Chapter 1 - THE HOTEL ROOM THAT WASN’T SAFE
“I only did my job,” Evelyn said.
Marco Bellini looked at her for several seconds before answering.
“That is exactly why you may be in danger.”
The fluorescent lights of Shannon Airport made everyone look pale. Behind Marco, two Irish airport officers stood near the jet bridge while airline supervisors quietly discussed crew transportation.
Evelyn folded her arms.
“I treated a sick passenger. That doesn’t make me part of whatever this is.”
Marco lowered his voice.
“Mr. Vitelli did not become ill by accident.”
Her stomach tightened.
“You don’t know that.”
“No. But Antonio does not travel with food allergies.”
Evelyn remembered the swelling, the collapsing airway, the sudden color draining from Antonio’s face.
“People can develop reactions.”
“Yes.”
Marco glanced toward the medical transport doors.
“But someone tampered with his medication case.”
That stopped her.
“The case was sealed.”
“It looked sealed.”
Marco explained that the hospital had opened it under police supervision. One emergency injector had been replaced with an empty training device. Another medication bottle carried the correct label but contained something entirely different.
Evelyn felt cold.
“If he had needed that medication before we found the onboard kit…”
“He would be dead.”
The words landed without drama.
That made them worse.
Marco continued.
“The person who prepared that case knew his medical history.”
“So your physician?”
“Or someone with access to him.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“I still don’t understand what that has to do with me.”
Marco’s expression hardened.
“Because whoever did this now knows you noticed the problem before Antonio’s own men did.”
Before she could answer, her airline supervisor approached.
“Evelyn, your luggage has already been transferred. You and two crew members are going to the airport hotel.”
Marco immediately said, “No.”
The supervisor frowned.
“This isn’t your decision.”
Marco showed him his phone.
The man read the screen.
His face changed.
“What is that?”
Evelyn stepped closer.
A photograph.
Her original hotel reservation.
Room 417.
Taken from inside the room.
The photograph showed her airline crew bag sitting on the bed.
But Evelyn had never been there.
Someone had entered the room before she arrived.
On the pillow lay a single white envelope.
Her name was written across the front.
Marco enlarged the image.
Beneath her name were five words.
YOU SHOULD HAVE LET HIM DIE.
Evelyn stared at the screen.
Then Marco received another message.
His eyes narrowed.
“What?”
He looked toward her.
“The hospital finished testing Antonio’s blood.”
“And?”
“The substance that triggered the reaction wasn’t in his meal.”
Evelyn felt her pulse quicken.
May you like
Marco’s next words revealed the first real secret.
“It was in the medication he took before boarding.”
