Something in her certainty reached him. He released her arm almost immediately and stepped backward. The other guard kept his hands at his sides, glancing from Helena to the reception desk. Thomas moved closer and asked whether anyone had verified that the visitor was unauthorized.
"Thomas, mind your station," Gregory replied without looking at him. "The adults are dealing with this."
Thomas stayed where he was. "Sir, I am doing my job. Security has a visitor confirmation line, and it has already found a confidential authorization for a guest this morning. We are waiting for the executive floor to confirm her access. There is no reason to search her bag."
Helena's face tightened. "Are you contradicting general counsel?"
"I'm clarifying the procedure," Thomas said. "That's what security is here for."
Sarah could remain behind her desk no longer. She stood, nearly knocking her chair backward, and hurried toward the group. Her hands were shaking.
"Please," she said, her voice cracking. "Just let me make one more call. There is an authorization. The name is Madison Parker, and the system isn't giving me permission to open it."
For the first time, Gregory heard the name cleanly enough to interrupt his irritation. His expression shifted for a fraction of a second, but the old certainty returned almost at once. Madison Parker was a signature he associated with lawyers, closing documents, and an unseen investor in some other office. He had not imagined that the woman he had spent the morning dismissing might own the signature.
"Sarah," he said coldly, "go back to your desk. If you interrupt me again, you'll be looking for another job before lunch."
Sarah stopped in the middle of the floor. Madison saw her eyes fill with tears, but she did not look away. She glanced at Thomas, then at the woman who had sat patiently while the people in charge became increasingly cruel. For a moment she looked as if she wanted to say something more, something too dangerous to risk saying.
"Thank you, Sarah," Madison told her. "You've done what you could. Please keep your notes."
Sarah nodded, though her face had turned pale. She returned to the desk and sat with one hand over her mouth. Thomas stayed beside the security station rather than obeying the pointed gestures inviting him to disappear. Madison had learned enough about both of them to understand how much courage their small acts required.
Gregory checked his watch. "We are done here," he said. "The new chairwoman is upstairs, and we're already late."
The six executives turned toward the elevators. Bradley reached for the call button, and the doors parted with a soft chime. Madison waited until the first of them had taken a step forward, then spoke in a voice that carried without effort.
"I'll ride up with you."
Gregory turned halfway around. "Excuse me?"
"To the boardroom," Madison said. "I'll ride up with you."