Silence returned.
She remained seated.
Tears appeared before she could stop them.
The mechanic stood outside the car.
She wiped them quickly.
“Sorry.”
He frowned.
“For what?”
“This is embarrassing.”
“No.”
She looked up.
“My father…”
“I know.”
“He would have loved hearing that again.”
The mechanic leaned against the door frame.
“You loved him.”
“Yes.”
“Nothing embarrassing about that.”
The CEO studied him.
Then stepped from the car.
“Mechanic.”
“Yes?”
“I know what happened to you.”
His face closed instantly.
Not confusion.
Defense.
“What?”
“The engineering scandal.”
His jaw tightened.
“You investigated me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you refused me.”
“That is an alarming personality trait.”
She almost smiled.
Then:
“I know you were innocent.”
The mechanic stopped.
The CEO continued.
“I know who did it.”
Silence.
The mechanic stared at her.
For the first time since meeting him, she saw genuine fear.
Not for himself.
For the possibility of hope.
“Don’t.”
“What?”
“Don’t tell me something you can’t prove.”
Her voice softened.
“I can prove it.”
He looked away.
The CEO stepped closer.
“The CFO.”
His eyes closed.
He knew the name.
“That makes sense.”
The CEO frowned.
“You suspected him?”
“Not specifically.”
He rubbed one hand across his face.
“But I knew somebody inside benefited.”
“Why didn’t you keep fighting?”
The mechanic laughed bitterly.
“I did.”
“For eight months.”
He looked toward the office where his Daughter’s backpack sat.
“Then my kid needed a father more than I needed the world to believe me.”
The CEO fell silent.
He continued.
“Every attorney wanted money.”
“Every company wanted distance.”
“My wife wanted normal.”
“Eventually I stopped wanting anything except quiet.”
The CEO moved closer.
“You deserved more.”
“That doesn’t mean I wanted to spend the rest of my life proving it.”
“No.”
She looked toward the Ferrari.
“But maybe somebody else can.”
The mechanic stared at her.
“What are you planning?”
“Pebble Beach.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“CEO.”
“I’m not asking permission.”
He shook his head.
“You expose him publicly, he’ll fight.”
“I hope so.”
“He’ll come after you.”
She smiled faintly.
“You think that scares me?”
“Yes.”
“It should.”
“Then why are you smiling?”
“Because you’re worried.”
The mechanic stared.
The CEO stepped closer.
His back almost touched the workbench.
“You care.”
He exhaled.
“This is a bad idea.”
“Which part?”
“Everything.”
Her smile became softer.