She was using a chisel. Quite a sharp chisel, I'd say, considering the ease with which she was doing her etching.
"If you'll pardon the curiosity," I said, making her jump, "but what is the precise reason you consider Cavendish to be a moronic bastard? I know my reasons, but what is yours?"
She spun around from where she'd been etching her love letters into the side on a very nice BMW sedan, looking horrified at being caught.
She stuttered and stammered for a moment or two and then finally got her tongue under control.
"I don't know anyone called Cavendish," she snapped. "If you mean the owner of this car his name is Pennington and he's an utter bastard because it just comes naturally to him."
"Ah, Giles Pennington, the lothario of the café bars. Disgruntled lover are you?"
"As if?" she snapped, sounding genuinely indignant. "I wouldn't touch him with a barge pole. Not unless I could swing it really hard. He's my sister's supposed boyfriend. She told him she was pregnant and he said goodbye."
"You don't look pregnant," I told her, receiving a wrathful glare.
"I said my sister and I meant my sister. Not me or anyone else but my sister. Currently sitting at home bawling her eyes out because of that man."
She almost spat when she said the word man.
"Mm," I said, nodding judiciously. "I'm inclined to believe you. Presumably his lover would know Pennington's car and you don't."
"What?"
For a moment she looked horrified and spun around to check the car.
"It's a black BMW," she snapped. "I saw him drive it in here. I don't see any other BMWs in the garage and I know he hasn't left."
"Actually, it's a deep red BMW, even though it looks black in this poor lighting. If you want to see a real black BMW you should have gone down to the next level. You'll find it tucked in the far corner where there's no passing traffic to scratch it."
"Aaah," was all she said while she digested this.
"So this car belongs to a guy named Cavendish?"
I nodded my head gravely while she digested her error.
"I assume that you're going to tell him."
"No need. I already know. Several thousand dollars worth of damage there. BMWs are a little pricey, and repainting them is not cheap."
"Oh."
"Now I'm not saying I'm angry because you're a hot-headed little idiot with a streak of petty vandalism but it would give me great pleasure right now to beat you, strangle you, eviscerate you, and throw your entrails to the dogs. The only reason I'm not doing it is the lack of whip, garrotte, knife, and dogs."
She just looked at me, stunned.
"I have had that car for one day. One," I repeated. "And now this. I assume you don't expect me to be pleased?"
She just kept looking at me, saying nothing.
"Would it be safe to say that you don't have a few thousand dollars to pay for repairs?"
A frantic shaking of her head.
"And you don't want a police record?"
Now she was pale and I thought for a moment she might faint.
"Then I suggest you turn around and run away very quickly, because if you keep standing there I'm going to do something I'll regret very, very, much."
"Go," I roared, when she didn't immediately take off.
That was enough to spur her into action, running for dear life.
Oh, but I was ropable. If she'd been male she'd have been flat on her back with a (hopefully) broken jaw. As it was there was nothing I could do apart from hand her over to the cops and I didn't choose to do that. She had enough problems.
It occurred to me that there was something I could do. I could go back upstairs and fire Giles Pennington. I'd been seriously considering that for a while. This was enough to tip the balance. I hope my little vandal smiles when she finds out.
It was a week before I met my new little friend once again and, quite frankly, she could have picked a better day to get reacquainted. I'd just paid off the insurance excess bill while I was out picking up my car and I was just a little disgruntled over it. Not really in the mood to be taken to task in the garage. I'd just parked and gotten out of the car and she was there, bailing me up.
"You. Cavendish," she snapped.
"That's my name," I agreed. "Please don't wear it out. You'll find it goes well with the word goodbye, as in goodbye Mr Cavendish."
"Where's Pennington?"
"How would I know? Why would I want to know? Still trying to find the right BMW to vandalise? How many have you hit so far?"
"I apologised for that," she said, blushing.
"Um, no, you didn't," I told her. "You just ran away when I waved the forces of the law in your general direction."
"Oh," she said, promptly ignoring the suggestion she should apologise. "You told Giles I was looking for him and he's hiding out. I haven't seen him here since last week. Where is he?"
"I have no idea. He resigned his position last week to seek better prospects elsewhere. He didn't tell me where he was going and I didn't ask."
"He quit? Why would he do that? He always said he was going to make a mint working for that company."
At the company's expense, I suspected, which was a huge factor in my deciding he'd be better employed elsewhere.
"I believe he had a difference of opinion with the boss and resigned on a matter of principle," I explained.
She looked suspicious.
"He hasn't got any principles," she scoffed. "Why would that make him resign?"
"His boss does have principles and that was enough. If you're looking for his car I suggest that you try his home address. He'll probably be home so try to be sneaky with your etchings."
"You're not going to let that go, are you? It was an honest mistake."
"So was letting you off scot free if you're still looking for cars to vandalise."
"I'm not. I want to talk to him about providing my sister with some child support. She doesn't want to talk to him herself and you can't blame her."
"Possible not, but I can blame you for being an idiot. Giles would not take kindly to you sticking your nose into his business. Do the sensible thing and get your sister a lawyer who will take him to the cleaners. Come up to my office and I'll give you the name and number of a lawyer I know who would love this sort of case. She'll even have his testicles bronzed and awarded to your sister as part of the settlement."
"Divorced, are you?" she asked snarkily.
"Never married," I said cheerfully. "My sister was and she used this lawyer. I have the lawyer's details upstairs. My wife has her ex's testicles hanging above her fireplace. You and this lawyer should get along just fine."
I headed off towards the lifts and the silly girl followed me. Reaching my offices I unlocked and waltzed on through with her close behind. I was the first one there and I didn't really expect anyone else to arrive for another hour.
"That," I said, pointing, "is Giles' old office. As you can see his name is still on the door but the office has been stripped of all his accoutrements. It's patiently waiting for its next occupant."
Entering my office I pointed her towards a seat and switched on the computer.
"When this thing finishes booting up I'll check the email for the lawyers name and number. Until then, why don't we discuss a suitable penalty for your woeful act of vandalism on my new car? An act for which you still haven't apologised."
"I did. Downstairs just now."