Page 86 of Ivory Obsession
“Dr. Bentley,” one of the guards nodded curtly as I passed.
“Morning,” I returned, my voice steadier than I felt. Each step I took resonated against the marble floor, mirroring the pounding in my chest. What had happened? My thoughts raced, trying to connect the dots, but coming up empty.
I let out a slow breath, determined not to let the chaos rattle me. Today, I needed to be the scientist they all knew—the one who solved problems, not the one drowning in them. But as I watched a detective photograph what looked like a broken lock near one of the labs, I couldn’t help but feel I was walking straight into the storm.
“Jade, there’s been a development.” Dr. White’s voice cut through the lobby’s din, and I turned to find him striding toward me, his face etched with concern.
I followed him, my heart thudding in my chest, as we moved away from prying eyes. The nausea that had been an ever-present companion since my pregnancy began seemed to swell, but I swallowed it down. “What is it, Dr. White? What’s happened?”
He took a deep breath, looking at me like he was about to shatter my world. “The security breach from a few weeks ago...” His voice trailed off, and he met my gaze squarely. “It’s been traced back to your ID.”
My blood ran cold, and I felt the color drain from my face. “That’s impossible,” I managed to choke out, the walls of the lobby suddenly too close.
“Where’s your ID now, Jade?” he asked, his eyes scanning mine for any trace of deceit.
“I...I lost it, a while ago. I didn’t think—it was just an ID card.” Panicked, I tried to remember when I last saw it. I usually kept it in my bag, but God…I hadn’t seen it for what I was sure was weeks. Maybe even a month or more.
Dr. White’s brow furrowed. “How have you been getting into the building?”
“Well, I know the receptionist,” I said, confusion lacing my words. “I don’t understand your question.” It was true; Sarah at the front desk would often wave me through with a smile. It never crossed my mind that this casual convenience could be twisted into something so damning.
“Okay, Jade. Okay.” Dr. White’s voice softened, but his expression remained grave. He glanced over his shoulder, assuring our isolation. “We need to keep this quiet. If word gets out to the other families, to the press... it could be catastrophic for BioHQ—and for you.”
“I mean, it’s just an ID card. Surely I can’t be the linchpin of this whole operation…”
“Look, Jade,” Dr. White cut in, his hushed tone urgent, “the stakes are higher than you realize. Your ID grants access to secure areas—areas that were compromised. We’ve got to get ahead of this.”
My head spun. The implications were staggering. Someone out there was using my identity to infiltrate BioHQ’s inner sanctum, and I was the perfect scapegoat. My dedication, my naivete—it all made me an easy target.
“Dr. White, I need you to believe me,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I haven’t done anything wrong.” My plea hung in the air, heavy with desperation. It was vital he understood—I was as much a victim in this charade as BioHQ itself.
He nodded, his eyes locked on mine. “I know you’re not guilty, but the evidence suggests otherwise.” His words landed like a punch to the gut. “The security footage, the missing prototypes, the breach—it’s all tracing back to you, somehow.”
I felt like I was drowning, each breath more laborious than the last. My mind raced desperately through every interaction, every misplaced trust. Who had I let too close? Who had seen my ID last?
“Jade, listen to me,” Dr. White continued, seeing the panic in my eyes. “We’ll get to the bottom of this. But until we do, you must be careful. Trust no one. Not even Ellie.”
“Ellie?” I balked at the notion. Ellie was more than a colleague; she was my closest friend, my anchor. “She’d never—“
“Everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise,” Dr. White interrupted sternly. “Remember that.”
“But Dr. Harper would never…”
“Jade,” Dr. White leaned in closer, urgency etching his features. “You need to understand the stakes. They’re not just after a scapegoat; they want a confession. And they’ll twist your words to get one.”
His warnings echoed in my head as I entered the boardroom where several of my colleagues had already gathered. There was an unspoken understanding in their furtive glances—the kind that comes when fear is the only common language. The detectives moved like shadows among us, their questions sharp and probing.
Ellie wasn’t there. I wondered where she was for a second, but before I could text her, I heard the sound of my name being called.
“Dr. Bentley?” One of them called out, and the room hushed instantly. It was my turn to face the music, no matter how discordant the tune.
“Ms. Bentley, please take a seat,” one detective motioned to the chair opposite him. His eyes were hard, unreadable.
“It’s Doctor. Dr. Bentley,” I replied.
“Of course, Dr. Bentley,” he corrected himself, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. I felt a pang of satisfaction - at least I had control over something in this madness.
He folded his hands on the table, creating a barrier between us. “We have reason to believe that you are involved in the serious security breaches that have been occurring.” His tone was flat, but there was an undercurrent of accusation that made me bristle.