Daniel looked at the closed door.
"Is this confidential?"
"As confidential as the investigation permits. Your statement will not be shared casually, and the company has been instructed not to retaliate against anyone who cooperates."
"People say that."
Patricia nodded.
"You're right. They do."
She placed a small recorder on the desk.
"But I can tell you what the board has authorized, and I can explain what protections are available. You should also know that if anyone threatens your job because you participate, I want to hear about it immediately."
Daniel looked at her.
"All right."
Patricia pressed the record button.
"Let's begin with the morning Mr. Whitmore arrived."
Daniel described everything.
He spoke about the old man's difficulty opening the bag. He described Richard's tone and the way the executive had looked at the bottle of water as though it were evidence of a crime.
He also told Patricia about the supervisor who had instructed him to remain invisible around the executive offices.
"Did you follow that instruction?" she asked.
"Mostly."
"Why?"
"Because I need the job."
"Have you ever refused to help someone because you were worried about violating that instruction?"
Daniel thought for a moment.
"Yes."
Patricia waited.
"Three months ago, a woman came in with a little boy. He was crying because he had lost his father in the building. I wanted to help look for him, but I was told not to leave my section."
"What did you do?"
"I called security."
"How long did they take to respond?"
"About eight minutes."
"Did you remain with the child?"
Daniel nodded.
"Yes. I couldn't leave him alone."
"Did anyone discipline you?"
"No. But my supervisor told me afterward that I had made the company look disorganized."
Patricia wrote something down.
"Did the child find his father?"
"Yes. He was in the cafeteria."
"Good."
She looked up.
"Daniel, did you know that three other employees had reported similar situations?"
"No."
"Two cleaners and one security guard. All three described being discouraged from helping visitors unless they first received permission from a supervisor."
Daniel leaned back.
"That's terrible."
"One of them was disciplined for assisting an elderly woman who had fallen near the parking entrance."
"Was she hurt?"
"She broke her wrist."
Daniel stared at the desk.
"Did the employee get fired?"
"No. But he was transferred to an overnight assignment and lost his preferred schedule."
"That's almost the same thing."
Patricia nodded.
"Sometimes retaliation doesn't look like termination. Sometimes it looks like making someone's life difficult enough that they leave on their own."
Daniel thought of his mother.
He thought of the medication schedule taped to the refrigerator. He thought of Emma's tuition bill.
He understood how powerful that kind of pressure could be.
After the interview, Patricia asked him to provide the names of anyone who might have relevant information.
Daniel gave her three.
Then, after a long pause, he gave her a fourth.
His own supervisor, Mark Peterson.
Patricia wrote down the name.
"Thank you."
Daniel stood.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Is Mr. Whitmore really going to change anything?"
Patricia considered her answer.
"I can't promise what the board will decide. But I can tell you this: the chairman has asked for evidence, not praise. That gives the investigation a chance to do its job."
Daniel nodded.
He wanted to believe her.
Outside, the morning shift was beginning.
The lobby was filling with employees, visitors, and delivery workers. A man in a gray suit hurried through the revolving doors while checking his watch. A woman carrying two coffees stopped to speak to the receptionist.
Daniel returned to his cleaning cart.
He had just started polishing the floor near the elevators when he heard someone call his name.
"Daniel?"
He turned.
It was Arthur Whitmore.
The chairman wore a dark blue sweater beneath his coat. His leather bag was gone, replaced by a simple canvas satchel.
"Good morning, sir."
"Good morning. How did the meeting go?"
Daniel glanced around.
"Fine."
"That's a very cautious answer."
Daniel smiled.
"They asked questions."
"Did you tell the truth?"
"Yes."
"Then you did your part."
Arthur looked at the cleaning cart.
"May I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"If you could change one thing about this building, what would it be?"
Daniel blinked.
"One thing?"
"One thing."
He looked toward the reception desk.
"Maybe the way people treat each other."
Arthur nodded.
"Be more specific."
Daniel considered the question.
"I think people should be able to help someone without worrying about whether they'll get in trouble for it."
Arthur was quiet.
"That's a good answer."
He glanced at the marble floor.
"Do you know what I used to do when I couldn't afford to hire enough cleaners?"
Daniel shook his head.
"I cleaned the office myself."
"Really?"
Arthur smiled.
"Not very well. My wife used to complain that I spread the dirt around instead of removing it."
Daniel laughed.
"That sounds familiar."
"She was right."
Arthur looked at the cleaning cart.
"Would you mind showing me how you clean this floor?"
Daniel stared at him.
"Sir?"
"Only if you have time."
Daniel glanced toward the supervisor's office.
Then he remembered the words Arthur had spoken the day before.
He remembered the man who had sat alone on the sofa while people walked past him.
"Sure."
He explained the cleaning solution, the microfiber pad, the correct amount of water, and the importance of allowing the floor to dry evenly.
Arthur listened carefully.
He even tried pushing the mop.
His first stroke left a wide streak.
Daniel laughed.
"You're putting too much pressure on it."
Arthur looked at the streak.
"I've been told that before."
"By your wife?"
"By several people."
They both laughed.
A few employees noticed them.
One receptionist whispered to another.
A security guard looked over from his post.
But Arthur didn't seem concerned.
He handed the mop back to Daniel.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Arthur started toward the elevators.
Then he stopped.
"Daniel."
"Yes, sir?"
"Don't let anyone convince you that honest work makes you less important."