"Gotcha," Michael said."That would be the 2014 Honda Civic.Reliable, had a fresh tune-up last month, and it’s not the most expensive car on the lot.We offer financing, and we can take a trade-in if you have a car you wish to part with.Whatever you need, we're here to make it happen."
"I don't have a trade-in, but I would like to go for the financing option as cash flow is a little slower of late," the man said."I’ve owned a Honda before, and I do like them.Can we take it for a test drive?"
Michael smiled.The sale was going better than he could have imagined."Certainly, Sir.Let me grab the keys from the office, and we can take it for a spin."
Michael practically ran back to the office and grabbed the keys from inside, turning the sign around on the back of the glass door to indicate that someone would be back in fifteen minutes, and then locked the door and walked smartly back to the customer.He held up the keys as if trying to entertain a cat, and the man took them.
It was half the battle.Once they were in a vehicle, the customer always felt a slight obligation to buy.Given how motivated the customer was, Michael could almost feel the sale closing.He led the man to the car parked close to the office, and he gestured for the man to get in first before Michael joined.
Ben started the car, and the engine purred almost silently.
"She runs amazingly well for a 2014," Michael said."Let’s take her out."
He gave Ben some time to back out of the space and then get out onto the main road before he made some small talk.It wasn’t only about the car, but about him.No one wanted to buy anything from someone they didn't like or didn't know.
"You from around here?"Michael asked as they drove.
"I am," the man said.
"Me, too.Me, too.Oakland born and bred.I grew up two blocks from the lot.I love this place too much to ever leave it."
The customer didn't reply to the comment.He wasn’t one for small talk.Michael could respect that, but he still made some more effort.
"All my family lives here.Even if I grew tired of the city, I couldn’t leave them."That conveyed he was a family man, a man to be trusted, and hinted he might need the money to feed that family, pushing Ben closer to the sale.
He couldn't tell the customer the truth.He had been in prison for years, and when he got out, his family had abandoned him.While it hurt, he understood it.He was never a good person, and while he was trying to be one now, it didn't come close to making up for what he had done.
"Feel free to really open her up," Michael said as they got onto the main roads."I know you want this for your daughter, but the vehicle has a lot of power.A lot of safety features too, so you don't have to worry about that."
Ben accelerated on the main road and then pulled off soon after.Michael smiled—the customer was taking them back, and while the test drive was short, he didn't seem disgruntled.Michael almost salivated at the thought of the sale.
The car slowed, then Ben brought it to a stop.Michael was uncertain why, but the customer was always right.
"I do like the vehicle," Ben said."And you are a fine salesman."
Michael should have taken heart with both comments, but the words felt ominous.
"If you want to go back to the office, we can draw up some paperwork," Michael said."It is a fine car, and the best one on the lot at the moment."
"I think that’s a good idea," Ben said
Michael smiled.
Then a flash.
He didn't see where Ben had produced the knife from; he only saw the reflection of the sun in the metal blade as Ben swung his arm to the side and plunged the blade into his chest.Michael was stunned.The knife was removed, and he brought his hands up to his chest, touching them to the blood stain on his shirt, not comprehending what was happening.
He only knew he had to fight for his life, and—
The movements after that were swift.The same action was repeated over and over, and Michael was knocked back into his chair again and again as the knife pierced him.The redness spread not only over his chest, but across his vision, clouding it in pink, then red, scarlet, and finally black.
Then it was done.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Alison and Detective Moore followed Linda into the building.It was dark at first in the main corridor leading from the front door, which swung back after they had entered and closed with a click.The hallway opened into a larger area reminiscent of a regular open-plan office.There were four desks in the room, all of them free standing in the room, none of them pushed against the wall or each other.
Each desk had a laptop, a small plastic tray that looked like it held files to be worked on next, and stationery.Large metal filing cabinets were set against one wall, each with a lock.
