At 10:15 a.m., Richard Collins received a phone call.
He looked at the screen.
The caller's name made him uncomfortable.
Gregory Shaw.
Richard answered.
"Hello, Gregory."
"Richard. I heard there's a meeting happening this morning."
Richard glanced toward Daniel.
"Yes."
"What's going on?"
"A management review."
Gregory laughed.
"About what?"
"Customer complaints."
There was a brief silence.
Then Gregory's voice became colder.
"Is this about Vanessa?"
Richard did not answer immediately.
"Partly."
Gregory sighed.
"Richard, I hope you're not allowing one difficult customer to create unnecessary problems."
Daniel raised his eyes.
Richard placed the phone on speaker.
"Gregory, you're on speaker."
"Who else is there?"
Daniel answered.
"Daniel Carter."
Silence.
Then Gregory spoke.
"Mr. Carter."
"Good morning."
"I understand you've recently joined the ownership group."
"That's correct."
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
Gregory's tone remained polite, but Daniel could hear the tension underneath it.
"I hope the transition is going smoothly."
"Not entirely."
"What seems to be the problem?"
Daniel looked at the documents in front of him.
"Your former department appears to have some unresolved issues."
Gregory laughed softly.
"Every dealership has customer complaints."
"Of course."
"And every successful sales representative has customers who misunderstand their approach."
Daniel nodded.
"That's possible."
Gregory continued.
"Vanessa is one of the strongest people in that building. She knows how to close deals. She understands wealthy clients. She protects valuable inventory."
Daniel looked at Richard.
Then he asked a question.
"Did you instruct employees to judge customers based on their appearance?"
Gregory became quiet.
"Absolutely not."
"Did you tell them to prioritize customers who appeared wealthy?"
"I told them to focus on serious buyers."
"How did you define serious buyers?"
"People who demonstrate genuine purchasing intent."
Daniel leaned back.
"And how do you measure that?"
"Experience."
"Whose experience?"
Gregory did not answer.
Daniel continued.
"Did you review Vanessa's customer complaints before recommending her promotion?"
"Yes."
"Were they investigated independently?"
"They were reviewed."
"By whom?"
"Management."
"Which management?"
Gregory sighed.
"Richard can answer that."
Richard looked uncomfortable.
Daniel nodded.
"Thank you. That's what I wanted to know."
He ended the call.
Richard stared at the phone.
"He's not going to like this."
Daniel looked at him.
"He doesn't have to like it."
At that moment, the conference room door opened.
The receptionist appeared.
"Mr. Collins, Gregory Shaw is downstairs."
Richard looked surprised.
"He's here?"
"Yes. He says he wants to speak with the ownership representative."
Daniel stood.
"Send him up."
A few minutes later, Gregory entered the conference room.
He was in his early fifties, wearing a charcoal suit and an expensive wristwatch. His silver-streaked hair was neatly combed, and his expression suggested that he was accustomed to controlling conversations.
He looked first at Richard.
Then at Daniel.
Then at Vanessa.
"Well," he said, "this is certainly an interesting gathering."
Daniel offered him a seat.
"Please."
Gregory sat.
"I understand there's been some confusion about our previous sales procedures."
Daniel folded his hands.
"There's more than confusion."
Gregory smiled.
"With respect, Mr. Carter, you've been here less than twenty-four hours. You don't yet understand how this dealership operates."
Daniel looked at him.
"That's why I'm reviewing it."
Gregory leaned back.
"You're looking at isolated incidents and turning them into a major issue."
Daniel opened a folder.
"Three customer complaints. Two security reports. One employee promotion supported despite unresolved concerns. Internal emails encouraging employees to prioritize customers based on perceived purchasing potential."
Gregory's smile disappeared slightly.
"Those are normal business practices."
"Calling security on someone because of their appearance?"
"That's not what happened."
Daniel looked toward Thomas.
"Please explain the security reports."
Thomas stood.
He described the incidents, the missing documentation, and the instructions he had received to classify certain reports as routine interactions.
Gregory's face became rigid.
"Thomas, I don't remember telling you to remove anything."
Thomas replied calmly.
"You instructed me to keep certain interactions off the formal incident record."
Gregory shook his head.
"That's a serious accusation."
Daniel nodded.
"Which is why we'll investigate it."
Gregory looked at him.
"You're making a mistake."
Daniel closed the folder.
"Perhaps. But I'm not going to ignore evidence because someone with an impressive sales record tells me to."
Gregory stood abruptly.
"I've built this department."
Daniel remained seated.
"And now I'm responsible for determining whether it deserves to continue operating under the same leadership."
Gregory stared at him.
Then he said something that made Richard look up sharply.
"You should ask the previous owners why they were so eager to sell."
Daniel's expression changed.
"What do you mean?"
Gregory smiled faintly.
"Perhaps your acquisition wasn't the opportunity you think it was."
He turned toward the door.
But before leaving, he looked back.
"Some things are better left buried, Mr. Carter."
The door closed.
Daniel remained still.
Then he opened his tablet.
"Richard."
"Yes?"
"Find out exactly what Gregory meant."