I didn't let her finish. I turned and headed for the grand staircase, my heart hammering a violent, erratic beat. The anger was winning now, the "Integrated Jason" losing ground to the man who knew that things he owned did not simply disappear.
"Sir!" a security guard intercepted me at the base of the stairs, his hand held out in a firm 'stop' gesture. "I’m sorry, all guests must remain in the Grand Hall for the duration of the speeches."
"My wife is missing," I snarled, stepping into his personal space, my height looming over him. "She’s sick. She’s unstable. She could be hurt or lost in this maze, and I am going up there to find her."
"Sir, I’ve been stationed here since the dinner began," the guard said, his voice maddeningly level. "No one has gone up these stairs. Not a soul."
"Si
