“You aren’t going to let Al get away with it, are you?” Lydia cried in outrage, indignation flushing her cheeks.

Marjorie didn’t need to be angry about Al Swanson’s latest attempt to steal a customer from her; Lydia was furious enough for the both of them. “Bud will be the one to decide.”

“But you know Al is lying.”

“It’s my word against his, and unfortunately Bud’s only the manager, not Solomon.”

“But it’s so unfair.”

“Tell me about it,” Marjorie grumbled.

Once again Al had tried to horn in on her deal. Only this time he’d succeeded. Marjorie had spoken to a couple about an AMG E63 sedan, worked with them, called twice to keep them interested, and even rode with them as they went on four different test drives in order to answer their numerous questions. The last time, the couple had gone home to sleep on the decision, and then they returned the following day with a deposit. Al had met them at the door, claimed Marjorie had stepped out of the office, and they had accepted his offer to write up the deal on her behalf. This was the same trick he’d used once before, only this time it worked. Once the paperwork was firmly clenched in his hand, Marjorie didn’t have a leg to stand on. She had complained to the manager, insisted she had been at the dealership and not out, as Al had alleged. Since Bud had been gone and there wasn’t anyone to verify her story, things didn’t look good for her. But she knew the manager wasn’t completely naïve when it came to Al. She was certain he’d heard complaints from several of the other salespeople. Bud’s fair assessment of the situation was Marjorie’s only real hope. Sadly, Al’s name was on the paperwork.

The commission scale was based on how much profit the dealership made on the sale of each new car. Marjorie collected thirty percent commission. In this case she’d worked hard to give the couple the best deal possible. Her share was meager enough. If forced to split her commission with Al, she would have worked long, hard hours for practically nothing. Everything rested on Bud’s decision.

“But Bud doesn’t know Al the way we do,” Lydia continued insistently.

Marjorie studied her friend and was hard-pressed to hold back her own indignation. Al might think he was getting away with something, but if she had anything to do with it, the cheating salesperson would spend the next fifty years regretting his underhandedness. Given enough time, karma was bound to catch up to him sooner or later, and she intended to be around to see it happen.