager answered on the first ring.
“Mr. Vance?”
The color drained from Brittany’s face.
Ethan watched Mateo struggling with the trash bag.
“Caleb,” Ethan said, “come to the lobby.”
A pause.
“Is everything all right?”
“No.”
The Christmas quartet near the staircase continued playing “Silent
Night.”
Ethan’s voice remained calm.
“Bring security, payroll records, tonight’s staffing roster, and the
master reservation log.”
Brittany whispered, “Mr. Vance?”
Ethan looked directly at her.
“You were right about one thing.”
She swallowed.
“This hotel isn’t for everyone.”
Then he looked at Mateo.
“Apparently, under your management, it isn’t even safe for children.”
The elevator doors opened.
General Manager Caleb Mercer stepped out, saw Ethan, and went white.
May you like
But he did not look surprised to see Mateo.
That frightened Ethan more than anything.
