Chương 8
When Lauren’s interview ended, she remained in the chair.
Helen closed the folder in front of her. “Security will escort you to collect personal items. Your paid leave continues. Do not contact other employees about the investigation.”
“My address is online.”
“We have arranged a car to take you home and coordinated with local police.”
Lauren stared at her. “People are saying they hope my daughter dies.”
Helen’s face changed.
Evan sat forward in the other office.
“I don’t even post pictures of her publicly,” Lauren continued. “Somebody found my sister’s account.”
“Send every threat to the number Priya provided.”
“Is he going to say anything?”
“Who?”
Lauren looked toward the wall as if she knew Evan was behind it. “Mr. Hale.”
Helen said, “About the threats?”
“Yes.”
“I will ask him.”
Lauren’s voice cracked. “I know what I said was awful. I know. But I didn’t tell those people to come after my family.”
“No,” Helen said. “You didn’t.”
Lauren lowered her head.
For the first time since the confrontation, Evan felt the clean shape of his anger become complicated.
Complication did not make Lauren innocent. It made punishment less satisfying.
Danielle entered the conference room twenty minutes later.
She wore the same black business outfit from the showroom, but she had tied her long brunette hair back. She asked for water and drank half the bottle before Helen finished the introductory statement.
“I laughed,” Danielle said.
Helen looked up from her notes. “I haven’t asked a question yet.”
“I know. I laughed. It’s on the video.”
“Why?”
Danielle twisted the bottle in both hands. “Because Lauren shouted, and I thought Mara was laughing, and when Mara laughs at something on the floor, you laugh or you become the thing she talks about next.”
“That sounds rehearsed.”
“It isn’t.”
“Are you blaming Mara?”
“I’m explaining. Blame is still mine.”
Evan watched her face on the monitor. She spoke quickly, then stopped herself as though her words had outrun her courage.
Helen asked about the visitor-ranking sheet.
Danielle admitted using it.
“You wrote that an older man in work clothes was probably a waste of time,” Helen said.
Danielle closed her eyes. “Yes.”
“Who was he?”
“I don’t know.”
“You recorded his phone number.”
Danielle looked startled. “I did?”
Helen slid a printed entry across the table.
Danielle read it. Her lips moved silently over the digits.
“He bought a car two weeks later,” Helen said. “From another dealership.”
Danielle covered her mouth with one hand.
“Do you remember him now?”
“He asked about financing because his wife handled their money. I thought he was making excuses.”
“Did you follow up?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Mara said he was a tire-kicker.”
“Did Mara prevent you from calling?”
“No.”
Helen asked whether Danielle had ever objected to the sheet.
“Once,” she replied.
“To whom?”
“Noah. Not management.”
“What did you say?”
“That it felt gross.”
“What did you do after saying that?”
“Used it anyway.”
“Why?”
Danielle stared at the bottle. “Because I needed my numbers.”
She explained that commissions had dropped after the dealership’s inventory tightened. Her rent had increased. Her younger brother had been living on her couch after leaving a treatment program. She was behind on a private student loan that did not pause when the federal payments did. None of it made the spreadsheet less ugly.
She seemed to know that.
“The floor is not friendly,” she said. “People think luxury sales is smiling and champagne. It’s lead theft, rankings, who gets the repeat client, who gets blamed for a bad survey. Mara decides which associates get introduced to the serious people. Lauren stays close to Mara. I stayed close to Lauren.”
“And people who did not?”
“They left.”
“Or were fired?”
Danielle looked at Helen. “Marcus.”
“What happened?”
“He told Mara the sheet was discriminatory. They argued in the stockroom. After that, she started documenting every time he was late.”
“Was he late?”
“Yes.”
“Often?”
“Sometimes. Everybody was. Transport trucks arrive at six in the morning, but the porter shift starts at seven. Management expects them to come early and doesn’t put it on the schedule.”
“Did Marcus threaten Mara?”
“No. He swore at her.”
“What did he say?”
Danielle hesitated. “He said she was going to get the company sued and called her a liar.”
“Did he raise his voice?”
“Yes.”
“Did she?”
“Yes.”
“Who reported the incident?”
“Mara.”
“Were you interviewed?”
“No.”
“Did you tell anyone what you witnessed?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Danielle’s fingers tightened around the bottle until the plastic crackled.
“I had just signed a lease.”
It was a small answer. Evan believed it more than he wanted to.
Mara came last.
She requested an attorney, then changed her mind when told the interview would be postponed until counsel arrived. She sat with her spine straight and her hands folded on the table.
“I will not participate in a process designed to justify a public firing,” she said.
Helen replied, “No decision has been made.”
“Mr. Hale made it in front of the entire showroom.”
“Mr. Hale has acknowledged that statement was premature.”
“Publicly?”
“Internally.”
“Then publicly, I remain the woman he promised to replace.”
Helen let the silence sit.
Mara continued, “The video has been edited.”
“What was removed?”
“Everything before Lauren took the key.”
“What happened before?”
“He was standing near a restricted vehicle with no associate present.”
“Was the vehicle roped off?”
“No.”
“Was there a sign prohibiting customers from approaching it?”
“No.”
“Did he have an authorized key?”
“We did not know it was authorized.”
“Did anyone ask?”
“Lauren offered assistance.”
“According to Lauren, Mr. Hale said he was waiting for Thomas.”
“Anyone can say that.”
“Anyone can. What did you do to verify it?”
Mara’s expression hardened. “We used judgment.”
“Based on?”
“Experience.”
“Be specific.”
“Posture, language, clothing, whether they understand the vehicle, whether they arrive by appointment, whether they appear to be filming content, whether they respect boundaries.”
“Was Mr. Hale filming?”
May you like
“No.”
“Did he misunderstand the vehicle?”
