The phone looked old.
Scratched.
But it worked.
Sam answered.
"Hello?"
He listened.
Then said,
"Yes."
Another pause.
"I'm outside."
He looked at the Regent Hotel.
"Yes. The same one."
Richard rolled his eyes.
Sam listened again.
Then said quietly,
"All right."
He ended the call.
Richard shook his head.
"Who was that?"
Sam looked at him.
"Someone who knows me."
Richard laughed.
"Good for you."
Sam nodded.
"Yes."
Then he walked away.
Richard watched him disappear into the crowd.
He thought that was the end of it.
He was wrong.
Twenty-five minutes later, a black Mercedes pulled up in front of the Regent.
Two security officers stepped out.
Then a man in his early sixties emerged.
His name was Jonathan Reed.
He was one of the most powerful hotel investors in the country.
He owned several luxury properties.
He was also the majority shareholder of the Regent Hotel.
Richard immediately rushed outside.
"Mr. Reed!"
Jonathan looked at him.
"Richard."
"Welcome."
Jonathan glanced around.
"Where is Sam?"
Richard froze.
"Who?"
"Samuel Carter."
Richard's face went pale.
"Why?"
Jonathan's expression hardened.
"Because I asked you a question."
Richard swallowed.
"He was here."
"Where is he?"
"I..."
Jonathan stepped closer.
"Where is he?"
Richard pointed down the street.
"He left."
Jonathan's face changed.
"Why?"
Richard didn't answer.
Jonathan stared at him.
"What did you do?"
"I asked him to leave."
Jonathan's voice became cold.
"Asked?"
Richard nodded.
"Yes."
Jonathan looked toward the sidewalk.
"Did you touch him?"
Richard hesitated.
Jonathan immediately understood.
"You touched him."
"It wasn't like that."
"Did you?"
Richard lowered his eyes.
"Yes."
Jonathan's expression became furious.
"Where is he?"
"I don't know."
Jonathan took out his phone.
He called someone.
"Find Sam."
The security team immediately spread out.
Richard stood frozen.
"Mr. Reed, can I explain?"
Jonathan turned toward him.
"No."
"But—"
"Not here."
Richard followed him inside.
The beautiful lobby suddenly felt much colder.
Jonathan walked straight toward the front desk.
He stopped.
Then turned around.
"Do you know who Samuel Carter is?"
Richard shook his head.
"No."
Jonathan stared at him.
"That's your problem."
He pulled a photograph from his briefcase.
It showed a younger man standing beside Jonathan.
The man had dark hair.
A confident smile.
A suit.
A watch.
Richard looked at the photograph.
Then looked at Jonathan.
"Who is that?"
"Sam."
Richard stared.
"No."
"Yes."
"That's impossible."
Jonathan placed the photograph on the counter.
"Samuel Carter founded this hotel."
Richard felt the blood drain from his face.
"What?"
Jonathan continued.
"Forty years ago."
Richard stared at the photograph.
The man looked completely different.
Young.
Strong.
Successful.
But the eyes were the same.
Richard remembered them.
The old man's eyes.
Jonathan continued.
"Sam designed the original hotel."
Richard couldn't speak.
"He owned sixty percent of the property."
"Owned?"
"Yes."
"What happened?"
Jonathan's expression changed.
"His wife died."
Richard listened.
"His son died two years later."
Jonathan paused.
"Then Sam's company collapsed."
Richard looked confused.