You admit you misunderstood the records.
You surrender every copy you made.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then they confirm you became unstable when confronted about your misconduct.”
Deb whispered, “Richard, that isn’t what you told us this meeting was about.”
He ignored her.
Emily began backing toward the section of the roof above the construction platform.
She made it look involuntary.
Richard followed.
One step.
Then another.
Every threatening sentence moved him exactly where she needed him.
“Nobody knows you here,” he told her.
“Nobody is throwing away a career for you.”
Emily looked at Deb.
Deb’s eyes were wet, but she remained standing.
Emily looked at Hensley.
His face had hardened.
Richard saw only fear around him.
Emily saw witnesses reaching the limit of what they were willing to tolerate.
She placed the folder on the concrete.
“Last chance,” Richard said.
“No,” Emily replied.
“It’s yours.”
Then he pushed her.
Now, three stories beneath the roof, Emily pressed the recorder’s stop button.
The entire rooftop conversation was preserved.
Including Richard’s words after he thought she was dead.
“It’s done.”
Emily found the scaffold ladder and began moving carefully toward the nearest maintenance access point.
Every breath hurt.
Above her, Richard was losing control.
“You will tell them she slipped,” he told the others.
Dr.
Hensley stared at him.
“You just attempted to murder a nurse in front of three witnesses.”
“Watch your language.”
Hensley actually laughed.
There was no humor in it.
“That’s what you’re worried about? My language?”
Richard turned to Deb.
“You have nineteen years here.
Pension, seniority, everything.
Think carefully before you destroy that.”
Deb looked toward the edge where Emily had disappeared.
Then she looked back at Richard.
“I spent nineteen years being afraid of people like you.”
Richard stepped toward her.
“Deborah—”
“Don’t call me Deborah.”
It was the same tone she had used with Emily on her first morning.
Only now her hands were no longer shaking.
The rooftop door opened.
Two hospital security officers entered, followed moments later by emergency personnel who had been alerted from below after workers heard the impact on the construction net.
Richard immediately changed his voice.
“There’s been an accident.
