Park Avenue (Book Six in the Fifth Avenue Series)

by Smith, Christopher

  “Where?”

  “It doesn’t matter where. But when anyone comes to see me, my security team is watching. Just as you watched me when Spellman had his little chat with me. They’re always with me, ready to act. They’ve watched you each time you’ve been in this building, even when you killed poor Jason. One has to protect themselves, especially when one is doing what I’m doing.”

  “Do you have what happened to Jason on tape?”

  “I do.”

  “I need that destroyed.”

  “When the last person is dead, I will destroy it in front of you.”

  “I need it destroyed now.”

  “That’s not going to happen, Vincent. You should have known better. But I give you my word that when you and Carmen are finished here, I will burn it in front of you. Look,” he said. “The detective will be here shortly. I wanted you to know about it. I’m not worried. I can throw him off—he’ll be putty in my hands—and then we continue to move forward. Are you and Carmen ready for tomorrow night?”

  “We’re ready.”

  “Well, that’s good,” Cullen said. “When you take aim at their heads, please make sure you don’t miss, or the additional funds won’t be added to your accounts.”

  “We’re not using guns, James. Given the security that will be on hand, we’d never get inside with them.”

  “Then how are you doing this?”

  “We have our ways.”

  “I’m counting on them. So is Louis. Talk soon,” he said. “Give my regards to Carmen. Now I need to have a martini and prepare for my interrogation. I need to relax and think good thoughts.”

  He severed the connection.

  CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE

  With Mario and Zack Anderson at her side, Leana walked across the hotel lobby, which at last was finished, and just in time. Despite a difficult past few days, her heart was full. She’d done it. Her investors had just left, and they were pleased. Near the end of the tour, one asked what she had in mind for her next project. She stilled her surprise, and said that she’d be coming to them soon with an idea. Though she had no idea now what that idea would be.

  But I was asked, she thought at the time. They’re interested in other projects. I’m on my way.

  Tomorrow night was the party. Her eyepatch had been removed that morning, and her vision was fully restored. The first thing she saw was the concerned look on Mario’s face, which she immediately reached out for and pulled toward her so she could kiss him full on the lips. Then she kissed her doctor on her cheek.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “You’re welcome, Leana. I’m happy for you.”

  Now, with the construction team gone and the room fully cleared and cleaned, her staff was crisscrossing everywhere in front of her and behind her, busy setting up the cavernous space with tables set for twelve. An area was being reserved for the eighteen-piece orchestra that Anastassios had rented for her as a gift, a parquet dance floor was being installed over the restored marble floor to protect it, and a massive bar was being set up to her right.

  Tomorrow morning, towering sprays of flowers would arrive and the catering company would use the hotel’s restaurant, On the Park, to set up for service, and overnight, a lighting crew would work to create a mood for the room that was warm, exciting and inviting.

  Michael called an hour ago. “I think you’re going to be pleased tomorrow night.”

  “Why won’t you tell me who’s coming?”

  “Because I want you to be surprised.”

  “Did I give you enough invitations?”

  “That’s one of the reasons I’m calling. I could use a few more.”

  “But I gave you a hundred.”

  “As I said, I could use a few more.”

  “How many do you need?”

  “Another fifty would be good.”

  “Holy shit. I’ll have them delivered to you today. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “There’s no need. People are in town. Some are flying in. Everyone is excited to come. Don’t take this the wrong way, but they know they’ll receive press there, and that’s a draw for them.”

  “I couldn’t care less why they come. I just want them here. I want my hotel to get more press than our father’s. This will do it. Has everything been going well?”

  “Let’s just say I feel a hell of a lot safer with your security guy. He’s great. I could hang with him.”

  “No one touches my brother.”

  “Get back to work. I know you’re busy. I was cheated out of teasing you when we were kids so I just wanted to tease you with the information I know you want, but which I refuse to give.”

  “Tell me Brad Pitt is coming. At least give me that.”

  “Why set your sights so low? I’m giving you better. Talk later. And be safe, OK?”

  “This place is airtight. Don’t worry about it. It’s my top priority.”

  Now she looked at Mario. “What do you think?”

  “I think you have a winner,” Mario said.

  “Zack deserves much of the credit.” She looked at him. “None of this would have happened without your work, your creativity and your guidance. This also is your hotel. I’m so grateful for what you’ve done.”

  “Leana, come on. I’ve only been here for a few weeks. Most of this is you. But you can still thank me with a bonus.”

  She smiled. “You’ve got it.”

  “I’m joking.”

  “I’m not.”

  She looked around the space. “Are we missing anything? I think we’ve thought of everything.”

  “We’re good,” Zack said. “I’ve run through my lists, and everything is in order.”

  “What are we hearing from the media?”

  “That they’d like to get inside today.”

  “That’s a good sign.”

  “I don’t think we’ll be short on media coverage. As you know, they’re covering your opening and your father’s opening. Expect it to be played that way. They’ll draw their comparisons, and unfortunately, the way they’ll play it, it will come down to who won.”

  “That’s what worries me.”

  “What you have in your favor is a restoration,” Mario said. “The Hotel Fifth is cold and new. It’s not special like this. It lacks character and it doesn’t have a history. Your hotel reaches back to another era and brings it forward for a new generation to enjoy. The Waldorf is right across the street, and this trumps it, which is no easy feat considering it is, after all, the Waldorf. Hands down, you win.”

  “We’ll see,” Leana said. “My father has cultivated relationships with the media for years. I haven’t. They know me as the troublesome daughter and former drug addict who used to make their jobs difficult, and who recently has become somebody’s target for whatever reason.”

  Her cell buzzed in her pants pocket. She pulled it out and read the name on the screen—Marty Spellman. She answered it. “Marty,” she said. “Tell me you have good news.”

  “I think it’s best if I come and see you,” he said. “Are you able to meet?”

  “Of course, I am. I’m at the hotel. Mario is with me. I’ll let the men at the doors know that you’re coming.”

  “I’ll see you in fifteen.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX

  Before Marty arrived, Mario asked Leana where Sean Scott was.

  “Lunch.”

  “How are things between you?”

  “I don’t know. Probably strained on my part. This morning, I asked him again if my father hired one of his men. He denied it. To be frank, I don’t see how or why he’d be part of this. Anastassios brought him to me, which is reason enough for me to trust him. I think we both know that Anastassios would never hurt me. Look at how he handled me on his ship when he learned that fake reporter from the Times had interviewed me. He sequestered me. How he’s behaved since that night confirms what I already know about him. He thinks of me like a daughter. He’s vetted Sean. He trusts Sean. I should, too.”


  “What about your father’s text? How can you ignore that?”

  “I’m not ignoring it, I just don’t know what my father’s deal is. Maybe he thought he hired one of Sean’s men. Maybe he thought he spoke to Sean, and got somebody else instead. I can’t figure it out. There could have been a mix-up. Unless you see something in Sean that I’m missing, what I need to do is trust Sean and move forward.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Then that’s that.”

  Mario nodded toward the unlocked set of doors, which two of Sean’s men were guarding. “Marty is here,” he said.

  They went over as Marty stepped inside and shook his hand after one of the guards patted him down.

  “Sorry about that,” Leana said.

  “For what? You’ve got to be safe.”

  “Let’s go to my office. We can talk in private there.”

  As they crossed the lobby to the bank of elevators, Marty looked around the space and said, “This is spectacular, Leana. It’s beautiful. How much of it has been restored?”

  “Actually, all of it.”

  “You saved this building.”

  “I’m hoping it will return the favor. I want my life back. I see my future in this building, and hopefully in other projects. I want to feel safe again. I hope you have good news for us.”

  When he didn’t answer, Leana steeled herself for the worst.

  In her office, she and Mario sat on one of two sofas, and she invited Marty to take the one opposite them.

  “What news do you have?” Mario asked.

  “I need you to keep an open mind and follow the thread on what I’ve learned over the past few days. I know it’s going to sound absurd, but it’s possible and it also reinforces what I suggested before. I’m leaning in this direction.”

  “What direction?” Leana asked.

  Marty told them everything. He told them about obtaining a copy of Ryan’s will, learning that all of his beneficiaries had recently died, and that some had been murdered. He told them about his meeting with Louis Ryan’s executor, James Cullen, that the man seemed unnerved by what was happening, and that he had hired security for that reason. He told them about his meeting with Fitzy Fertzbergen, the damning things he said about Ryan, and that Fitzy knew for a fact that there was no way that Ryan was close to any of his beneficiaries, with the exception of Rowena Clark, whom he didn’t know. Finally, he told them that Detective Mike Hines, who was investigating the deaths of Charles Stout and Florence Holt, was a friend of his, that Hines had since met with Cullen and been introduced to his security team, and that, short of a lie detector test, Hines’ gut instinct was that Cullen told him the truth when questioned.

  “Cullen told Hines that he was scared for his own safety, which is what he told me. And I agree with Mike—I also walked away believing him. But where does that leave us now?” Marty asked. “Fitzy Fertzbergen called Cullen a snake in the grass.”

  “Who is Fitzy Fertzbergen?” Leana asked.

  “Lives on Park. He’s in the book. Comes from one of New York’s best families. And he’s a hoarder.”

  “He’s a what?”

  “A hoarder. His townhouse was jammed with junk. You could barely move in it. I wouldn’t be surprised to find a body under all of that crap. Classic hoarding signs. I’ve seen it before. But beyond that, he was clear-headed when we spoke and he obviously knows everyone. He turned out to be of help, especially when he put Ryan’s beneficiaries into perspective. He said that he didn’t trust Cullen, which suggests that Cullen could be a gifted liar and that he’s behind all of this. So far, there’s no proof of that. We might never know.”

  “Why would he be behind any of this? I don’t even know the man.”

  “He and Ryan went to Yale together. They were good friends; they roomed together, though Cullen says their friendship waned over the years. Who knows if it did? He was named executor of the will and he received all of Ryan’s shares in Manhattan Enterprises, where he now sits on the board and has an office. Was there a private addendum to the will? Is Cullen carrying out Ryan’s final, private wishes out of some sense of loyalty? It would be risky as hell to put his own life on the line like this. But again, who knows? At this point, that’s all I’ve got, and it’s the only thing that makes sense. Louis Ryan knew that anything could happen that night at The Hotel Fifth, including his own death, which did happen. Because of that, he could have taken measures before that night and set into motion a plan for all of this to happen should he die. If he did, it was smart of him to wait three years to do so. People forget. It was also smart of him to name those people as his beneficiaries. He gave each of them five million dollars upon his death. That tends to throw someone like me off because I’d naturally assume that they were close. Do I know if I’m on the right track? No. But we’re running out of time. With the hotel opening tonight, which is when we both think a negative event might happen, I wanted to get this information to you immediately. So far, this is the most plausible scenario.”

  “Just plausible?” Mario asked.

  “Yes, but given Ryan’s state of mind at the time, I believe it’s a strong possibility. I didn’t know the man. But according to my conversations with Leana and others, it’s clear that he was determined to make certain that Leana and her family die. He was focused, organized and driven. There’s an obvious element of insanity in what he did. Maybe he thought he wouldn’t be able to finish what he started, so he was led in this direction.” Marty shrugged. “But all of that is just supposition on my part. I’m sorry, Leana. Mike Hines is one of the shrewdest detectives I know. I’ve worked with him for years. Even he couldn’t crack Cullen, assuming there’s anything to crack.”

  Leana turned to Mario. “The other night, when my father texted me about hiring one of Sean’s men, you made a couple of phone calls. I assume they were to your brothers.”

  “They were.”

  “Are they willing to help you?”

  “They said they would, but I’ve yet to hear anything from them.”

  “I suppose none of this even matters, at least not when it comes to tomorrow night,” she said. “Whoever is behind this is still out there. Still free. Everyone who enters the building tomorrow has to pass through a metal detector, which will piss off plenty, but so be it. My question is whether that’s enough. I doubt it.”

  “Some things can’t be wrapped in a neat bow, Leana,” Marty said. “You always will be at risk until the person or persons behind this are caught. I’m sorry I couldn’t assist to that end—at least not within such a limited timeframe. If you agree to it, I’ll continue my investigation beyond tomorrow night until we learn who’s responsible. But for now? My best advice is that you delay tomorrow night’s event until after that happens.”

  “That’s not happening,” Leana said. “Because of my brother, people are flying in for this event. Celebrities. The hotel opens for business the next day, which means another opportunity for a party like this is out of the question. The party goes forward. I’ll give my speech. I’ll have security focused on me and flanked around me. We’ll get through the night. This happened to me once before at the opening of The Hotel Fifth, and because I chose to get back into this business, it’s happening again. The irony isn’t lost on me. I’m giving my speech.”

  “At the risk of your own life?”

  “It’s a calculated risk,” she said. “I’ll surprise them with the speech. With the exception of security, no one will know when it’s coming or where I’ll be standing. There will be no announcement. Just a sudden spotlight on me, a short welcome, a few words so the press can take their photographs and record it for the media, and then I’m finished.”

  “If someone is planning an attack tomorrow night, I don’t think it will go down like that,” Marty said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Acting at that moment would be too risky for this person. You’ll be exposed. They’ll know how tight security will be because of that exposure
. If someone is going to attack you, it’ll happen another way. You could be walking through the crowd and someone might come up behind you. Stick a knife in you. You could be using the washroom, and someone might walk in after you. Break your neck. I’m sorry to sound so harsh, but those are the sorts of situations I can see happening. The other is too risky. I think they’re going to be stealth. And who says it will be tomorrow night, anyway? It might be next week or next month, when everyone’s guard is down. They might act then.”

  “Which would give us more time to figure out who’s behind this and stop them. So, yes, I want to hire you going forward for that reason.”

  “I’m happy to do that. But I’m going to stick to my guns. I don’t recommend that you go forward with your party.”

  “I’m sorry, Marty, but I am.”

  “Then get me in tomorrow night. Let me also be there to watch the crowd.”

  “I can do that.”

  He looked at Mario. “You mentioned your brothers earlier. Are they coming?”

  “They are.”

  “So, there’s me, you, your brothers, Sean and his team. Who else?”

  “Anastassios,” Leana said. “My brother will be there, but he’s also a target. So of course he’ll be watching, just as I will be. Beyond that, Sean is bringing in a team of forty men and women. Some will be in black tie so they can meld into the crowd, and a group will be clearly outfitted and armed so people know that the place is secure.”

  “What Sean needs to do, and probably already has done, is get a sheet of names and photos of those who are coming, so that he and his staff can study their faces beforehand. If they do that, they’ll be more aware of somebody who doesn’t belong there.”

  “But nobody gets in without an invitation,” Leana said. “Sean had me use a special kind of paper for the invites. They’ll be scanned at the door. If one happens to be a knockoff, that person doesn’t get inside.”

  “That’s a good start,” Marty said. “Now, add to that what I’ve suggested, and you’ll be more secure.”

  “You need to do that,” Mario said.