Noah Was Pulled Away From a Hotel Luggage Cart — Then His Toy Truck Revealed What Someone Had Hidden Beside the Wheel
Chapter 8 — The Person Behind the Computer
The administrative workstation recorded more than login credentials.
A small hallway camera showed who approached it.
Rebecca reviewed every suspicious card-issuance time.
At first, the footage seemed useless.
Different employees passed through the hallway constantly.
Then Emma—
Rebecca corrected herself.
Noah was sitting nearby, watching.
He pointed toward the screen.
“Same lady.”
Rebecca leaned closer.
He was right.
On every relevant date, the same woman appeared near the workstation.
Linda Mercer.
Assistant Director of Events.
Linda managed weddings and conferences.
She knew guest schedules.
She also regularly borrowed Rebecca’s office to print event documents.
That gave her opportunities to observe Rebecca entering passwords.
Grant checked the workstation audit trail.
Temporary card requests had been created manually.
Then manager credentials were entered.
Linda’s own account showed no suspicious activity.
Because she never used it.
She used everyone else’s.
Police reviewed financial records after obtaining appropriate warrants.
Payments from secondhand jewelry dealers were connected to Eric’s acquaintance.
Messages linked Eric and Linda.
One message read:
814 out after noon. Kid with mother. Conference husband upstairs.
Emily’s stomach turned.
That was her family.
The message had been sent that morning.
Another reply read:
Cards missing. M looking.
Marcus.
They already knew he was suspicious.
That explained why Eric was beside the luggage cart when Noah saw him.
He was searching for the temporary cards Marcus had hidden.
And if Noah’s toy hadn’t rolled beneath that exact wheel…
Eric might have found them first.
