Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 405: Goodbye

For a moment Jamal stood still in the hallway after ending the call with Stefan.

He couldn’t imagine how Stefan felt, and he wasn’t sure what to do or how best to help him.

Taking a deep breath, he dialed the pilot’s line and asked him to prepare the jet for a trip to Westend.

After ending the call, he turned and walked back toward Tom’s study.

When he stepped inside, Tom was already on another call.

"What do you mean some parts are missing?" Tom demanded sharply into the phone.

He began pacing slowly behind his desk.

Lucy, who had returned to the couch, looked up anxiously.

Jamal stopped near the doorway and listened.

Tom’s expression darkened as he listened for a few seconds, his jaw tightening.

"No. That’s not a coincidence," Tom said firmly. "You’re telling me that every camera from the main entrance to the twelfth floor corridor stopped recording twenty minutes before the explosion?" he repeated slowly.

Jamal felt a chill move down his spine as he stepped further into the room now.

There was another pause and Tom rubbed his temple slowly. Lucy rose from the couch again and moved closer to him.

Tom continued listening but his brows pulled together. "So the cameras came back online only after emergency services arrived." He exhaled sharply. "That means someone deliberately tampered with them. Do you think the tampering was done on site or remotely? I’ve ordered every security personnel to be taken into custody for questioning, but I want to know your professional opinion, Barry. Do you think whoever tampered with the camera did so from my security room?"

A long silence followed.

"Remotely?" Tom’s jaw tightened. "Through the network. I see. Can it be traced? And is there a way you can recover what happened in that time frame?"

"I see. So whoever did this hacked into the hotel’s security system, disabled every camera along the route to Genevieve’s suite for twenty minutes... then restored them after the explosion."

Lucy’s hand tightened around his arm.

Tom nodded slowly as the person on the other end of the call continued speaking. "I see. Thank you, Barry. I’ll get back to you."

The room fell silent as Tom ended the call slowly and lowered the phone.

Tom looked from Lucy to Jamal. "They tampered with the security system so we can’t tell who went in," he said, running a hand over his face.

"All the cameras leading from the front entrance to Genevieve’s suite were disabled."

Lucy’s brows pulled together. "Barry can’t do anything about it to recover the videos?"

"There was no video. If it had been deleted then recovery would be an option but the cameras weren’t working at the time so nothing was captured that can be recovered," Tom explained.

Jamal frowned. "So whoever planted that bomb knew exactly what they were doing."

Tom nodded grimly. "Yes." He looked toward the window, his expression hardening. "Someone entered that hotel, walked all the way to Genevieve’s room, and no one saw a thing."

Jamal sighed. "Stefan is leaving for Westend. He wants to see the hotel himself."

Tom nodded slowly. "I understand that. But he won’t be let in. The Hotel is being shut down temporarily until investigations are over since it is now a crime scene."

Jamal ran a hand over the back of his neck. "I don’t think he cares about any of that. He’s at the office packing up work so he can leave for a few days."

Lucy sighed softly. "Poor boy. He must be grieving. I can’t imagine how hard this must be."

Jamal didn’t answer. He was not entirely sure Stefan was grieving yet.

Tom walked toward his desk again and picked up his phone. "I’ll have one of the jets prepared."

"I already offered ours," Jamal said then Tom set down his phone and sighed.

Lucy watched the two men quietly. Then she asked gently, "Are you going with him?"

Jamal shook his head. "I should but I can’t. So many projects are going on at work right now and one of us needs to be here. Dawn is grieving as well. I can’t just leave..."

Just then his phone rang and he received the call when he saw it was his grandfather.

"Jamal, where are you?" Aaron asked the moment the call connected.

"I’m at Tom’s house," Jamal responded at once. "Did you see the news about Genevieve?"

"Yes. That’s why I’m calling. Stefan just informed me he is going to Westend. I want you to go with him. He shouldn’t be left alone," Aaron instructed.

"But work..."

"Work will wait. When you went in search of Dawn, Stefan was with you and HAJ didn’t collapse in your absence. Nothing comes before family and friends. Cancel what can be canceled and delegate what you should. I will make an appearance at the office and release a circular letting every staff know if they underperform in your absence they can start looking for a new job," Aaron said and Jamal sighed.

Deep down he knew that his grandfather was right. "What about Dawn..."

"Dawn is in Ludus. She is surrounded by family. We are all here for her. Stefan will be alone there if you don’t go with him. I know he might tell you he’s fine and you don’t need to worry, but that’s only because he doesn’t want to be a bother. Go with him," Aaron insisted.

"Alright," Jamal said then hung up the call.

"My grandfather wants me to go to Westend," Jamal informed Tom and Lucy.

Tom nodded. "I agree with him."

"If that’s the case I have to get going so I don’t keep Stefan waiting," Jamal said.

"We will take care of Dawn and Josh, don’t worry," Lucy assured him.

"I trust you," Jamal said, kissing Lucy’s cheek before leaving the study.

He climbed the stairs and walked down the hallway toward Josh’s room.

The door was slightly open so he pushed it gently and stepped inside.

Josh was still asleep, curled under the blanket, and Dawn was sitting on the edge of his bed, stroking his hair slowly.

She wasn’t crying, but she looked very sad.

"He really liked Genevieve," she murmured without looking at him. "And Genevieve loved him too."

Jamal felt a tight knot form in his chest when her lips trembled slightly.

Jamal stepped inside quietly. "Dawn."

She looked at him without saying a word.

Jamal walked closer. "Stefan wants to go to Westend."

She nodded. "You should go with him."

"Will you be fine?" He asked as he sat beside her and took her hand.

"Yes. I’d have asked to go with you but..." she trailed off and shook her head.

She never wanted to set foot in Westend again.

For a moment neither of them spoke then she looked at him. "When are you leaving?"

"Now," he said quietly thinking about how disappointed Josh would be when he doesn’t seem him for a couple of days.

Her gaze dropped to Josh too. "We should probably wake him up so you say goodbye."

Jamal shook his head. "I’m having a hard time leaving you as it is. I won’t be able to leave if he wakes up. I will call and talk to him over the phone instead."

"No, Jamal. Let him know you’re leaving properly." Dawn’s voice was soft but firm.

If she’d known the last time she spoke with Genevieve would be the last then she would have said goodbye properly.

Not that she expected this would be the last time Josh would see Jamal. Still, she wanted Josh to know Jamal was traveling.

Jamal hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Alright."

He leaned forward and gently touched Josh’s shoulder. "Hey, buddy."

Josh stirred but didn’t wake.

Dawn brushed his hair lightly. "Sweetheart. Wake up."

Josh frowned in his sleep before his eyes slowly opened. "Mommy?" he murmured.

Then he noticed Jamal. "Daddy!" He sat up and wrapped his arms around him.

Jamal hugged him tightly. "Hey, champ. Did you sleep well?"

Josh nodded and rubbed his eyes.

"I have to go on a short trip, buddy," Jamal said gently.

Josh frowned. "Are you coming back today?"

Jamal shook his head. "In a few days."

Josh’s face fell slightly.

Dawn placed a hand on his back. "Daddy has to go do some work but he will be back as soon as he is done."

Josh looked down for a moment, then hugged Jamal again. "Okay."

Jamal kissed his head. "I will be back before you know it. You take care of Mom while I’m gone," Jamal added.

Josh nodded seriously. "I will."

"I have to leave now." Jamal stood and both Dawn and Josh did the same.

Dawn walked Jamal to his car. "Call me when you get there," she said softly.

"I will."

"And if you learn anything..."

"I’ll tell you."

They hugged briefly and Jamal kissed Dawn before getting into the car.

Dawn wrapped her arms around herself as she watched him drive away. With Genevieve gone and Jamal leaving, she suddenly felt very lost.

Jamal watched her in the side mirror and his heart ached for her.