Page 30 of Cuts like a Knife
Lessons from the Lex Madison scandal: Don’t let association with the wrong people derail your career
Oh well. I moved on. And it slowly started to feel like what happened to me had been successfully buried. It was in the past. It was over. At the same time, I was always low-key worried that it wasn’t going to stay buried105.
After all, it’s not like no one knows. Not literally. I don’t tend to see anyone who knows, but plenty of people do.
Even while chatting with Callum about my pitches, my mind goes over and over the list. Who could it be?
Someone from Flash? A lot of people there know. All my old coworkers. Bex, but obviously it wasn’t her. Could she have told someone? Doubtful. She never even realized how important it was. Di’s boss, or actually, partner, Eve Wolf knows, because I accidentally consulted with her right after it happened. No chance of her blabbing. Alan at Sentinel, who I’m sure hates me, but who’s been silent for more than two years — I can’t see why anything would have changed there106.
I guess there’s one good thing about this. I’ve been flying under the radar, being a big fat nobody. Avoiding notice has been my primary goal for awhile now. I don’t take chances anymore. I’ve locked down my social media profiles, and I’ve gone relatively silent online. And I’ve given up on public activism107.
But if user 5370794D61737465720A is going to expose me anyway, maybe I don’t have to do that anymore. Maybe I can get loud again? Go out in a blaze of glory?
Maybe.
~
The taxi ride from the airport to the resort isn’t long, and as we whip along down the two-lane road, I catch glimpses of the jewel-bright sea flashing between the trees.
This place is tiny, but really gorgeous.
The hotel itself is unbelievably impressive too. We pull into the drive — perfectly-laid cobblestones in a chevron pattern — and are presented with a low-rise white and beige dreamland. The lobby is a pristine expanse of imported marble, and just beyond, I can see the grounds, a dreamscape of aquamarine fountains and pools, palm trees, and the beach108.
A slow line of vehicles is arriving at a steady rate and people are streaming into the lobby. Most of us were probably on the same flight, here for the same reason. I join Callum as we make our way across the lobby. I feel like … I don’t know. A movie star? No. But … somebody important. Regular people don’t get to stay at places like this as a rule, that’s for sure. It’s a nice feeling.
Unfortunately, all my good feelings evaporate when Callum and I reach the counter to check in.
The pretty girl at the desk welcomes us graciously enough, takes our passports and Callum’s company credit card, hands back our IDs, and then hands Callum two key cards. Then, smiling at us, she waits, as if we might have additional questions. Callum turns and begins to walk away, but the girl, whose name tag I notice reads Liza, simply waits.
There’s a long line behind me, but those folks will just have to wait109.
“Was there anything else you needed, miss?” Liza asks.
“Um. My room. My room key?”
“Pardon me, I should have been more clear. Mr. Jansen has both keys to your room.” She smiles.
“To … one room, yes. But we have two rooms, no? Callum?” I call to him and he turns, rolls his eyes and saunters back to me and the counter.
“What’s the hold up, Madison?”
“We have two rooms, right? You have the key to mine?”
I hold out my hand, expecting him to drop the key into my palm, but he just chuckles.
“We have one room, idiot.”
“One room?”
“Two beds, obviously. Queen size. It’s all above board.” Callum catches Liza’s eye and makes a face, like I’m being unbelievably dense and he needs to apologize on my behalf.
“I’m sorry, what?” I can’t follow.
“Someone’s riding the slow bus today, I see. We have one room, two beds. You were a last minute addition to the trip, remember? And besides, as already discussed, you’re not that important. You didn’t really expect that the company would be putting you up in some kind of private suite all week, did you? I mean, give me a break. The ego on you.”
“I can’t believe this…” I hardly know what else to say110. My mouth doesn’t seem able to form a coherent objection, but words begin tumbling out of it nonetheless. “I won’t— I mean, I can’t believe anybody thought … what the f—? Callum, this is completely unacceptable, you realize that?”
“Stop being such a drama queen, kid. It’s two beds. Besides, I’ve seen it all before, if that’s what you’re worried about.” His eyes trail down the front of my body so obviously and lasciviously, I am overwhelmed with a wave of something that feels like equal parts disgust and shame. I turn back to Liza.
