Chapter 15 - THE SERVICE ELEVATOR
Vanessa dragged Emma into the hallway.
One arm locked around Emma’s shoulders.
The weapon remained visible near her side.
“Back away,” Vanessa shouted.
Officers lowered their weapons slightly but did not move.
Cole stood at the far end of the corridor.
“Vanessa, the building is surrounded.”
“You have nowhere to go.”
Vanessa pushed Emma toward the service elevator.
“I have the person you all came to protect.”
Daniel stumbled out of the room behind them.
Blood darkened the edge of his lip, but he remained on his feet.
“Take me instead.”
Vanessa laughed.
“You were always easy to sacrifice.”
She forced Emma into the elevator.
One of her men followed.
The other surrendered in the hallway.
The doors closed.
Emma heard Cole ordering officers toward the lower floors.
Vanessa pressed the button for the underground garage.
“You destroyed everything,” she said.
“You destroyed it yourself.”
“Be quiet.”
The elevator descended.
Emma watched the floor numbers change.
Seventeen.
Sixteen.
Fifteen.
She remembered the hotel plans she had studied with Cole.
The service elevator had an emergency stop system beneath the handrail.
It was designed for staff transporting heavy equipment.
Emma moved her hand slowly.
Vanessa noticed.
“Do not try anything.”
Emma looked at the armed man.
He seemed younger than the others.
Nervous.
“You heard her confession,” Emma said to him.
“She will blame you.”
“Shut up,” Vanessa snapped.
Emma continued.
“The police have your face.”
“They recorded you entering the room.”
“If she escapes, you spend your life in prison.”
The man’s grip weakened.
Vanessa pointed her weapon toward him.
“Do not listen to her.”
Emma pressed the emergency stop.
The elevator jerked.
Vanessa lost her balance.
The man grabbed her wrist.
The weapon fell and slid across the floor.
Emma moved away.
Vanessa struck the man and reached for the weapon.
Emma kicked it toward the corner.
Vanessa turned on her.
“You should have stayed down at the mansion.”
She rushed forward.
Emma stepped aside and pulled the alarm lever.
A metal divider dropped between the passenger and equipment sections of the elevator.
Vanessa became trapped on the opposite side.
She slammed against the divider.
“Open it.”
Emma backed toward the doors.
“You cannot take my child.”
Vanessa’s face twisted with fury.
“That child is the only thing that matters.”
“No.”
“My child is not your inheritance.”
The elevator doors opened manually.
Cole and Park stood outside with officers.
They pulled Emma to safety.
The young gunman surrendered immediately.
Vanessa remained behind the divider.
For several seconds, she stared at Emma through the narrow metal openings.
Then she began to laugh.
“You think this ends with me?”
Cole opened the divider.
Officers placed Vanessa in handcuffs.
As she was led away, she turned toward Daniel.
“Ask your wife who gave Thomas Bell the foundation password.”
Daniel looked at Emma.
Emma’s face changed.
May you like
Vanessa smiled.
“She has been hiding something from you too.”
