"How many employees resigned during the same period?"
Thomas hesitated.
"Nine."
"Why?"
"Better opportunities elsewhere."
Arthur looked at him.
"Did you ask them?"
Thomas didn't answer.
Arthur closed his notebook.
"I'd like to inspect the dealership's complete employee records, customer complaints, and financial statements before making any decision."
Richard immediately nodded.
"Of course. We'll provide everything."
"And I want to speak with several former employees."
David looked up.
"Former employees?"
"Yes."
Richard forced a smile.
"Mr. Bennett, I'm not sure that would be particularly productive. People who leave an organization sometimes have personal grievances."
Arthur looked at him.
"People who leave an organization also sometimes know exactly why it is failing."
Nobody spoke.
Arthur stood.
"I'll need access to the service department as well."
Thomas nodded.
"Certainly."
"And I would like to speak with the technicians."
"Naturally."
Arthur picked up his notebook and phone.
Richard stood quickly.
"Mr. Bennett, before we proceed, I want to assure you that this dealership has enormous potential."
Arthur looked at him.
"I believe it does."
Richard smiled.
"Excellent."
"But potential is not the same as performance."
The smile faded.
Arthur walked toward the door.
"One more thing, Richard."
"Yes, sir?"
"Please ask your employees not to prepare anything special for me. I want to see the workplace as it normally operates."
Richard nodded.
"Understood."
Arthur left the room.
The executives remained silent.
Finally, David closed his laptop.
"Richard, do you think he's serious about the acquisition?"
Richard stared at the door.
"I think he's serious about everything."
Victoria leaned forward.
"Should we be concerned about the complaints?"
Richard looked at her sharply.
"Not now."
"But—"
"I said not now."
He gathered the papers.
"We have a major investor in this building. We need to make sure he sees the opportunities, not every minor operational problem."
Thomas frowned.
"Some of those complaints aren't minor."
Richard turned toward him.
"Do you want this deal to happen or not?"
Thomas looked away.
Richard lowered his voice.
"Then let me handle it."
But outside the conference room, Arthur had already stopped walking.
He stood beside a large glass window overlooking the service department.
Below him, mechanics moved between vehicles.
One young technician was arguing with a supervisor.
Another worker was cleaning oil from the floor.
And near the back wall, an older mechanic was struggling to lift a heavy box of replacement parts.
Arthur recognized something in the man's movements.
He recognized the tired shoulders.
The worn uniform.
The expression of someone who had worked too many hours without receiving enough appreciation.
Arthur turned toward Thomas, who had followed him into the corridor.
"Who is that older technician?"
Thomas looked down.
"That's Samuel."
"How long has he worked here?"
"Almost twenty-six years."
Arthur watched Samuel carefully.
"Does he have help?"
Thomas hesitated.
"He's supposed to."
"Supposed to?"
Thomas looked uncomfortable.
Arthur continued watching the service department.
Then he asked a question that would change the direction of the entire investigation.
"Thomas, why is a man who has given twenty-six years of his life to this company still doing the work of three people?"
Thomas said nothing.
Because he knew the answer.
And because the answer was connected to a decision Richard Collins had made six months earlier.
Thomas Reed stood beside Arthur Bennett, looking through the glass window into the service department.
For several seconds, neither man spoke.
Below them, Samuel continued struggling with the heavy box of replacement parts. He finally managed to lift it onto a metal trolley, but the effort left him leaning against the workbench, breathing heavily.
Arthur watched him.
"How old is Samuel?" he asked.
"Sixty-one, I believe."
"And you said he's worked here for twenty-six years?"
"That's right."
Arthur nodded.
"That's a long time to give to one company."
"It is."
"Does he have a good retirement plan?"
Thomas hesitated.
"Well, that's complicated."
Arthur turned toward him.
"Why?"
Thomas rubbed the back of his neck.
"There were some changes to the benefits program last year. The company moved several employees to a different compensation structure."
"Was Samuel one of them?"
"Yes."
"What changed?"
"His overtime eligibility was reduced, and some of his retirement contributions were adjusted."
Arthur's expression hardened.
"Did he agree to those changes?"
Thomas looked uncomfortable.
"They were implemented as part of a company-wide restructuring."
"That wasn't my question."
Thomas sighed.
"Not everyone was happy about it."
Arthur looked back toward Samuel.
"Then why did he stay?"
"Because he needs the job."
Those words were spoken quietly, but they carried more weight than Thomas probably intended.
Arthur turned away from the window.
"Let's go downstairs."
They entered the service department through a side corridor.
The atmosphere was completely different from the showroom.
There were no polished marble floors or expensive fragrances. The air smelled of oil, metal, rubber, and cleaning products. Tools clattered against workbenches. Air compressors hummed in the background, and mechanics moved quickly between vehicles.
Nobody seemed particularly interested in the visitors.
Arthur preferred it that way.
Thomas approached a young technician.
"Excuse me, where's Samuel?"
The young man pointed toward the back.
"Over there, sir."
Samuel was checking a replacement component when Thomas called his name.
"Samuel!"
The older mechanic turned.
"Yes?"
"Come over here for a moment."
Samuel wiped his hands with a cloth and approached.
"What's going on?"
Thomas gestured toward Arthur.
"This is Mr. Arthur Bennett. He's visiting the dealership."
Samuel looked at Arthur.
"Nice to meet you, sir."
Arthur extended his hand.
"Likewise."
Samuel shook it.
His hands were rough, with small scars and dark stains that no amount of washing could completely remove.
Arthur recognized those hands.
They reminded him of his father's.
"Thomas tells me you've worked here for twenty-six years."
Samuel smiled.
"Twenty-six years and four months, actually."
Arthur laughed softly.
"You've been counting?"
"Not every day," Samuel replied. "But when you've spent that much time in one place, you remember when you started."
"What brought you here originally?"
Samuel thought for a moment.
"My wife and I had just moved to town. We had two little boys, and I needed something stable. The service manager at the time gave me a chance."
"And have you enjoyed working here?"
Samuel looked around.
"I've enjoyed fixing cars."
Arthur noticed the distinction.
"What about working here?"
Samuel smiled, but there was sadness behind it.
"That's a different question."
Thomas shifted his weight.
"Samuel, Mr. Bennett is interested in learning about the department."
"Well, there's plenty to learn," Samuel replied.
Arthur nodded.
"Tell me about a normal day."
Samuel began explaining his responsibilities.
He inspected vehicles, diagnosed mechanical problems, trained younger technicians, and helped manage the parts inventory.
He also handled emergency repairs when the department was understaffed.
"How many hours do you normally work?"
"Depends on the week."
"An average?"
Samuel glanced toward Thomas.
"Fifty-five. Sometimes sixty."
Arthur raised his eyebrows.
"Every week?"
"Most weeks."
"Are you paid for all those hours?"
Samuel didn't answer immediately.
Thomas interrupted.
"Samuel is compensated according to the current company policy."
Arthur looked at him.
"I asked Samuel."
Thomas fell silent.
Samuel lowered his voice.
"Some of the hours are included in my salary."
Arthur nodded slowly.
"And do you feel that's fair?"
Samuel looked at the floor.
"Sir, I have a mortgage. My wife has medical expenses. I can't afford to argue with people who control my paycheck."
Arthur felt a familiar heaviness in his chest.
He remembered his early days in manufacturing.
He remembered workers who stayed late because they were afraid of losing their positions.
He remembered supervisors who praised dedication while ignoring exhaustion.
And he remembered promising himself that he would never build a company that depended on people being too frightened to speak.
"Samuel," Arthur said, "do you feel the company appreciates your work?"
The older mechanic smiled.
"I don't need anyone to throw me a parade."
"That's not what I asked."