Page 112 of Under the Table


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“What log?”

“The log that says who took what vehicle in case there’s damage, or in this case, negligence.” Angelica popped her fist on her hip, completely ignoring the fact that Sy was coming in closer to catch this on camera. How the hell had he even known this was going to happen?

“There isn’t a log, ma’am.”

“There isn’t a log.” Angelica’s jaw dropped in shock. “So you have no idea who took that golf cart before Annalise got into it? You have no idea who was negligent enough to leave keys within easy access of a child? You have no idea who risked the safety of a child because there’s no log?” She got louder with each question, her voice reaching a pinnacle as she pressed her hand on the folder.

“No, ma’am.” He swallowed hard, clearly nervous.

“Your lost child policy, where is it?”

He grabbed for another folder and handed it over to her. Angelica skimmed it quickly. Everything was here, for the most part. There were a few things that she’d change, but all in all, everything they needed was there. “When Rachel got here, what would you have done when she reported her kid missing?”

“Put out a call on the radio and notified the gates.”

At least he knew that. Angelica sighed heavily. “Put these on the desk. I’m going to talk with everyone about it tomorrow.” She was too tired to deal with that tonight, and it wasn’t the night manager’s fault either. This was a bigger systemic issue. But she also had a sneaking suspicion that something else was going on, and when she caught sight of Josef standing in the back hall, her stomach dropped again.

Breathing deeply, Angelica stared at him and said nothing until he got closer. “I’m not sure I even want to ask,” she said.

“Ask what?”

“Are you behind this?” Her voice nearly cracked on that last word. “Did you give Annalise the idea to get in the golf cart? Did you give her the key?”

Josef clenched his jaw and squared his shoulders, but he didn’t answer her.

“What the fuck, Josef?” Her voice rang through the lobby for the third time that night. “Are you insane?” She stepped away from him. “You willingly endangered a child all for what? Toprove a point about safety?” She stopped herself, shaking her head. “This wasn’t about safety. You wanted drama. You wanted this. You wanted me to run in here all hot-headed and tear into someone. You wanted me to be the bad guy in this.”

She flung her hand out to her side in anger.

“I can’t believe that you’d risk injuring a kid all for the sake of a show.” She shook her head, stepping away. “I don’t know who you are anymore.”

Turning on her toes to leave, she stopped short. Rachel was still standing there, a hand on Annalise’s chest as they watched everything go down. Angelica clenched her jaw hard and pushed her toes into the ground, walking around Rachel and Annalise and slamming her hand into the door when she was outside.

“Fuck!” she shouted loudly, as soon as she was outdoors and away from all of that. The rest of the producers would be hearing about this. She wasn’t going to let Josef get away with this bullshit. Not when he deliberately put a kid at risk.

“Angelica?” Rachel’s voice echoed toward her, far more timid than Angelica had ever heard it.

Angelica winced, turning around and facing Rachel. “I’m so sorry about him.”

Rachel walked closer, taking her time, as if Angelica was a rabid wolf who needed to be approached with care. Angelica settled in for another confrontation, her shoulders set.

“Annalise’s fine.”

“By luck,” Angelica answered.

“Yes, by luck, but she’s not injured.”

Angelica scoffed and rolled her eyes. “I have a lot of work to do tonight, was there something else you needed?”

Rachel looked over her shoulder toward the lobby, the large windows showing Annalise sitting on a coach, and Sy ignoring Josef as he stood there flabbergasted.

“I don’t like you,” Rachel said, her voice ringing through the slightly chilly air.

“Excuse me?” Angelica tensed. She hadn’t expected another attack. Well, she had, but not one of this nature.

“I don’t like you. You’re mean, you’re cruel, and I don’t think you have a kind bone in your body.”

Angelica’s heart sank. This was coming out of nowhere. Rachel hadn’t shown any signs that she didn’t like Angelica, or that she felt this oppositional to her.