Chapter 10 #2
“Wasn’t sure if I’d catch you at home but took the chance on surprising you,” Eddie says.
“Oh, you surprised him, Eddie,” I whisper to the screen.
They walk to the Mustang and spend several minutes looking it over, even going so far as popping the hood. They’re clearly talking about the car, but they’re too far away for the camera’s mic to pick up their conversation.
I study them, trying to figure out what is going on. Is Ben considering buying this car? Hank is the one who loves old cars and fixing them up, not Ben. Ben is a “brand-new, straight off the lot” kind of guy, so I’m completely stumped.
After a few minutes, Ben gets in the driver’s seat while Eddie takes the passenger side and they drive away.
What the heck? Where are they going?
I stare at the screen for several minutes while I debate what to do. Surely they’re coming right back after a spin in that car.
Not long after Ben left in the Mustang, another vehicle comes down the driveway. It’s an old brown work truck with a huge toolbox mounted on the bed.
Who is this?
The truck stops almost exactly where the Mustang was parked. The driver gets out and I don’t recognize him either. He’s a tall white guy. Lanky. Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, but it’s hard to make out too many details since he’s wearing a ball cap and it’s pulled low over his face.
This guy takes out his phone and walks across the front yard toward the side of the house where the garage sits. Then he disappears from view.
“Where’d he go?”
A moment later I hear the familiar rattle of the garage door opening.
Oh my God! How did he get the garage open? Is he breaking into our house?
I stand up quickly, iPad gripped in my hands, and pace around in a tight circle. I pull up the camera in the kitchen that will show the door that leads to the garage, waiting to see if he comes inside.
Almost two minutes pass and there’s no sign of him. And then I hear the garage door lower.
My heart is racing.
I try to sit back down but I’m too nervous, so I continue my pacing while I wait for him to appear on the front porch camera again.
And there he is, casually walking across the lawn back to his truck, where he leans against the lowered tailgate.
Before I can even think about what any of this means, the Mustang pulls back into the driveway.
The white guy waves as the car inches closer.
Does Ben know him? Did he give him a remote to the garage?
Ben parks the Mustang in the overflow spot near the garage and the white guy joins them as they get out of the car. He shakes hands with Ben and it’s clear that yes, he knows this man too.
Ben leads them toward the house and then into his office, gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk. “Shane, Eddie, have a seat.”
Okay, so new guy must be Shane.
I zoom in to see if I recognize them now that I’ve got a clearer view, but I don’t. Ben quickly flips the pages he was reading earlier on top of the pictures, then leans back in his chair like he doesn’t have a care in the world. I increase the volume in my headphones so I don’t miss a single word.
“I didn’t think the car would be ready for another week.”
Shane shrugs. “You know how Eddie is, he’s already got another one coming in so we needed to get it finished.”
“Well, wasn’t expecting this today but it’s all good,” Ben says.
“Glad you’ve got some more business. And hey, I’m happy to recommend y’all to anyone looking to restore a car, because I wasn’t really sure you were going to be able to pull it off.
That car looked like it should’ve been in a scrap yard when I brought it to you.
It’s incredible what you managed to do.”
Eddie laughs but it sounds forced. They chat for a few minutes about the car and what work was done to it.
Shane leans forward and pulls a piece of paper from his back pocket then hands it to Ben. “Here’s the final bill and she’s all yours.”
I can’t believe Ben bought a muscle car. This is not like him at all—something strange is going on, especially given the Shane guy poked around in the garage when he first got here.
“Oh, sure.” Ben takes the bill and studies it for a long moment.
While he’s distracted with the invoice, both men take in everything around them.
Eyes scan the room. But it’s not just a cursory glance.
They’re studying the room like there’s going to be a test later.
Then Shane looks right at me. Or rather, right at the camera.
I jump back slightly. Does he see it hidden in the bookshelf?
Then he smiles.
Startled, I drop the iPad in my lap.
It’s like he knows someone is watching.
That I’m watching.
Finally, he looks away when Ben stands up from the desk, check in hand. The guys stand too, and Ben comes around the side of the desk.
“Thanks again,” Ben says as he hands Eddie the check. There’s another round of handshakes between them, then he’s escorting the guys out of his office.
Shane pulls open the front door but doesn’t leave. Instead, he turns to Ben. “We appreciate your business. Still not sure how you found us but hey, we’re glad you did.”
Ben pauses a moment, watching Shane. Finally, he says, “My partner, Hank, gave me your name.”
“Well, cool. Not sure who he is but tell him thanks.”
Then they’re gone. Ben stands in the open doorway then raises his hand in one final wave before the old truck pulls away from the house. He doesn’t move until they have turned out of the driveway.
Then he slams the door shut.
Ben returns to his office, the frustration back and clearer than ever. I take in every detail, from the frown lines digging into his forehead to the cruel twist of his mouth to the balled-up fists that support him as he leans over the desk. Studying whatever is there in front of him.
He doesn’t move for a long time.
Ben finally turns around to his computer and plugs in the drive he took from the envelope before Shane and Eddie arrived.
After a few clicks, Aubrey’s face fills the screen.