“Elena Sterling.”
A child's voice:
“Hi.”
Elena blinked.
“Lucy?”
“Dad said I’m not supposed to call.”
“Then why are you calling?”
“He fell asleep.”
Elena smiled despite exhaustion.
“How did you get my number?”
“It was on the business card your man gave Dad.”
“Daniel is going to love being called my man.”
Lucy whispered:
“I have a question.”
“Okay.”
“Are you firing Gary?”
Elena leaned back.
“Why?”
“He was mean.”
“That is true.”
“So?”
Elena considered how to answer a seven-year-old.
“I’m finding out whether he was only mean today or whether he keeps hurting people.”
Lucy was silent.
Then:
“Mom used to say people should get one chance to stop being stupid.”
Elena smiled.
“Your mom sounds wise.”
“She also chased Dad with a garden hose.”
“Less relevant.”
“Still wise.”
Elena heard movement.
Then Ethan:
“Lucy?”
The girl gasped.
Phone muffled.
A second later Ethan’s voice came through.
“I am so sorry.”
Elena laughed.
“You should be.”
“She stole my phone.”
“You left it unlocked.”
“Apparently.”
“Security weakness.”
“Go to bed, billionaire.”
Elena paused.
Nobody called her that to her face.
Not casually.
She found she liked the lack of ceremony.
“You know I can still fire people while tired.”
“You don't employ me.”
“Yet.”
Silence.
Ethan said:
“That sounded threatening.”
“It was.”
He laughed.
Then:
“How bad is it?”
Elena looked at reports.
“Bad enough.”
“Gary?”
“I don't know yet.”
“Good.”
She frowned.
“Good?”
“You’re checking.”
“Instead of deciding because he embarrassed you.”
“Yes.”
“That’s probably good.”
Elena looked at clock.
2:39.
“You're surprisingly thoughtful for a man with terrible truck.”
“Good night.”
He hung up.
She smiled at phone.
Daniel watched from across the room.
Elena looked up.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s a lie.”
“Completely.”
“Get back to work.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The formal investigation took thirteen days.
Gary Whitcomb was not a criminal mastermind.
That would have been easier.
He was something more common.
A manager who had spent years learning how far he could bend rules without triggering consequences.
Former employees described him as helpful to customers he liked.
Dismissive toward people he believed would complain about prices.
Particularly impatient with disabled customers who required more time.
Harsh toward those using Medicaid.
Suspicious of unfamiliar Black and Latino customers.
Friendly to local business owners.
Generous to church members.
Complicated.
Human.
And wrong.