by Gina LaManna
“Are you sure—” my mother began with a frown, but Allie interrupted her before she could get more out.
“This is rad!” Allie said. “It’s like you’re driving a boat around. Or a log cabin or something.”
“I had that same thought,” I said weakly. “I was hoping I was wrong.”
“Spot on,” Allie said with a grin. “It totally suits you.”
“It suits me? Please, no. Tell me more. Actually, don’t.” I held up a hand. “I need to know. How does this possibly suit me?”
“I happen to agree with Jenna,” my mother said. “I’m a little confused about how this vehicle is at all fitting, let alone safe, for my daughter.”
“Well, it’s a little weird. You know, it’s got that far-out style,” Allie said. “And it’s a little reckless. I mean, she just moved across the country, she’s got no real job waiting for her, and she’s sort of dating two different men. That’s a little out there, don’t you think?”
“I suppose,” my mother said. “And this vehicle does appear to be quite a risk on the road. Which is fitting for Jenna.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what I said.” My mother pointedly glared at me. “You tend to get yourself into risky situations that you have no reason to get in.”
“That’s not true,” I said. “Name one.”
My mother smacked the hood of my PT Cruiser. “This car is one.”
“It’s not the most dangerous option I could have chosen,” I said proudly. “At least this one doesn’t explode if you get rear ended.”
My mother rolled her eyes. “You didn’t need to go buying a car. Sid and I are happy to lend you the truck when you need it.”
“Yeah, mom, except I’m nearly thirty years old. I don’t want to be asking my mother for rides every time I want to go somewhere. Plus, the truck is not always available when I need to get places. Double plus, you always ask where I’m going.”
“It’s my truck,” my mother said. “I have a right to know where you’re taking it, seeing as you sometimes like to involve yourself in dangerous situations as I mentioned already. You’re old enough to make your own decisions, but my truck doesn’t have to explode just because you choose to.”
“Thanks for the concern, mother. Do you see why I don’t like reporting my every movement to you? Speaking of, I should get going.”
“Where are you going?”
“None of your business,” I said pointedly. “This is the freedom that comes with owning my own car.”
“If you were going somewhere innocent, you wouldn’t have to worry about keeping secrets from me.”
“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not,” I said. “I’ll catch you guys later.”
“Can I come with you?” Allie asked. Turning to my mother, she faux whispered loud enough for all to hear. “No way she’s going somewhere innocent. And I’d like to be involved.”
My mother gave a disgruntled clear of her throat, then turned on her heel and hightailed it back inside June’s.
“I’m right, aren’t I?” Allie said in another loud whisper. “You’re going somewhere completely un-innocent.”
“That’s not entirely true. Also, everyone can hear you. There’s no need to whisper.”
“Can I come?” Allie stuck a leg out. “I wore my crime-solving combat boots just in case.”
“In case of what?”
“Don’t pull that fake innocent routine on me. I know you got a car so you can investigate murders on your own.”
“Hopefully there are no more murders to investigate. Two is plenty for a town this size.”
Allie reached out, rested her fingers on the handle of the door. “You’re not going to deny your oldest buddy a joy ride around town in your new wheels, are you?”
I didn’t correct Allie on the fact that she wasn’t exactly my oldest buddy, seeing as we’d met just this year. However, as I slid into the driver’s seat of my new car, I realized she was one of my best buddies in town. I wasn’t sure what that said about my relationships, so I focused on the car and didn’t dwell on the fact that my oldest (current) relationship was now about six weeks old.
“You can come with me,” I said, once we hopped on the road, “but you can’t talk once we get to the autobody shop. I don’t want you involved in this any more than you have to be.”
“The autobody shop...” Allie leaned back, trying to recline her seat. After no fewer than thirteen failed attempts, she gave up and settled for sitting with her back straight up and her knees nearly to her chest. “Interesting. Did you specifically buy the car to talk to Chris?”
“Not entirely. I did need a vehicle.” When Allie continued to stare at me, I gave a defensive shrug. “Okay, I’ll admit—the timing was fortuitous.”
“Matt must be a really good friend for you to be doing all this for him. I bet Cooper’s real annoyed to see you so close to him.”
“We’re here,” I said, flicking on a blinker that I realized a beat later didn’t actually work. “Remember what I said earlier—let me handle the talking.”
Allie nodded as we climbed out of the car. She followed me to the front desk where a sad-looking bell waited to be dinged. Before I could reach a hand to ring anything, Allie beat me to it. A light ding sounded through the office.
“What did I say?” I stuck a hand on a hip. “I don’t want you involved.”
“I didn’t talk.” Allie hissed. “I just wanted to help.”
The autobody shop was clean and bright. Black leather chairs and a couple of couches lined a small lobby with a vending machine. They’d tried to add hominess with a coffee station, but it was quite dismal. The coffeepot was empty and the few cookies that remained looked stale, even from a distance.
A man dressed in a jumpsuit stained with grease appeared behind the desk. “Can I help you?”
“I just bought a new car,” I said. “And I was hoping to have it inspected before I started using it as my daily driver.”
“It’s kind of a mess,” Allie contributed unhelpfully. “It will probably need some major repairs. The passenger’s seat doesn’t recline anymore for starters. The airbags probably don’t work either—I noticed the warning light was on. Then there’s the blinkers, the windshield wipers, and—”
“We don’t need to replace everything at once,” I said with a dry laugh. “I’d mostly just like a rundown of what eventually needs replacing.”
“Usually you get the car inspected before you buy it,” the guy said. “But you’re telling me you already own it?”
“I do,” I said.
“She got it for a song and a dance,” Allie said. “Not literally. But let’s just say she got it cheap. Speaking of, where’d you get the money, Jenna? Your mother mentioned you couldn’t afford a car this morning.”
“Again, none of your business,” I said to Allie. I pasted a smile on my face and focused on the mechanic. “It’s too late to return the car, and Allie does have a point. I’m on a budget, so if I could just get someone to take a peek at it quickly and let me know the top priorities for fixing, that would be fabulous.”
“We’re booked until—”
“Does Chris Tucker work here?” I asked. “He’s a friend of a friend. I was actually hoping to speak with him about the car.”
“Chris is working on a different project at the moment.”
“That’s fine,” I said. “Just a quick word with him. I wanted to go over a few things about the car.”
“You could just fill out the sheet.” The mechanic handed over a piece of paper. “Someone will take a look at it when we can. But the chances are we’ll need to keep it overnight.”
“Damn,” I said. “I didn’t consider that.”
“That is unfortunate,” Allie said. “Seeing as I’m here, too. So, I can’t even pick you up. And you probably don’t want to call your mother after what she said at June’s.”
“Definitely not,” I said.
I didn’t want to call Cooper eit
her, and I didn’t think it was the best idea to call Matt over to the place where his ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend was working.
“How about a quick consult?” I asked the man. “I swear I won’t take up more than ten minutes of his time, and I’ll get all my repairs done here.”
“Trust me,” Allie said. “You want this girl as a customer. She can’t keep a car working to save her life.”
I nodded. “It’s true. I spend most of my salary on car repairs.”
“Ten minutes?”
I nodded at the mechanic.
“No small talk,” he warned. “Chris has got a job to do, and I’m not paying him to sit around and chit-chat with old friends. He already took eight extra minutes on his lunch break, and I ain’t happy about it.”
I raised a hand. “Scouts honor.”
He tilted his head to the side, gesturing for us to follow him. We wound around the lobby, then down a narrow hallway. The mechanic pushed a scuffed, black metal door open and let us inside a small office that smelled like tires. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant.
“Thanks,” I said.
He grunted a response, then disappeared from the room.
“I’m going to grab coffees,” Allie said. “Want one?”
I nodded.
“Cookie?”
“What sort of question is that?” I asked. “Of course I want a cookie. I’ll be spending enough money here—I deserve a cookie.”
Allie left to retrieve caffeine and sugar. I briefly considered the fact that I’d already had ice cream for lunch and brushed aside the thought. I was stressed. Stress burned calories—that was a well-known fact. In addition, Cooper and I had walked around the lake while we ate, so it all evened out.
The door had barely closed behind Allie when it was pushed open again, and in stepped a tall, thin man with sandy-blond hair and bright blue eyes.
“Are you the lady who wanted to see me?”
“Are you Chris?” I stood, extended a hand. “Yes. I have a few questions for you.”
Chris shook my hand, a confused look on his face. “About your car?”
“That, among other things.”
“Okay...”
Chris took a step further into the room, casting a glance behind him before turning to face me again. He had a wiry frame and appeared lanky at first glimpse, but as I looked closer, I saw he had hidden muscles tucked beneath his collared short-sleeve shirt.
“I’m sorry to surprise you here, but I do actually have questions about my car,” I said. “I just bought a vehicle from Eddie—”
“Oh,” Chris said, understanding dawning on his face. “You’re driving the PT Crapsmobile out front?”
“I’d call it shabby-chic.”
“Yeah, well...” He shrugged. “You’re not the one who has to fix it.”
“Is there anything you can do about those wooden side panels?”
“Honey, I can do whatever you want to the car,” Chris said, “but if you want my opinion, you shouldn’t have bought it in the first place.”
“Right. So I’ve heard,” I said stiffly. “Unfortunately, it’s a bit too late for a return. So maybe we can move past that.”
“Tell you what.” Chris stepped forward and pulled a chair out from the other side of the table. He sat himself down and folded his hands before his body. “I’m guessing you don’t have a ton of money.”
“Er—”
“Sorry, what’s your name?” Chris asked. “I’m not sure I caught it.”
“Jenna,” I said. “Jenna McGovern. I’m new in town.”
“I figured, or else I’d already know who you are.” Chris gave me a brief smile. “Been fixing cars most of my life, so I can tell you who drives what from Blueberry Lake to Sugarland Shores.”
“Of course.”
“And it’s common knowledge that anyone buying a car from Eddie isn’t shopping top of the line.”
“Fair point,” I said, thinking of the row of rust-buckets behind his barn.
“If you just bought a car, you’re probably not loaded down in cash, am I right? Used your savings on your new hunk-a-junk?” Chris gave a knowing wink. “I get it. I’ve been there, which is why I want to extend an offer to help you out.”
“Really? What sort of offer?”
“This, here, is an autobody shop,” Chris said, spreading his hands and lowering his voice as if sharing a deep, dark secret with me.
“I know,” I whispered back. “That’s why I brought my car here.”
He gave a short laugh. “They’ve got a business to run. Mark up. Overhead.”
“Go on.”
“I fix cars in my spare time at home,” Chris said. “I’ve got a garage, and I take on the occasional side project. Totally cool with my bosses so long as I get my work done here.”
“I see.”
“I don’t have all the overhead costs, so I charge a lot less. Parts, and a little extra for me,” Chris said. “What do you say?”
“Well, I say—”
“Here’s how it works,” Chris said. “I diagnose your car with a few cheapie fixes to take care of today. Blinker, headlights, that sort of thing. We’ll fix it up so my boss gets his share of your business and all is fair. Then, once you’ve had some time to save up for the bigger repairs, you bring her to me, and I’ll fix her up real quick at my place.”
“I like the sound of that,” I said truthfully. “But—”
“Great!” Chris stood and flashed a big smile at me. “Then it’s settled. If we swap numbers—”
“Chris,” I interrupted. “That’s only a part of the reason I’m here.”
“Oh?” Chris frowned. “What else can I help you with?”
At that moment, the door opened, and Allie returned. She balanced two coffees in her hands and had a napkin of cookies tucked under her arm.
“Oh, hey, Chris,” Allie said. “Did you want a coffee? I didn’t realize you’d be here.”
“Sure,” Chris said. “Thanks. I don’t get many breaks. Boss is a real stickler.”
“Here, you can have Jenna’s,” Allie said. “I already drank out of mine, and you probably don’t want my germs. Here are some cookies, too.”
Allie plopped down at the table next to me. She and Chris dug into their cookies and coffees as I cleared my throat.
“Right,” I said. “Well, we were just getting to the important part. Chris, we just wanted to say how sorry we are to hear about your girlfriend.”
Chris set his cookie on the napkin, his expression turning somber. “Yeah...” He cleared his throat. “Thanks. It’s been hard.”
“I notice you didn’t take any time off work,” Allie said. “Any reason why?”
Chris turned to look at her. “Why are you asking me this?”
“Allie,” I said. “Maybe you could grab me a cup of coffee?”
“They’re all out,” she said. “This was the last cup.”
“Maybe you could make another pot,” I suggested. “I could really use the caffeine.”
Allie’s eyes widened. “Oh, gotcha. Yeah, sure. I’ll be back... later.”
Allie let herself out of the room. Once she’d gone, I turned back to Chris.
“I’m really sorry about that,” I said. “I didn’t mean to corner you.”
Chris stood, his arms crossed. “What did you mean to do? I thought you came here to talk about your car.”
“I did,” I said. “But now that we’ve talked about my car, maybe we can talk about something else.”
“Like what?” He looked at me warily. “Why was she asking about Shania?”
“The truth is, we came here hoping to learn a little bit more about Shania,” I said carefully watching his reaction. “Like I said, we are so sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”
“No, I don’t imagine you can. Unless you’ve lost someone like I have.”
“No.” I cleared my throat. “I haven’t, and I’m grateful for that. I can’t imagine.”
Chris just nodded, some of the wariness leaving his eyes to be replaced by sadness. He massaged his forehead and leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on the table. He let his head collapse into his hands. “It’s been a long couple of days. The truth is, the only reason I come to work is because I can’t stand to be home alone.”
“I understand,” I said. “I mean, I can’t possibly understand, but I imagine it can be helpful to keep your mind busy.”
“Otherwise I just wallow. Here, I can just work. My hands know what to do, my brain focuses on the work.” Chris frowned. “Didn’t you say you’re new around town? How did you know about Shania?”
“I’m actually helping to look into her murder,” I said. “It’s a long story. I was hoping I could ask you a few questions.”
“Are you a cop?”
“Well, no.”
“A private investigator?”
“Sort of,” I said.
“Do you have any identification?”
“Not that sort of private investigator,” I said. “It’s more of the ‘volunteer investigator’ type. I styled a lot of episodes of NCIS, so I’m almost a professional.”
“Just not licensed.”
“Exactly.”
“Or legal.”
“Sort of like your home garage.”
He gave a half-smile. “Touché.”
“How about we move past the legalities?” I said quickly. “The thing is, I’m helping out a friend, trying to clear his name.”
Chris’s gaze hardened. “A friend?”
“Uh, I live in the neighborhood where Shania’s body was found. I’m neighbors with Matt,” I said in a rush. “And I know he didn’t kill her. But the cops are looking in his direction, so I was just volunteering my skills to try and find who really killed Shania.”
The sadness had flooded right out of Chris. It was rapidly being replaced by a level of frustration that bordered on fury. “You’re helping that asshole?”
“Matt’s an asshole?”
Chris shook his head. “You’re obviously new here if you don’t know that yet.”
“Why is he so awful?”
Chris made a tsk sound as he shook his head. “Where should I begin?”
“How about the beginning?” I suggested, despite the fact that his question had been rhetorical. “Maybe when you and Shania met?”