Chapter 15
Oz pulled his phone from his pocket, checking the screen. An uncontrollable smile lifted his lips. "Hey Taylor."
"I found my car."
He chuckled at the excitement in her voice. "I don't know you had lost it," he teased.
Her laughter was music to his ears. Nonexistent at first, but now it was coming more often.
"I found a car I like, and I think I can afford it.”
"And what do you want from me?"
"You had offered to check it out and make sure it was worth the money. Could you go with me and look at it?”
"Tell me where and I'll meet you there."
She did and again he found himself smiling, intrigued by her enthusiasm.
"She already ordering you around?" King teased.
"She wants me to check out a used car.”
"And she asked you?” Mac laughed.
"I do nothing unless she asks,” Oz told them.
"Finally learning to be a hard ass?"
Oz shook his head. "Leaving that to you. She's had things handed to her for her entire life until Drifter. Then she had everything stripped away, including her voice. She’s learning to accept help and ask for it.”
"Alright daddy," Mac joked.
"Maybe it's Daddy ,” King laughed, slapping his shoulder.
"It's a friend," Oz corrected.
"Ask Nova how that friend zone plays out.” King shook his head. “When you bringing her around?"
"Not."
King straightened and spun to face Oz. "Talk to me."
"You know she had a bad experience with a club. She didn’t want to come back here. Much less have anything to do with a club.”
"That it?"
Oz took a deep breath. "Not comfortable here. Doesn't feel welcome."
King crossed his arms over his chest. "Reasons for that?”
"She's working on it." Oz paused and chose his words carefully. "Not all lessons are easy. But they must be done in her time to be beneficial.”
King only gave a nod and returned to what he was doing.
"Where we going?" Mac asked Oz.
Oz cocked his head toward his brother.
"I'm sure you want your friend to get the best car for her money.”
Oz huffed a laugh and relayed the car lot where Taylor had said she was heading to.
Mac's brows popped up. "I've had a few cars come in from there to be checked. I know his scam. And he intimidates easily.”
"Then let's go."
***
“Here we are,” Oz announced pulling into a small car lot.
“That it?” Mac asked.
Oz studied Taylor walking around a blue car and nodded. “Yeah. Must be.”
Oz caught a slight change in the salesman's stance as he and Mac stepped from their bikes and strolled toward her. "Hey darlin’ what did you find?"
He maneuvered her away from the salesman, listening to her recall the salesperson’s spiel as he watched Mac move around the car then pop the hood.
The salesman scurried to Mac’s side reciting stats and maintenance.
"Is this the one you want?" Oz asked.
"I really like it,” she told him. "This one and the green two-door there.” She nodded toward a car two cars down from this one. "This one's more in my price range.”
"If you want it, we’ll make it happen. Trust Mac on this."
Taylor nodded. "Okay.”
“Let’s see what Mac thinks about it and we’ll go from there.” Oz told her as they moved closer to the car again.
"This the one the little lady has been discussing with you?” Mac asked.
"Yes sir." The salesman stepped forward running through the selling points of the car.
Mac continued examining the vehicle as if no one was following behind him talking. "Asking?"
The man quoted the same price Taylor had told Oz moments before.
"I bet." Mac shook his head moving from the engine to the interior. He checked the dash, the cosmetic details of the interior and the length of the seat belts. Finally, he stepped out and walked around the car. "It's been detailed well.”
"All our vehicles go through great inspection and detailed cleaning before they hit the lot,” the salesman boasted.
"Previous owners?"
"It came to us from out of state. The owner traded it in on something sportier."
"So, you're claiming to not be aware that this car has been flooded?”
"Floods do happen and we're all forced to drive through water around here at times."
"Most folks have enough sense not to drive through flood waters.” Mac tugged the seat belt as far as it would stretch. “This is not driving through a puddle. This is clearly sitting in flooded surroundings for an extended length of time. Not to mention the rust beginning to eat into the undercarriage.” Mac released the safety device allowing it to pop back into place and crossed his arms over his chest.
Oz stepped forward. “You were willing to put this young lady into a questionable vehicle just make a buck?"
The man fidgeted and scrubbed the back of his neck. "Sir, I'm just the salesman."
"A reliable salesperson should know every fact about what he's selling,” Oz stated.
"You’re correct. And I do apologize."
"I don't want an apology. I want her in a safe ride,” Oz told him. "Show us something you didn't pick up from the Tennessee flood a few months ago.”
The salesman turned scanning the car lot.
"What about this one?” Oz walked to the other car Taylor had mentioned. The one he knew she preferred.
"That's a one owner car. A woman traded it in on a new model.”
Oz went to work examining the interior while Mac did a quick mechanical run through. This one was clean and appeared to be what it seemed. Even the abandoned paperwork in the glove compartment confirmed its history. Oz stepped from the car and with a nod from Mac turned toward the salesman. "We'll take this one down the road."
"Oh, of course, sir. She runs smooth.”
Oz opened the door for Taylor to slide behind the wheel before jogging to the passenger side where Mac held open the door. He pulled to a halt and glared at Mac.
“You think I’m going to squeeze myself into that backseat?”
Oz grinned. “That would be entertaining.” He bent forward and settled onto the bench seat with no problem. "Drive it a few blocks down and come back through the side roads. Make sure you're comfortable in it.”
As she did, he knew Mac had tuned into the engine noise and he quickly researched on his phone what he could find on the car in the short amount of time they were gone.
"What do you think?” he asked when they returned.
"I love it. But I don't think I can afford this one."
He gave her wink. "Trust me."
"Are you ready to make a deal?" the salesman asked as they stepped from the car.
"Possibly. Let's see the numbers."
Five minutes later they were gathered around a desk tucked into the corner of the small building. Chatter and discussion went back and forth for a few minutes. Oz shifted to the edge of his seat and slid the paper from in front of the salesman. "This is what I know you paid for the car.” He jotted a number down. "This is the normal commission.” He jotted another number. "Plus, five percent. That's our top dollar.” He shoved the paper back across the desk. "Do we sign papers or walk out?"
Oz watched the debate play out in the man's eyes. Also fear. That’s right. He should be concerned if we’ll publicize his less-than-honest tactics of purchasing vehicles.
Eventually the salesman stood and extended his arm. "We have a deal."