Page 154 of Sapphire Sunset

It hadn’t just died. He’d killed it. Fear had killed it,killed it like it drove him from the hotel the other day even as Connor calledout to him, more and more pain abrading his voice with each cry.

Logan opened the notes feature, figuring he needed to draftthe thing first to make sure fear didn’t guide his pen.

Their path had forked, but maybe not toward a cliff. Maybe towardsomething new that Logan couldn’t yet see through the mist. A future for himand Connor that didn’t include Sapphire Cove.

He’d typed only a few words when there was a harsh knockagainst the window next to him. He jumped and looked up to see his dad on theother side of the glass. “Come inside, son. There’s something you’re going towant to see.”

Logan obeyed.

His dad’s office played host to a knot of people, allfocused on the television, which was tuned to CNN. Danny, the Irvine manager,along with Jed and Petey. Bullfinch was there, too, which could only mean onething, and it wasn’t good. This was about Sylvia Milton or Sapphire Cove. Probablyboth. Or it would be in another second or two, since the report on screen wasnews from the other side of the world.

Then an anchor who looked like an action movie star filledthe screen, live from some studio in New York. His dad turned up the volume.

“And now we turn to an ongoing scandal out of Orange County,California, where a posh resort is alleged to have played host to a criminalconspiracy that made headlines last week, a conspiracy to blackmail several ofthe guests, allegedly masterminded by the hotel’s former general manager,Rodney Harcourt. With Harcourt now in jail for violating the terms of his bail,the result has been an escalating media war between the hotel’s currentmanagement and the widow of one of the scheme’s alleged victims. In a fiery andcontroversial press conference earlier this week, Sylvia Milton waged a seriesof accusations asserting the hotel had not done enough to purge itself of thosewho might have participated in the crimes against her husband.”

The report cut to an audio clip of Sylvia smearing him.Logan shut his eyes, wincing. Jed and Petey both booed and thumbs-downed the television.

“But are those allegations true?” the anchor continued. “Andif the FBI has seen no reason to arrest security director Logan Murdoch, wasthe attack on him earlier this week warranted? Here tonight in a live,exclusive interview to shed light on this very question is the alleged orchestratorof the conspiracy himself, former Sapphire Cove general manager, RodneyHarcourt.”

When Rodney, in a yellow prison jumpsuit, filled the otherhalf of the screen, Jed and Petey both cursed under their breath. BenjaminBullfinch sat up so straight it was like a gun had gone off. But the sight ofLogan’s dad sitting quietly slowed Logan’s pulse a bit. Someone had let himknow this was coming, and if he was this relaxed, maybe there was a chance it wasgood.

Logan turned his focus to the screen and did his best toinhale.

“Mr. Harcourt, I appreciate you joining usthis evening,” the anchor said.

Rodney nodded and cleared his throat, but it looked like hecouldn’t manage a polite response in return. Connor sat forward on the sofa andclasped his hands over his mouth. Rodney’s nerves could be the result of doinglive television for the first time and not a hesitancy about what was to come.Only the next few minutes would tell. Connor would be lucky not to suffer astroke before then.

Connor had tried to watch alone, but his mother wouldn’thave it, and now Naser, Gloria, and Jonas were all present, clustered into thepenthouse suite’s seating area, watching the screen with laser focus. Jonas hadgotten up from the sofa so many times as the minutes counted down toward theinterview Janice had finally suggested he pace. Which he’d done, right up untilthe interview started.

“Now while we want to discuss the accusations Sylvia Miltonmade this week, we also need to start with your situation currently. You’vebeen sentenced to confinement at Orange County Men’s Jail for violating theterms of your bail, and it’s likely you will be there until your trial. This isyour first interview since you were arrested at the hotel earlier this week.Mr. Harcourt, are you guilty of what you have been charged with?”

Rodney stared into the camera, jaw working.

Connor learned for the first time what it truly meant tofeel like your heart was in your throat.

“As to the matter of several charges that have been broughtagainst me by the FBI, I will be changing my plea to guilty.”

Connor’s mother let out a breath it sounded like she’d beenholding in for days, reached blindly for one of Connor’s hands, and gripped itas they continued to watch.

“Can you tell us which charges those are?” the anchor asked.

“I cannot comment on the individual charges at this time.”

“Can you comment on the blackmail? That’s obviously the mostserious one.”

“I will be pleading guilty to the blackmail charges.”

Jonas slapped the back of the sofa he was standing behind.Gloria’s hands shot to her face.

“This is obviously a shocking turn of events,” the newsanchor continued, “for those who have watched this case. Earlier this week, youwere caught on camera in what’s being described as an attempted assault on yournephew, who has taken over your position at the resort. You violated the termsof your bail. I have to ask what many people are thinking in this moment. Whattriggered the change of heart?”

Rodney stared straight into the camera. “Memories.” A silencefell, the kind that usually means trouble on live television. Maybe the anchorwas as surprised as the rest of them. But then Rodney broke it. “I…uh…I’ve hada lot of time to reflect. In jail. About my actions. I’ve had time to considerwhat role my use of alcohol and other substances might have played in what I…whatI’ve done. And while I don’t seek to absolve myself of blame, it should gowithout saying that I have not been living my best life, and my actions havehurt others in ways I couldn’t have predicted.”

“You couldn’t foresee that a blackmail scheme would hurtpeople?” the anchor asked.

Naser clapped, but Connor was nervous. He needed Rodney toclear Logan’s name. A spat with the interviewer over Rodney’s plea might leaveno time for that.

“I am ashamed to admit that I rationalized inexcusableactions by targeting victims who I thought could afford to…pay what we wereasking.”