“You’re telling me finance saw abnormal edits and accepted local explanation.”
“Yes.”
“Any sampling?”
“Not beyond exception logs.”
Naomi breathed slowly.
“All right.”
Malcolm sounded defensive.
“Naomi—”
“I’m not accusing.”
“Yet.”
He laughed without humor.
“Fair.”
“Freeze deletion or overwrite capability on Dayton timekeeping records.”
“I can preserve logs without tipping plant?”
“Yes.”
“Do.”
“Pull original punches against final payroll.”
“Thirty-six months.”
“That’s a lot.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll need legal.”
“Call them.”
The next question was how to investigate.
Sarah wanted a corporate HR team onsite.
General Counsel Aaron Patel wanted outside counsel first.
Malcolm wanted payroll audit.
Naomi wanted all three.
But she also knew what would happen when three executives arrived in Dayton.
Coffee would appear.
Supervisors would smile.
The break room would become a model of respect.
Workers would receive subtle instructions before anyone interviewed them.
Naomi said:
“I want an observational audit.”
Aaron frowned through video.
“Meaning?”
“Somebody on the floor without local management knowing.”
“That creates employment and labor issues.”
“Then structure it legally.”
Sarah said:
“You want an undercover investigator?”
Naomi looked at her.
“Maybe.”
“Not you.”
Naomi did not answer.
Sarah immediately understood.
“No.”
Malcolm began laughing.
Naomi glared at the screen.
“This is not funny.”
“It is a little.”
Aaron said:
“Absolutely not.”
“Why?”
“You are chief executive.”
“Yes.”
“You cannot impersonate a temp worker and insert yourself into hourly operations because you read three complaints.”
“I can if legal creates a legitimate short-term observational assignment.”
“No.”
Sarah added:
“Also, half the company can Google your face.”
“Half the executive office.”
“Frontline staff?”
“Maybe fewer.”
Malcolm asked:
“What exactly are you hoping to learn?”
Naomi answered:
“What happens before the investigators arrive.”
Aaron leaned back.
“You understand if somebody asks you to operate equipment—”
“I won’t.”
“Chemical exposure?”
“No.”
“Restricted tasks?”
“No.”
“Working time?”
“Company can pay me one symbolic hourly check and donate?”
Aaron rubbed his forehead.
“You already have salary.”
“Then don’t pay.”
“That is worse.”
Sarah laughed.
“Please stop helping.”
The argument lasted forty minutes.
Eventually Aaron proposed a compromise.
Outside compliance firm would create a broader observational audit program using trained mystery employees across multiple plants.