Chapter 3 - The Man Who Apologized Too Quickly
The chairman, Richard Bell, entered five minutes later with a practiced expression of concern.
He was sixty-two, silver-haired, respected, and one of the men Clara had interviewed during the audit.
He looked at her injured hand.
“Clara, I'm terribly sorry about what happened.”
“You weren't the one who pushed me.”
“No.”
“Then you don't need to apologize.”
Richard's smile disappeared for half a second.
Lorenzo noticed.
Clara noticed Lorenzo noticing.
Richard looked at Lorenzo.
“The board is worried about tonight's incident.”
“I'm sure they are,” Lorenzo replied.
“There are cameras everywhere. Rumors spread quickly.”
Clara folded her arms.
“What rumors?”
Richard hesitated.
“That you were trying to confront Mr. Moretti publicly over the audit.”
Clara's eyes narrowed.
“I never said that.”
Richard's face remained calm.
“People interpret things.”
Lorenzo stepped closer.
“Who told you she planned to confront me?”
Richard's silence lasted too long.
Then he smiled.
“I was simply informed.”
“By whom?”
“I don't remember.”
Lorenzo's voice became quieter.
“You should.”
Richard turned toward the door.
“I'll leave you both to recover.”
After he left, Clara whispered, “He lied.”
“Yes.”
“You know who he is?”
“I know what he is.”
“What?”
Lorenzo looked toward the closed door.
“A man who survives by making sure nobody remembers what happened before he arrived.”
Clara thought about the missing report.
Then she remembered something strange.
“When I was shoved, the man behind me said I was stepping somewhere.”
Lorenzo looked at her.
“What did he mean?”
“I don't know.”
She lowered her eyes.
But then she noticed a tiny smear of gold dust on the torn edge of her gown.
Gold.
The same color as Lorenzo's watch.
She looked at him.
“You said someone hit you at 9:17.”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Near the service corridor.”
Clara's expression changed.
The gala floor plan suddenly made sense.
The service corridor ran directly beneath the ballroom's private records room.
Someone had not wanted her near that room.
May you like
They had wanted her on the floor.
And Clara finally understood why.
