Chapter 4 - The Missing Towel|
The loading dock was cold, noisy, and filled with the smell of cardboard, detergent, and diesel fumes.
Noah had worked there during his first month at the hotel, long before his promotion. He remembered the aching shoulders and the endless stream of deliveries that arrived at inconvenient hours.
He had not expected to return because he defended a stranger.
Victoria followed him through the service elevator.
"You don't have to stay," Noah told her.
"Neither did you."
"Richard is trying to humiliate me."
"He's succeeding."
Noah laughed despite himself.
"Thanks for the encouragement."
"I'm being honest."
She picked up a box of linens.
"Where does this go?"
Noah took it from her.
"Please don't start lifting heavy boxes. He'll accuse you of breaking something."
"Then tell me what I can do."
He handed her a clipboard.
"Count the inventory. That seems difficult enough to offend him."
For the next hour, they worked through deliveries while Noah checked quantities against the hotel's records.
Victoria proved surprisingly efficient. She noticed duplicate entries, questioned discrepancies, and identified a shipment of cleaning products that had been marked as received despite never arriving.
Noah stared at the clipboard.
"How did you catch that?"
"The invoice number appears twice, but the delivery signatures are different."
"Most people don't notice that."
"Most people don't want to spend their afternoon reading invoices."
He grinned.
"You might be wasted in this loading dock."
Before she could answer, a housekeeper hurried inside.
Her name was Denise. She had worked at the hotel for eleven years and was known for being careful with every room she cleaned.
She looked close to tears.
"Richard says I'm paying for a missing towel."
Noah frowned.
"What towel?"
"Room 1108. The inventory sheet says there should be four, but the room attendant found three. Richard says the cost is coming out of my wages."
"Did you count the room when you finished?"
"Of course. Four towels. I wrote it on the sheet."
Victoria looked up from the clipboard.
"Then there should be an inspection record."
Denise nodded.
"I asked for it. He said I was wasting his time."
Noah put down the box he was carrying.
"Let's check the records."
They returned to the housekeeping office, where Denise's inventory sheets were stored. The records showed that she had counted four towels before leaving the room.
A second entry had been made eleven minutes later.
The number had been changed from four to three.
The initials beside the alteration belonged to Richard.
Noah photographed the page.
"This is evidence."
Denise covered her mouth.
"He told me I was lying."
Victoria examined the alteration.
"Has anyone checked the laundry inventory?"
Noah called the laundry supervisor.
Ten minutes later, the supervisor arrived with a cart containing several towels recovered from a room that had been marked as vacant.
One of them carried the number 1108.
The towel had never been missing.
Someone had moved it.
Denise's eyes filled with tears.
"Does that mean I don't have to pay?"
"It means you should never have been accused," Noah said.
Richard arrived before they could return to the loading dock.
He took one look at the towel and turned toward Denise.
"Why are you all wasting time over something that costs less than twenty dollars?"
Noah stepped forward.
"You threatened to deduct it from her wages."
"And now it's been found. The matter is closed."
"Not until you correct the record."
Richard's eyes narrowed.
"Excuse me?"
"Her file says she was responsible for missing property. That needs to be removed."
Richard laughed.
"You are a front-desk employee temporarily assigned to the loading dock. You don't dictate personnel records."
Victoria spoke calmly.
"Then perhaps someone independent should review them."
Richard looked at her.
"Do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound? Yesterday you were begging to sit in a dry room. Today you're lecturing me about payroll."
She held his gaze.
"Being poor doesn't make me wrong."
Richard stepped closer.
"And being present doesn't make you important."
He turned toward Noah.
"You're finished here for today. Report to my office tomorrow morning."
Then he pointed at Victoria.
"You, too. If you're still here, security will remove you."
Richard walked away.
Noah watched him disappear.
Victoria quietly returned the towel to the cart.
"I think he's afraid."
Noah frowned.
"Of what?"
May you like
She glanced at the inventory records.
"Of someone finally checking the numbers."
