One of the officers checked the corridor.
“No smoke.”
The second examined the alarm panel.
“It was manually triggered on the sixth floor.”
We were on the fourth.
The evacuation continued.
Clara helped me toward the stairwell while Luis carried Daniel’s box.
Halfway down, the lights went out.
A figure appeared on the landing below us.
He wore a hotel maintenance uniform and a cap pulled low over his face.
“Everyone use the east stairs,” he called.
The officer beside us raised a flashlight.
The man turned.
I saw his face.
Victor Hale smiled.
Then he reached for Daniel’s box.
PART 6
THE SILVER KEY AND THE ROOM THAT DID NOT EXIST
Luis moved faster than anyone expected.
He pulled the wooden box against his chest and stepped between Victor and me.
Victor stopped smiling.
“Give me the compass,” he said.
The officer raised his hand.
“Step back.”
Victor looked almost amused.
