Eleanor reached into her handbag again.
This time she removed her phone.
She unlocked it.
Then she looked directly at Victor.
"I would like you to make one phone call."
Victor laughed.
"To whom?"
Eleanor smiled.
"To the owner."
Victor's smile disappeared.
"The owner is currently overseas."
"No."
Eleanor shook her head.
"He's not."
Victor frowned.
"How would you know?"
She pressed a number.
The phone began ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Victor crossed his arms.
"Mrs. Whitmore, this is becoming ridiculous."
Then someone answered.
A deep male voice came through the phone.
"Hello?"
Eleanor said,
"David, I'm at the Grand Royale."
The expression on Victor's face changed instantly.
Eleanor continued.
"There's a problem."
David asked,
"What happened?"
She looked at Victor.
"He wants me to leave."
There was silence.
Then the voice on the phone became serious.
"Who?"
Eleanor turned toward Victor.
"Victor Hale."
The manager's face lost its color.
He knew that voice.
Everyone in the theater knew the name David Whitmore.
David Whitmore wasn't just a businessman.
He was the founder of the Whitmore Foundation.
He owned several hotels.
He owned two theaters.
He was one of the largest private donors to the city's arts programs.
And more importantly...
He owned the Grand Royale Theater.
Victor swallowed.
"Mrs. Whitmore..."
Eleanor ended the call.
Then she looked at him.
"You asked who invited me."
Victor said nothing.
She smiled gently.
"I did."
Victor's eyes widened.
Daniel stared at her.
"You..."
Eleanor nodded.
"My name is Eleanor Whitmore."
Victor whispered,
"David's wife."
She nodded.
"Yes."
A murmur spread through the lobby.
Eleanor looked around.
"This theater was built by my husband and me."
Victor's face went completely pale.
"But I..."
She raised one hand.
"Please."
Victor stopped.
Eleanor walked toward him.
"I didn't come here tonight to cause trouble."
Victor looked down.
"I didn't know."
"That's the problem."
Her voice was calm.
"You didn't know who I was."
Victor looked ashamed.
"But you decided I wasn't important."
Silence.
Daniel stood nearby, still holding nothing but the empty place where his employee badge had been.
Eleanor turned toward him.
"And you..."
Daniel looked surprised.
"You defended me."
Daniel shook his head.
"I just thought you deserved respect."
Eleanor smiled.
"You did more than that."
She turned toward Victor.
"Now let's discuss something more important than my identity."
Victor looked at her.
"Your identity shouldn't matter."
Victor said nothing.
"Neither should my clothes."
She looked around the magnificent lobby.
"This building was created for people to experience art."
Her voice grew stronger.
"Not to measure their worth."
No one spoke.
Eleanor continued.