Chapter 2 - The Red Light of Deceit
The silence stretched thin,
hanging over the ballroom like a fragile sheet of glass,
ready to shatter at the slightest touch.
Julianna's fingers fumbled inside the pockets of my coat,
her face pale under the bright gallery lights.
Bennett tried to step between her and the security officer,
his chest puffed out in a display of defensive pride.
"Callahan,"
Bennett muttered,
his voice dropping to a harsh,
threatening register,
"this is an administrative guest,
and I suggest you remember who funds your department."
"Mister Cross,"
Callahan replied calmly,
"my department is funded by the hospital board,
which is currently chaired by Doctor Morrow's family trust."
A quiet gasp rippled through the nearest circle of donors,
as the power dynamic in the room shifted visibly.
Julianna finally pulled a plastic card from the pocket,
holding it out with a hand that was visibly shaking.
It was a guest pass,
but it was colored bright blue,
indicating limited administrative access to the public lobby only.
Callahan took the card,
holding it up to his electronic scanner,
which immediately let out a loud,
harsh beep.
A bright red light flashed across his hand,
illuminating the falsified details printed on the magnetic strip.
"This badge,"
Callahan said,
looking up at Bennett with a stern expression,
"has been cloned from a high-clearance medical staff account."
"That is impossible,"
Bennett stammered,
his eyes darting around the room as he realized how many influential people were watching.
"It is not impossible,"
I said,
stepping forward so that I was standing inches from Julianna,
"it is a federal offense to clone hospital security credentials."
Julianna looked at Bennett,
her eyes wide with terror,
silently pleading for him to save her from the trap they had walked into.
But Bennett was a man who only cared about his own survival,
and I could see the gears turning in his mind as he tried to find a way to blame her.
"She must have made a mistake,"
Bennett said quickly,
stepping away from her slightly,
"she is just an assistant,
she doesn't understand the protocols."
"An assistant,"
I asked,
letting a cold smile touch my lips,
"who is wearing the chief of surgery's personalized coat?"
The donors were whispering now,
their heads leaning close together as they pointed at the embroidered name on the chest.
"This is a public relations nightmare,"
one of the senior board members muttered,
setting his glass down on a passing waiter's tray.
I looked at Callahan and gave him a slight nod,
the signal we had agreed upon before I even entered the building.
"Ma'am,"
Callahan said to Julianna,
"I need you to step out of the ballroom immediately for formal questioning."
"Bennett,"
Julianna cried out,
her voice cracking with real panic as Callahan gently but firmly took her arm.
But Bennett did not move,
he stood frozen,
watching his carefully planned evening fall apart before his eyes.
As she was led away,
she had to pull my white coat off her shoulders,
leaving it draped over a nearby chair like a discarded skin.
I walked over,
picked up the coat,
and ran my fingers over my embroidered name.
"You should have known,
Bennett,"
I whispered,
May you like
so only he could hear,
"that you can never wear my life without paying the price."
