Morning came again to St Moritz, and it was a hectic one. The party was over, but the hotel staff still had no time to rest.

In the banquet hall, empty bottles and glasses were being cleared away; in the lobby, departing guests' luggage went out in an endless stream.

For a few days Badrutt's Palace had run like a castle all its own. Now it was slowly turning back into an ordinary hotel.

Emilia Lorenz stood at the window of the main office and watched the banquet hall being put back in order.

"You've had your hands full these past few days."

A familiar voice came from behind her. She turned her head. Robert Lorenz was just walking into the office.

He was Emilia's uncle, and her rival: ever since her father's death, he had been running a sizable share of the business alongside her.

"I thought you'd already left."

Emilia looked at Robert, her expression blank.

"There was one last thing I needed to check."

Robert sat down on the sofa directly across from her. He had come alone, without a secretary or an aide.

Emilia left the window and crossed toward him.

"Can I get you a coffee, at least?"

"No need. I don't plan to stay long."

Robert smiled and laid a thin file folder on the table. Emilia sat down on the sofa facing him.

"The event was a success. There was that business with the forgery, but if anything it left a deep impression on the guests."

"Should I take that as a compliment?"

"Take it however you like."

She looked at the folder Robert had set down. Nothing was written on the cover.

But Robert would never have come here at this hour carrying a folder that meant nothing.

"One odd thing did turn up, though."

"What's that?"

"Some of the security records have gone missing."

Emilia's expression didn't change in the slightest.

"I went through the CCTV footage and access logs from the hotels we used during the event, and there are gaps in several places. Not just at Badrutt's Palace. At…