The following morning, Marcus arrived at The Sterling Room before the first delivery.
The restaurant looked completely different without customers.
The chandeliers were still on, but the tables were empty. Chairs stood neatly arranged beneath the windows, and the kitchen staff were beginning their preparations for lunch.
Marcus entered through the main door carrying a black leather folder.
He had not told the employees he was coming.
David was already waiting in the office.
"Good morning, Mr. Bennett."
"Morning, David."
"I collected the documents you requested."
He placed three folders on the desk.
The first contained customer complaints. The second contained employee reports. The third held scheduling records and internal shift changes.
Marcus removed his blazer and hung it over the back of the chair.
"Let's start with the complaints."
David opened the first folder.
There were seven documented complaints over six months.
Four involved Jessica.
Two involved Daniel.
One mentioned both employees.
Marcus read each report carefully.
Some customers had complained about rude comments. Others had described being ignored for long periods while Jessica attended to more expensive tables.
One complaint stood out.
It came from a woman named Patricia Lewis, who had visited the restaurant with her elderly father.
According to the report, Jessica had repeatedly interrupted the father while he was ordering and told him that the restaurant's menu might be too complicated for him.
Patricia had written:
"My father is seventy-eight years old. He has spent his entire life working hard, and he wanted to take me somewhere special. He left feeling embarrassed because a waitress made him feel as though he did not belong there."
Marcus read the sentence twice.
"Did we respond to this customer?"
David nodded.
"Yes. We sent an apology and offered a complimentary dinner."
"Did she accept?"
"She thanked us, but she said she didn't want to return."
Marcus closed the folder.
"That's one family we may never see again."
David looked down.
"Yes."
Marcus opened the second folder.
There were three employee reports.
Two were unsigned.
One was from Emily.
The report described Jessica's comments about customers and Daniel's involvement in assigning employees to particular sections.
Marcus looked at the date.
"This was submitted three weeks ago."
"Yes."
"Why wasn't it escalated?"
David looked uncomfortable.
"I received it, but I didn't investigate properly."
"Why?"
"I thought Emily was describing a disagreement about shift assignments. I should have spoken with her privately."
Marcus nodded.
"That is what managers are supposed to do."
David accepted the criticism.
"I know."
Marcus moved to the scheduling records.
He compared the printed schedules with the electronic change history.
At first, everything appeared ordinary.
Employees had exchanged shifts, taken time off, and been reassigned during busy periods.
But then Marcus noticed a pattern.
Emily's Friday and Saturday evening shifts had been reduced shortly after she challenged Jessica.
Another employee, Thomas, had also lost several preferred shifts.
Rachel had received fewer hours after questioning why certain customers were being assigned to specific servers.
Marcus pointed at the dates.
"These changes were made by Daniel?"
David checked the system.
"Most of them, yes."
"Did you authorize them?"
"No."
"Did the employees request these changes?"
David reviewed the notes.
"Some did not."
Marcus leaned back.
"Then why were they approved?"
David looked increasingly concerned.
"I'll need to check the access logs."
"Do that."
David opened the scheduling software.
He entered his administrator credentials and searched the change history.
The screen displayed a list of dates, employee names, and user accounts.
One entry caught his attention.
A shift change for Emily had been entered at 11:43 p.m. on a night when Daniel was officially off duty.
Another showed Thomas losing a Saturday shift after he had written a positive report about Emily's customer service.
David stared at the screen.
"That's not right."
Marcus leaned closer.
"What is it?"
"The system shows changes made under my account."
Marcus looked at him.
"Your account?"
David nodded.
"But I didn't make them."
He clicked on the details.
The changes had been made using a terminal in the manager's office.
Marcus's expression became serious.
"Who else has access to your account?"
David shook his head.
"Nobody should."
"Should?"
David looked uncomfortable.
"I sometimes leave the scheduling system open when I step away. The assistant supervisors help with shift coordination."
Marcus remained silent.
David understood what that meant.
Daniel might have been using an open manager account to make unauthorized changes.
"Can you verify the terminal activity?" Marcus asked.
"I can request the system access report."
"Do it immediately."
David picked up his phone.
While he made the request, Marcus examined another document.
It was a weekly sales report.
The report compared individual server performance, including average table spending, customer feedback, and additional sales.
Jessica consistently ranked among the highest employees in average spending per table.
But her customer satisfaction scores were among the lowest.
Marcus pointed at the numbers.
"Why was this never flagged?"
David looked at the report.
"We focused heavily on revenue."
"Revenue is important. But revenue without customer trust is temporary."
David nodded.
Marcus continued.
"Did anyone review the written feedback alongside these sales numbers?"
"Not regularly."
Marcus closed the folder.
"Then we have a management problem, not just a staff problem."
David looked at him.
"I take responsibility."
"You should. But I don't want you taking responsibility as a way to avoid finding the facts."
David nodded.
"I'll investigate."
At that moment, someone knocked.
Daniel Brooks entered without waiting for an answer.
He was a man in his early thirties, wearing a fitted gray suit and a black tie. His hair was neatly styled, and he carried a tablet under one arm.
"Good morning, David."
Then he noticed Marcus.
His expression changed.
"Mr. Bennett. I didn't know you were coming in."
Marcus gave a polite nod.
"Good morning, Daniel."
Daniel looked at the folders on the desk.
"Is everything all right?"
David answered.
"We're reviewing some staffing records."
Daniel glanced at the computer screen.
"Anything I can help with?"
Marcus studied him.
"Possibly."
Daniel smiled.
"Of course."
Marcus tapped the scheduling report.
"Do you recognize these changes?"
Daniel looked at the screen.
For a fraction of a second, his smile disappeared.
Then it returned.
"Those look like normal scheduling adjustments."
"Who authorized them?"
Daniel turned toward David.
"David usually approves everything."
David's expression hardened.
"Not these."
Daniel's eyes moved back to Marcus.
"Then there may have been a misunderstanding."
Marcus closed the folder.
"Perhaps."
He did not accuse Daniel.
Not yet.
But as the assistant supervisor left the office, Marcus noticed something important.
Daniel had not asked what the investigation was about.
He had looked directly at the scheduling records.
And he had seemed afraid of what they contained.