Page 68 of Sapphire Sunset

His emails, overall, were smart and informed, never hostileor accusatory. But they were specific and detailed and always laid out a clearplan of action. In short, Logan should have been a shoo-in for securitydirector. And yet, after a while, just as Logan had said, management hadstopped responding to him. Maybe because one of the more recent emails was adetailed indictment of the new camera system, which he described as “possiblyexcessive and unfocused in its installation.”

It was all there as Logan had said it would be, and itpainted a multi-year picture of Logan as a natural born leader who’d never beengiven a shot.

The FBI had seen it.

And now Connor had seen it too.

Naser dropped in to review the books, which they bothrealized would include finding the books, which Naser agreed to do. Once Connorwas alone, he realized he still had a call to make, to his head ofhousekeeping, who’d missed the department meeting because she was evacuating hermother from the Palm Fire. To Connor’s astonishment, Jolene Tomas answered the phone,sirens wailing in the background. He got his message out loud and quick.Introduced himself in three seconds, let her know her job was waiting for herand she should take the time she needed. When he asked her if she was okay, sheapologized for not being back already, said she’d planned to bring her motherto the newly opened shelter and then hurry back to work, but she’d been advisedthe shelters were not always the best place for single, elderly women and sothey were taking her to Jolene’s apartment even though there was almost no roomfor her there. When Connor told her again she could take all the time sheneeded, Jolene exploded into tearful thankyousbeforewhoever was with her demanded she get off the phone. It sounded like they werepractically trying to outrun the flames.

Connor was exhausted by the time he hung up. Not by Jolene,but the brief and overwhelming glimpse of chaos and fear the tumult of soundsall around her had given him.

For a while after he hung up, the sounds lingered.

And then, suddenly, he had an idea.

It could be a terrible mistake.

But the biggest mistake, it seemed, would be to do nothing.

There was no rule book for this, no plan. And if his fatherand grandfather disapproved, they were welcome to manifest before him now andgive him some words of warning. That kind of stuff happened in movies all thetime, but so far, this seismic life change had been entirely ghost free.

He should discuss the idea with someone, probably lawyers.But first, he needed to assess the immediate impact it would have on the hotel.His assistant general manager was getting some much-needed rest. That left onlyone person he should talk to.

A few text messages later, there was a resounding knock onhis door.

He opened it, and in stepped Logan.

Suddenly they were alone in Connor’s new office, without thespacious conference room to give them the buffer of distance or the presence ofothers to give them somewhere to look besides into each other’s eyes.

“Should I?” It took Connor a second to realize Logan wasasking if he should close the door. Part of Connor, the part that felt as ifthe ground underfoot always sloped in Logan’s direction, thought it was aterrible idea. But the more professional part knew that what they were about todiscuss needed to stay top secret. For now.

Connor nodded. Logan closed the door.

“How’d the calls go?” Logan asked.

“Fine, I think.”

“I’m sure. You did a great job in the department meeting.”

“The meeting you tried to take over, you mean?” Connorasked.

“Yeah, I guess I should apologize for that. Officially.”

“I’ll save it for later. Maybe cash it in when I screwsomething up. Which I might be about to do.”

“I doubt that,” Logan said. “You’re taking to all thisbetter than I thought you would.”

“Thank you. And I found your emails. They were excellent. Areal manager would have seen that.”

“Thank you.”

For a second, Connor thought they might stand there awkwardlythanking each other all day. Then he found his voice again. “I have an idea,but I think it might be batshit, so I’d like your feedback.”

“Shoot.”

“I think we should start taking in evacuees from the PalmFire.”

“How many?” Logan asked.

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