Chapter 21: The Gala

Ross's POV

The Ellery gala has been held in the same ballroom since my grandfather's day.

Eight hundred people eat chicken under three chandeliers.

They clap for whichever employee we have decided to call a credit to the company.

I had given that speech a dozen times.

On Saturday at five, I stood at the podium in the empty ballroom with my notes.

I read it out loud to the chairs.

It was about family.

I stopped at the second page and put the card down.

"Mr. Ellery?"

The audio technician stood at the side of the stage with a tablet.

"The slides you sent," he said. "The statement and the HR pages. You want them on the main screen during the award?"

"Yes."

"Your general counsel called. Twice."

"I know."

"She said to tell you it's a firing offense."

"It might be," I said. "Load them anyway."

He nodded and went to the booth.

I stood alone in the chandelier light and thought about what I was about to do.

I would stand in front of every insurer in the state, and the press.

I would tell them I had given a fraud our best honor.

I would put his card report on a screen forty feet wide.

The board would have a vote on me by Monday, and I thought they would win it.

I found that I did not mind.

What I minded was the other thing.

At six, Holly called.

"Where are you?"

"At the hotel. In the ballroom. I'm rehearsing."

"What are you rehearsing?"

"A thing I'm not supposed to do," I said.

She was quiet.

"You told me you'd pull the nomination from the podium," she said. "You told me you'd show the cards."

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