JACK KNIFED (24 page)

“She’s not my sister,” Jack confessed, but the girl still scrunched up her face and hurried into the kitchen.

Jack swallowed and licked his lips. He could faintly taste the flavor of Replacement’s lip balm.

That was some kiss.

“I thought we had a truce,” Jack fiercely stammered, but he still felt himself blushing.

“She started it, and you didn’t stop it, so the armistice ended.” Replacement shrugged, folded her hands, and bowed her head.

Jack closed his eyes and waited. After a few moments, Replacement whispered, “You pray.”

“Me?” Jack opened one eye. “You do it.”

“I just lied.”

Jack rubbed his eyes. “Dear God. I’m sorry I lied, and she lied, too. Please help my car. In Jesus’s name, Amen.”

“You just prayed for your car.”

“Yeah? I’m sure God is okay with that. One, it’s going to be expensive. Two, it’s going to take awhile to fix.”

“Why do you think the car won’t be ready?”

“Someone did something to the gas. Sugar…or something else.”

“Why do you think that?”

“We’re getting close, kid. Whoever killed Steven is trying to get rid of us, get us out of town. They want us to leave.”

“What do we do?”

“We check a couple of things then get over to Pinkerton.” He smiled.

Replacement picked at her fries. “Why did you get Matty a lunch? I thought you were upset he hit on me.”

Jack sighed and his lips pressed together.

“He didn’t know that we’re…I mean… He thought…that was a misunderstanding, and I settled it. Besides, as a guy, the last two people you tick off are your barber and your mechanic.”

The waitress brought the meatloaf and the check. She glared at Replacement but grinned at Jack.

Replacement stuck a couple of fries in her mouth, grabbed the check, and turned it over. She tossed it in front of Jack.

“She’s persistent.” She nodded to the phone number on the back.

Jack shrugged and counted out the money and a generous tip. Replacement took the receipt back with a smile.

Atlas Auto

Jack walked into the garage and set the two orders of meatloaf on the metal cart, but he frowned as he looked at the Impala on the lift; the gas tank was off. “I picked up some meatloaf for you and your son. How’s my car?”

“I got it up on the lift. It’s jacked up. It was sugar in the gas tank. Good news is whoever did it really hates you. They used too much sugar. It gunked up the gas lines before too much got to the engine. I don’t think it damaged the engine, but we have to flush everything out and I should replace the lines.” Marty wiped his hands on a greasy rag.

“How long?”

Marty rubbed the back of his neck. “We have to take off the tank, flush everything, replace the lines…at least a couple days.”

Jack didn’t want to ask the next question. “How much?”

“It ain’t gonna be cheap.” Marty looked back at the car. “The engine’s got a lot of miles on her. You might want to think about—”

“Nope. Fix her.”

Marty shrugged. “I can get you set up with a rental.” He nodded to a car sitting outside. “It’s great on gas, and you can have her for a few days. It’s a little small. My son tells me you’re a cop.”

Matty shot his father a sideways glance.

“Yeah. I’d like to ask you a question, too. How far do your records go back?”

Marty closed an eye and crinkled his nose. “We got a computer when Matty started. But I still kept everything on paper like my dad.”

“Your dad ran the garage before you?”

“Still helps out. He’s in the back office.”

“Great. Can I talk to him for a minute?”

“This way.”

Jack smiled at Replacement but she frowned. As he walked close to her, he whispered, “What’s the matter?”

Replacement pointed to the lunches. “We only got two. I should get the grandfather one, too.”

She’s a good kid.

“Thanks.” Jack handed her some cash.

“I’ll go with you.” Matty ran forward, but one look at Jack and he stopped. “Or not.” He gulped.

“I think you can help us in the office.” Marty chuckled, turned, and walked through an open doorway.

The office was a mixture of the different generations. One corner had a sink and calendars that looked untouched for thirty years, while a seating area with four chairs appeared to have been given a makeover within the past year or two. Marty walked behind a medium-sized counter and through another door, and Jack followed.

The back room had a desk in the far corner, an old couch and a recliner in front of a TV in the other corner, and a round table with four chairs in the middle of the room. Against the far wall was a row of old metal cabinets that immediately caught Jack’s eye. A man, who Jack guessed to be in his late sixties, stood up. He was small with a heavily wrinkled face, but his blue eyes flashed, and he broke into a huge smile as they walked into the room.

“Marty, my apologies, I didn’t think we had a customer.” The man shook Jack’s hand with a grip like steel.

“Jack Stratton. Nice to meet you, sir.”

“Welcome to Atlas Auto. Is that your Impala?” The man’s Greek accent was thick. Jack nodded as he continued, “Couple of days and she’ll be running like a champ.” He winked.

“Thank you, sir. I did want to ask you a separate question. I was wondering how far your records go back. I’m trying to find out about a car you serviced twenty-seven years ago. It—”

The man laughed a deep rolling laugh. Jack didn’t think it was mean-spirited or directed at him, but it was contagious. Marty and Matty joined in, and Jack almost did, too. The man leaned his head back as the laughter filled the room.

“Tell you the truth,” the old man panted, “you’d have a hard time finding a record from a car serviced last month, let alone that far back. You’d have to go through them all.” He gestured to a line of cabinets. “Matty tells me you’re a cop, so you’re welcome to it.”

Jack held up a hand. “I’m not here officially. I wanted to know about a particular car.”

“I’ve serviced a lot of Impalas over the years.” The man ran his fingers through his thick white hair.

“It’s not my Impala, sir.”

“Call me Atlas.”

“Atlas?”

The man grinned. “I’m Greek. My father gave me a name to let others know I’m strong.” He looked at Marty. “My son starts another tradition,” he laughed again, and Marty nudged Matty, “like candies, M&M’s. Watch, that will be the name of the garage when I’m gone.”

“We’re not changing the name, Pop.”

Jack cleared his throat. “I don’t know if you remember it, but you were fixing a police cruiser when the boy was killed at Buckmaster Pond.”

Atlas’s eyes narrowed, and he rubbed his cheek. He looked at the other men before he looked back at Jack. “I’m sorry about your father. It was truly sad. I fix Mrs. Ritter’s car. We still give her a discount.”

“Thank you for doing that. When Steven was killed, there was a cruiser—”

“Is that the new clue?” Matty stepped forward. “Is that what they’re putting in the paper next week?”

All three men gave him a look to be quiet.

“Whatever,” Matty grumbled as he walked out of the office.

“The cruiser was here. It had a broken axle. Henry got her stuck in a ditch and, instead of calling us for a tow, he tried to tow it himself.”

“You remember that?” Jack straightened up.

Why would he lie?

“Can’t forget it. I didn’t talk to Henry for two years after the fight we had.”

“Fight?”

“Huge fight. I almost hit him with a wrench. He showed up here, one night, saying that someone must have taken the cruiser that night. I told him and Dennis that was impossible.”

“Dennis Senior?”

Atlas nodded.

“Why was it impossible?”

“It had no drive shaft. I had to order one. I was supposed to get one shipped out, but there was a screw-up so we didn’t get it for a month. I reminded Dennis that he was furious he didn’t have a patrol car for a month.”

“When did the fight happen?”

Atlas rubbed his chin. “A few days before the chief died. Henry showed up and started screaming that someone took the car out. I told him he was out of his mind. It got so bad that Kolina, my wife, called the police. Dennis came out. He yelled at Henry. Henry yelled at me. I yelled back, and they finally got it.”

“What happened after that?”

Atlas shrugged. “Nothing. That was the end of it.”

Replacement came through the door, carrying a bag from the donut shop down the road. “Sorry it took so long.” She set the bag on the table.

“For me?” Atlas smiled. “You’re a nice girl.”

“Thank you.”

Jack looked at her and one eyebrow went up. Replacement gave him a little shake of her head so he let it go.

Why didn’t she get him the meatloaf?

“Officer Stratton?” Matty called Jack as he popped into the room and held onto the doorframe. The tone of his voice was enough to give Jack pause, but when he saw the look on Matty’s face, he knew something was wrong. “I think you should see this.”

Everyone followed Matty into the garage and over to the Impala. Matty was short enough to walk under the car when it was on the lift, but Jack had to duck.

“Look at this.” He pointed to a spot inside the back bumper.

Jack moved closer and noticed the small black box.

I don’t have a hide-a-key…

“It’s not a key holder. I didn’t mean anything, but I went to grab it and the magnet is really strong. I can pull it off, but—”

“Don’t.” Jack’s voice was low and commanding.

Matty’s hand froze.

“I’m an officer in Darrington, and we all have GPS on our off-duty cars.” He forced a smile and patted Matty on his back. “Nice job, though.”

“That sucks. They track you off duty, too?” Matty spit.

“Don’t you spit in my garage.” Atlas threw his hands up and a stream of Greek swears poured out of his mouth.

Jack moved away from Matty as both his father and grandfather let him have it. He looked at Replacement, but he saw how her eyebrows rounded up.

She didn’t buy my lie, and now she’s scared. Great.

“Well, thank you for your time, Atlas. I think I’ll need that rental.”

Fifteen minutes later, Jack and Replacement walked across the lot to a blue Volkswagen Beetle.

“Do you want to drive?” Jack held up the keys.

“Yeah.” Replacement beamed as she dashed over to the driver’s side.

Jack had to put his seat almost all the way back to fit in.

“You okay?” she asked with the smile stuck on her face.

“Fine. Hey, why didn’t you get him the meatloaf?”

The smile vanished.

“I tried. I went back to the restaurant, and I was nothing but nice…”

Jack leaned the seat back. “What did you do?”

“Nothing. I went in and the waitress who threw herself at you came up with this stupid smirk on her face. I told her I’d like to order another meatloaf. She said you must be hungry and then something about her being able to keep a man satisfied.”

Jack closed his eyes.

“And all I said was, ‘Well, you must have a lot of experience trying.’” Replacement’s hands went out, and her shoulders went up. Jack laughed. “Then she said something about a sister kissing her brother. I got mad and said that you’re not my brother, you’re my lover, and it kinda went downhill from there.”

Jack kept his eyes closed.

“You’re not going to say anything?”

“Nope. Just drive, kid.”

Gracie

Replacement pulled in front of the cute colonial set back from the road. Two matching red Toyotas were in the driveway.

“Kristine said she called to ask if we could come over.” Jack opened the door and stretched.

“I think this lady is, like, eighty years old and a friend of your grandmother, so I’m hoping you’re not going to come to blows, right?” Replacement asked.

Jack spread his hands out and shrugged. “Only if she starts it.” Jack smirked. “Shut up, you wiseass.”

“Seriously, I don’t think there’s anyone we talk to that you don’t hit.”

“It’s not just me. Did you forget the shovel?”

“One for me.”

“Kicking Terry in the groin?” Jack grinned.

“Okay, two.”

Jack hurried up the walkway and knocked on the dark-brown door.

After a moment, an older man opened the door and smiled.

“Jack? Alice?” He reached out a hand and then motioned for them to come in. “I’m Thomas Hickoring, but you’re here to see my Gracie.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Jack let Replacement go in before him. He could smell cinnamon and apples cooking and, even though he wasn’t hungry, his stomach growled. The house had bright wood floors and a staircase led off upstairs. A hallway ran straight back to a kitchen, and Thomas slowly led them to the family room to the right. He held open a glass-paned door that led into the carpeted room. An older woman sat on a loveseat with her hands folded in her lap. She had on a plain blue dress, and her leg was propped up on a footstool.

“Come in.” Gracie beckoned them with both hands. “I’m so sorry I can’t get up just yet.”

“No, ma’am. I’m sorry to be bothering you. I didn’t know…”

“Sit right down here. You must be Jack, and this must be Alice.” She reached out her hands. Replacement went right over and sat next to her. Jack sat down in a high-back chair and Thomas sat in a chair next to his wife.

“Can I get you anything? I just put a pie in the oven, but would you like something to eat?”

“No, thank you, sir. We just ate. I only have a few questions.”

“You take your time, son.” Thomas reached out and squeezed his wife’s hands. “We go to church with your grandmother. If there’s anything, anything at all, we can do…”

His wife patted his leg. “My Thomas has a caring heart. We knew your father, Jack. He was a lovely boy.”

“Thank you, ma’am. You were the police dispatcher?”

“Among other things—secretary, log keeper, bottle washer.” She giggled. “I was covering for Stacy that night.” She placed her hands in her lap and sat up straighter.

“Did you take the call?”

She nodded. “It was a young girl. She was just about hysterical. I couldn’t make everything out, but I called Henry and the fire station to send the ambulance. The systems weren’t connected then.”

“I read the report about the call. Can I ask a favor before I ask you this next question?”

Gracie looked to Thomas, who nodded, and she did too.

“Can this please be just between us? I don’t want anything—”

“You don’t have to worry about that, Jack. If my knee wasn’t acting up, I’d go and stick my thumb right in Jeff Franklin’s eye.”

Jack noticed Replacement smile approvingly.

“That won’t be necessary, but I appreciate it. I need to ask about the two cruisers that were supposed to be at the station.”

“They were there,” she said emphatically.

“Are you sure? A hundred percent?”

“One hundred ten percent.” Her white hair bobbed as she nodded. “I watched those two cars out the window the whole night, and they didn’t go anywhere. Dennis asked me about it afterward, and Henry wouldn’t let it go until Thomas told him to go soak his head.” She giggled.

“What happened with that?” Jack leaned closer.

“It was part of the investigation. Dennis came and asked, but he was so serious. That man loved your father. That case just changed him. By the time he asked about the patrol cars, we thought…” She looked at Thomas, and he squeezed her hand. “I thought the stress might be getting to him. He considered everyone in town, talked personally to everybody. One day, it was like he thought…” She shook her head and looked down.

“Thought what, Gracie?” Jack whispered the question.

“That someone in the police department was involved somehow. It was just ridiculous.”

“What kind of man is Henry?” Jack’s question caused Gracie to frown.

“Henry is a troubled soul. We’re friends still, and I hope and pray for him, but he’s always battled his own demons: drink, women, anger. He has a lot of flaws; we all do. But, I don’t think he had anything to do with your father’s death.”

“How about Dennis?”

“I told you, he loved your father.”

“What kind of man was he?”

“He was a professional. He loved this town and the people in it. He was a Boy Scout leader.”

“And a deacon,” Thomas added.

Gracie nodded. “He and Mable were wonderful. Mable passed just this past year.”

“Where was Dennis that night?”

“Jack.” Gracie’s jaw trembled.

Jack quickly held out a hand. “I just have to ask.”

“He and Mable went to visit her sister. He’d just gotten her a new Lincoln, and they stopped by the station because he had forgotten something.”

“The coupons.” Thomas held up a finger and smiled. “They had some coupons for dinner. He was taking Mable, and her sister and husband, to a new steakhouse in Pinkerton, and he forgot them. I remember because he asked me…” A silence settled on the room. Thomas sighed before he continued. “Outside church he said, ‘If I hadn’t won those tickets, I’d have been working that night.’ He thought it might have been different. I tried to explain you can drive yourself crazy thinking that way but…” Thomas shook his head. “He had a heart attack a month later.”

“Gracie, Thomas, I think that’s all I need. Thank you for seeing us.”

Gracie held out her hand, and Jack moved over to her.

“You’re more than welcome to stop by anytime. Can I please ask you another favor?”

Jack nodded.

“Mary Ritter is a dear, dear friend. Please find it in your heart to include her in your life. She was so devastated when she lost her poor Theo and then to have the Lord take Steven.”

Jack nodded and added, “I will. I’m planning on it.” He forced a smile. The old woman’s face lit up.

“I’ll go call her now. She’ll be so happy.” She squeezed Replacement’s hand and then put her hand in Jack’s. “Mary was right. You two make a handsome couple.”

Jack tried to pull his hand away, but Replacement held onto it like a dog on a bone.

“Thank you.” She smiled sweetly at Gracie.