“I don't expect this dealership to fix years of bad habits in six hours.”
He looked at Patricia.
“I expect to see whether you're willing to stop pretending they don't exist.”
Patricia nodded slowly.
Daniel picked up Earl's proposal.
“Then let's start with this.”
He placed the document in the center of the table.
The proposed partnership included employee training, customer-service reforms, job opportunities, and a community transportation program.
It would cost Sterling Cadillac money.
It would require time.
And it would force people to change the way they worked.
Kevin shook his head.
“So we have to spend money because one rich guy got offended?”
The silence that followed was immediate.
Brad slowly stood from his chair.
“Sit down, Kevin.”
Kevin looked at him.
“What?”
“I said sit down.”
Kevin laughed.
“Since when do you care?”
Brad stared directly at him.
“Since I realized I was wrong.”
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Brad turned toward Earl.
“I know what I did yesterday.”
His voice was steady now.
“I know I can't undo it. But if this dealership is going to change, I want to be part of it.”
Earl studied him.
“And how do you plan to do that?”
Brad looked toward the front windows.
A young man had just entered the showroom.
His clothes were stained with paint.
He carried a worn backpack over one shoulder.
Immediately, every salesperson in the room looked toward him.
Kevin smirked.
“Probably looking for the restroom.”
Brad walked toward the door.
“No,” he said.
He turned back briefly.
“Probably a customer.”
Then he stepped into the showroom.
But as Earl watched Brad approach the young stranger, he noticed something unusual.
The man wasn’t looking at the cars.
He was looking directly at Earl.
And suddenly, Earl knew exactly who he was.
The final test had already begun.
The young man standing near the entrance looked completely out of place.
His jeans were stained with white paint. His gray T-shirt had a tear near one shoulder, and his sneakers were covered in dust. A worn backpack hung from his right arm.
For a moment, he simply stood there.
Looking around.
Kevin leaned against the conference room door.
“I knew it,” he muttered.
Brad heard him.
But this time, he didn't respond.
He walked directly toward the young man.
“Good afternoon,” Brad said. “Welcome to Sterling Cadillac.”
The young man looked surprised.
“Uh… thanks.”
“My name is Brad. How can I help you?”
The stranger glanced toward the row of luxury SUVs.
“I wanted to ask about one of those.”
“Of course.”
Brad followed his gaze.
The young man pointed toward a black Escalade.
Kevin laughed quietly behind him.
Brad ignored it.
“Excellent choice,” he said. “Would you like to take a closer look?”
The young man stared at him.
“You're serious?”
“Yes.”
Brad unlocked the vehicle.
The stranger walked around it slowly.
He ran his fingers across the door handle, then looked inside through the window.
“Nice,” he whispered.
Brad smiled.
“It is.”
For several minutes, he answered questions about the engine, safety features, and interior space.
The young man asked intelligent questions.
Specific questions.
Not the kind asked by someone who had simply wandered into the dealership by accident.
Brad began to realize that something else was happening.
“Do you work in construction?” he asked, noticing the paint on the man's clothes.
The stranger looked down.
“Something like that.”
Brad nodded.
“What kind?”
The young man smiled slightly.
“You ask a lot of questions.”
“I should have asked more yesterday.”
The stranger's expression changed.
He looked past Brad.
Toward Earl.
Then back again.
“So you know who I am?”
Brad followed his gaze.
“No.”
The young man studied him for a moment.
Then he extended his hand.
“My name is Marcus.”
“Brad.”
They shook hands.
Marcus looked at the Escalade.
“I want to know the total price.”
Brad explained.
Marcus listened carefully.
Then he asked about leasing.
Financing.
Fleet pricing.
Brad answered every question.
When Marcus finally stepped away from the vehicle, Kevin walked closer.
“Sir,” Kevin said, forcing a smile, “if you're looking for something within a different price range, we do have some more affordable options.”
Brad immediately turned.
“Kevin.”
“What?”
“I've got this.”
Kevin shrugged.
“I'm just trying to help.”
Marcus looked between them.
Then he smiled.
“You know, that's interesting.”
Kevin frowned.
“What is?”
Marcus reached inside his backpack.
For one terrifying second, Kevin's expression suggested he was worried about what might come out.
Instead, Marcus removed a black business folder.
He opened it.
Inside was a set of architectural drawings.
Brad looked down.
The top page displayed the logo of Washington Executive Transportation.
Marcus turned toward Earl.
“Mr. Washington.”
Earl nodded.
“Go ahead.”
Kevin's face changed.
Marcus looked at Brad.
“I’m the project manager for the new operations center.”
Brad stared.
“The new building?”
“That’s right.”
Washington Executive Transportation was expanding.
The company had recently purchased land on the outskirts of Atlanta to build a new operations and maintenance center.
Marcus placed another document on top of the drawings.
It contained plans for a luxury vehicle maintenance facility.
Then another.
A training center.
A driver education program.
Administrative offices.
Brad looked at the documents.