Chapter 53
CHAPTER
FIFTY-THREE
REBEL
It’s been two days since Gunner told me about his grandfather’s will and I still haven’t talked to my mother about it.
I’m hesitant to bring it up with her for two reasons.
First, mom’s conversation about being content the other night felt so real and vulnerable. Until I know that we’re the recipients of the will for sure , I don’t want to unearth her entire life in pursuit of an inheritance she doesn’t even know about.
Second, I’m concerned about putting mom in danger. Money can turn people into very evil, dangerous creatures.
Stewart went as far as to shut our garage down.
I don’t think Clarence Kinsey is going to be much nicer.
Putting mom in danger is an absolute no-go. If it comes down to protecting her or making a stink about the inheritance, I’d rather keep my mother and let them have the money.
A beeping sound draws me out of my thoughts.
I glance at the scanner, noticing that the report has been completed.
Chance generously allowed us to work on the acreage he bought for his future with April. He and Max rigged up three giant tents that act as temporary ‘bays’ to protect us and the cars from the unforgiving sun.
It’s not the best set up—for us and the client’s cars, but it’s better than halting production completely.
“Delia, can I get a second opinion on this waveform?” I bring the recording of the car’s throttle position sensor readings to her. “I tried to compare it to one of the recordings I have on hand, but it’s hard to say.”
Delia hunches over the little plastic table that April borrowed from one of the Lucky Strikers. Planting one hand on the table, she squints. “I think the TPS is fine. You might need to check somewhere else. Maybe the timing?”
“Yeah, I suspected that.”
Delia glances past me. Something beyond my shoulders makes her stiffen. I look that way too and notice two bulky shadows hiding behind a tree trunk.
“Rebel,” Delia says in a cautious tone, “I think those guys are watching you. ”
I shrug and keep my attention on the scanner readings. “I’ll test the sensor one more time before I?—”
“Shouldn’t we call the police?” Delia hisses.
“It’s fine.” I whirl around, my mind already on the next test. “I know those knuckleheads.”
Delia grabs my arm. “Even the people you think you know aren’t always what they seem. If they’re following you around at work, that’s crossing a line. I highly recommend that you report them.”
The intensity of her stare coupled with her firm grip takes me by surprise. Why is Delia being so insistent?
“It’s okay, Delia. Really.” My gaze moves to the bulky shoulders of the hockey players crouched behind the tree. “They’re harmless.”
“Why are they stalking you then?”
“You could say they’re… my babysitters.”
Perplexity knits her eyebrows together.
April walks closer to the tree and whistles. “Theilan, Watson. Get over here. You’re scaring the newbie!”
The bulky young athletes scramble into the open.
Theilan sheepishly waves. “Hey, ladies.”
April ushers them closer to our ‘garage’. “If you’re sticking around, make yourselves useful and help me pry something off. My high-strength wrench is still trapped at the garage and I’m having a hard time without my tools.”
“On it!” Theilan saunters toward us and throws Delia a wink. “Hey.”
Watson rolls his T-shirt sleeves up, eyes on Delia. “Hey, if you need help after we get through with April, we can…”
Suddenly, there’s a loud pop .
April raises a valve high. “Oops. Looks like I got it myself. Thanks anyway, boys.”
Theilan immediately pins all his attention on Delia. “Great. So back to you and me…”
“April, I’ve finished with the Chevy. I’ll take a look at the Nissan next,” Delia says in a bored tone. She walks right past the boys and gets back to work.
I snort at their disappointed expressions. “Don’t you guys have practice today?”
“Max is meeting a sponsor at the arena. They wanted a tour of the stadium so he ended practice early and kicked us out,” Theilan explains.
Watson frowns. “How’d you know it was us today?”
“Um…” I wrap two wires together, “your heads were sticking out from the tree. But honestly, I noticed you guys since yesterday.”
“Yesterday?” Watson’s jaw drops.
Theilan mumbles to him, “I told you we should’ve followed her on our bikes instead.” To me, the young hockey player says, “Anyway, do you know why Gunner has us watching you and your mom?”
I stop working. “You’re watching my mom too?”
“Uh… no?”
“Theilan,” I say in a warning tone.
Watson shoves Theilan in the back. “We gotta go.”
“Yeah, we have a… thing.”
“Later, Rebel.”
“Watson! Theilan!” I yell, taking a few steps forward.
Watson backpedals faster than I can run facing forward.
“Hey, don’t tell Gunner you found out about us, ‘kay? Thanks!” Theilan yells over his shoulder as he runs off like an Olympic sprinter.
I’m left in stunned silence.
If Gunner has his teammates watching my mom too, that means he has the same safety concerns that I do.
Worried, I remove my pink work gloves, walk away from the ‘garage’ for privacy and give mom a call.
“Hi, Rebel,” mom says cheerfully. “I was just about to call you.”
“Is everything okay?”
“About that movie night we missed, are you free this Sunday?” Mom sounds upbeat and relaxed. “I was thinking of setting it up for Saturday, but I remembered the final game of the playoffs is this weekend and we’ve got to support Gunner.”
She laughs so happily that it makes my chest tighten. “Yeah, Sunday sounds great, mom.” I scuff my pink work boots into the sand. “What are you up to?”
“I’m at home.”
I check my watch. “Why so early?”
“It was the strangest thing. Sheriff Kinsey very sincerely thanked me for taking care of him and his family and then he gave me a few days off.”
Why would he do that unless…
Did Gunner tell his parents already? I wonder what they said and how they responded. Is he okay?
My heart hurts for him and I wish I could give him a hug right now.
“I really felt that Sheriff Kinsey appreciated my work and it reminded me that no job is too small. The officers and the Sheriff do their part by keeping Lucky Falls safe, and I do my part too.”
Sometimes, I wonder if my mom is the wisest woman in the world or the most naive. “Are you really that happy, mom?”
“Of course I am. I’ll take this opportunity to rest so I can go back and work even harder.”
I play with my necklace, battling if I should say something about the will now.
“Rebel! Rebel!”
A new voice calls my attention to the street.
Marjorie White slows her turquoise blue Cadillac in front of our makeshift garage. “Rebel!”
“Who is that?” Mom asks.
“Marjorie White.”
“She probably wants to discuss Society business. Don’t let me keep you from your important duties.” Mom blows kisses into the phone and hangs up.
With a sigh, I trudge over to Marjorie.
She hops out of the car and slams the door shut. “Rebel, what’s going on? I thought you and Rodney Howard had a deal? Why did his secretary just call saying he changed his mind about the donation?”
“What?”
“I thought the matter was decided!”
“I-it was!”
“Not according to her.” Marjorie slides dark sunshades down her nose and pins me with a dirty look. “Miss Hart, what exactly happened at that meeting with Rodney Howard?”
“It was… a regular meeting,” I lie, glancing away.
Marjorie gleefully informs me, “Well, there’s a nasty rumor going around that you flirted with Rodney’s son to get the donation, but it backfired and now Rodney’s taking his anger out on the whole town.”
Indignation swells in my chest. “Who said that?”
She primps her hair. “A reputable source.”
I bet her ‘reputable source’ is one or both of the conniving Davis sisters. They smiled so brightly at me when they thought the donation was coming through. But they didn’t waste any time gossiping about me as soon as the deal fell apart.
“I’ll call Rodney and sort this out.”
“I tried that. His office keeps saying he’s busy,” Marjorie tells me.
Rather than take her word for it, I call the office myself, but I meet the same resistance. The secretary won’t even tell me when Mr. Rodney will be back.
“Why don’t you call the son?” Marjorie suggests. “Since you two are so close.”
I give her a chilly glare.
“These are desperate times, Rebel. What will we do about the senior citizen care packages? The after-school library initiative? Will you tell all the grannies who signed up to our program to buy their own groceries? Or will it be the dear children who get cut from the budget?”
My breathing turns shallow and my chest squeezes painfully.
Marjorie steps closer to me. “You wanted to be a part of the Society so badly.” She aims a disdainful look at my ponytail. “Time to prove you deserve it.”