Chapter 20 - The Offer Nobody ExpectedThe first offer arrived in a sealed letter.
It came from attorneys representing Crestline Automotive Assets.
The proposal was simple on its face.
Crestline would sell the disputed Ferrari to Ethan Cole for $291,000, subject to resolving ownership interests and completing required documentation.
The price matched the earlier recorded acquisition amount.
The offer included a broad release of claims concerning the vehicle's history.
It also required confidentiality about the negotiations and the disputed inspection materials, with several sweeping provisions affecting future statements.
Lydia Warren read it.
Then read it again.
Ethan sat across from her.
“Well?”
She looked up.
“I don't recommend signing this.”
“Why?”
“Because the proposed release goes far beyond an ordinary vehicle sale.”
Ethan leaned forward.
“Explain.”
“They're offering the car at a substantial discount, but the agreement asks you to give up claims and restrict what you can say about matters we're still investigating.”
Ethan looked down.
The Ferrari.
The same vehicle his father refused to certify.
The car that had drawn him back into Miranda's world.
Now someone was offering it for much less than the asking price.
But only if he agreed to terms that could interfere with accountability.
He smiled without humor.
“Dad would hate this.”
Lydia nodded.
“I suspect he would.”
Ethan thought for a moment.
“What if I wanted the car anyway?”
“Then we'd need to establish who can lawfully sell it, what liens or other interests exist, and what its actual condition and value are. You should also have an independent inspection.”
He nodded.
“And no agreement that prevents me from providing truthful information.”
“Exactly.”
Ethan looked toward the window.
He imagined the Ferrari sitting inside Samuel's garage.
Disassembled.
Carefully inspected.
Rebuilt properly if feasible.
Then he imagined putting it on the road without knowing whether the repairs were safe.
His father's voice returned.
Don't sign what you can't defend.
Ethan turned back.
“Reject it.”
Lydia nodded.
“I will.”
“Tell them I'm willing to consider a lawful purchase after the records are corrected and the ownership questions are resolved. Nothing more.”
“Understood.”
That evening, Ethan received an unexpected call from Vivian.
She spoke carefully.
“Mr. Cole, I understand you've received a proposal concerning the Ferrari.”
“Yes.”
“I want you to know I didn't authorize Crestline to negotiate on my behalf.”
Ethan frowned.
“They're listed as consignor.”
“They are. But the dealership has suspended the sale, and the underlying rights are being reviewed.”
“Then why are they offering it to me?”
Vivian hesitated.
“That's a question we're asking.”
Ethan stared at the wall.
“Do you believe someone wants this resolved before the investigators finish?”
“I don't want to speculate.”
He almost smiled.
Vivian continued.
“But I can tell you that we're not treating the offer as a solution to the problems we've identified.”
Ethan nodded.
“Good.”
They ended the call.
At Crestline's office, Gideon's brother-in-law was reading the rejection.
His name was Paul Mercer.
He managed Crestline's daily operations and had known Gideon for more than fifteen years.
Paul looked furious.
“He refused?”
His attorney nodded.
“Yes.”
“We offered him the car almost two hundred thousand below the showroom asking price.”
“The offer included conditions his lawyer wasn't willing to accept.”
Paul slammed the letter onto the desk.
“Everybody has a price.”
His attorney looked at him.
“That's not a useful assumption.”
Paul turned away.
Outside, rain struck the windows.
The Ferrari was becoming a liability.
Financial claims were disputed.
Its history was being examined.
The forged inspection connected it to a deceased mechanic.
And the mechanic's son had enough money to pursue answers without needing to accept a cheap settlement.
Paul picked up his phone.
He called Gideon.
“The buyer rejected the deal.”
Gideon remained silent.
Paul continued.
“We need another solution.”
“Stop calling me about this,” Gideon replied.
“What?”
“Speak to your attorney.”
“Gideon, you were the one who—”
“Don't finish that sentence.”
The call ended.
Paul stared at the phone.
He had believed that everyone involved would protect the arrangement because exposing it threatened them all.
Now each person seemed to be looking for a way out.
At home, Ethan sat beside Helen.
She was knitting a scarf.
He told her about the offer.
Helen listened.
Then she asked, “Would you really buy that car?”
Ethan thought carefully.
“Maybe.”
“Why?”
He looked down.
“Because Dad wanted someone to know what was wrong with it.”
Helen nodded.
“And if it can be repaired properly?”
“Then maybe it deserves another chance.”
She smiled faintly.
“Your father used to say something about that.”
Ethan looked up.
“What?”
“That a machine isn't dishonest. People are.”
Ethan laughed softly.
Helen continued.
“Just promise me one thing.”
“Anything.”
“Don't confuse bringing the car home with bringing your father back.”
The words hurt.
Because they named something he hadn't admitted even to himself.
Ethan looked at Samuel's photograph on the mantel.
“I know.”
Helen touched his hand.
“Then whatever you decide, make sure it's for the right reason.”
He nodded.
May you like
Outside, the rain continued.
And somewhere inside the increasingly troubled dealership, the last people who knew the full history of the Ferrari were beginning to turn against one another.
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