Chapter 5: Badge Log

The board met Monday at nine in a room with a table long enough to land a plane.

Twelve people sat along it, and Ingrid sat at the head.

Lucas and I took the two chairs at the foot, side by side.

The sapphire was on my left hand and my notes were in my lap.

I'd barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes I was against a window.

"First item," the oldest board member said.

"The chair's grandson is married, so the motion on his seat is withdrawn.

"Second.

"Director Kruszewski has filed a complaint."

Clara stood up in a cream suit with a folder, looking tragic.

She had been crying in the elevator, I'd been told, which had required effort.

"I'm sorry to bring this," she said.

"But Magda Dombrowski was hired without an interview, a week before she began sleeping with the CEO.

"She used that relationship to take a post I trained for.

"I have the photograph that proves it began at midnight on the thirtieth."

She slid a glossy print down the table.

Twelve faces bent over it.

I had no idea how she'd printed it that fast, and I knew exactly what it was.

I stood.

"May I?"

"Ms. Dombrowski," Ingrid said, "you may."

"That photograph is time-stamped 11:58 p.m.," I said.

"It was taken from the stairwell door on thirty-nine, which you can see by the door frame on the left.

"Whoever took it had to be on that floor."

"That's a fantasy," Clara said.

"The floor needs a badge after ten.

"Each swipe is logged."

I took a single sheet from my notes and passed it to the man on my left.

"On Sunday I asked security for the log from the night of the photo.

"Three badges entered that floor after ten p.m.

"Mine at 9:04.

"Mr. Gorski's at 9:01.

"And Director Kruszewski's at 11:52."

The room had gone quiet in a way I knew from other rooms.

Clara's mouth opened.

"I was working late," she said.

"On guest relations?" Ingrid asked.

"On the thirty-ninth floor, which has none?"

Clara looked at the print in the middle of the table.

I watched her notice she had put her own mistake in front of twelve people.

"Mr. Gorski," said another man, "was Director Kruszewski's presence on that floor authorized?"

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