“Dad?”
Walter looked at Rosa.
“What she did was wrong. But dragging her through the lobby won’t teach anyone anything.”
Rosa looked at him, surprised.
Walter continued.
“I came here for one night. I wanted a quiet room and dinner with my son.”
Then he looked toward Marcus.
“What I want is for the next person wearing an old coat to walk through those doors without having to prove they deserve respect.”
Marcus understood.
He turned toward Richard.
“Effective immediately, review guest screening procedures.”
Richard nodded.
“And every manager goes through bias and guest-treatment training.”
Marcus looked toward the security guard.
“No employee removes a guest solely because a manager dislikes how they look.”
The guard nodded.
“Understood.”
Then Marcus turned toward Rosa.
“Your termination stands.”
She lowered her eyes.
“But you’ll leave through the staff exit with HR, not be paraded through the lobby.”
Rosa looked at Walter.
The man she had treated as beneath her had just protected her from further embarrassment.
That seemed to affect her more than being fired.
Charles touched his daughter’s shoulder.
“Come on.”
Rosa hesitated.
Then she looked at Walter.
“I was wrong.”
Walter studied her.
“Yes.”
She swallowed.
“I’m sorry.”
Walter nodded once.
“Do better somewhere else.”
Charles led her away.
After the lobby quieted, Richard approached Walter.
“Mr. Brooks, I’d like to personally check you in.”
Walter smiled faintly.
“That would be appreciated.”
Richard walked behind the desk and entered Walter’s name.
Then he stopped.
Marcus noticed.
“What?”
Richard turned the monitor slightly.
Walter had not booked an ordinary room.
He had reserved the hotel’s largest presidential suite for three nights.
Richard looked almost amused by the irony.
Rosa had dismissed the highest-paying guest in the lobby because of an old coat.
Walter shook his head.
“That room was your idea,” he told Marcus.
Marcus smiled.