Chapter 6

He dropped the rod, grabbed a water bottle out of the cab and started back down the road.

* * * *

When Ben stuck his head into the garage, Mal turned and straightened as he moved from beneath the raisedhood of the SUV he’d been changing filters on.

“Just got a call from Winslow again. Seems like the tie rod busted on his pickup. He’s got it on a flatbed trailer, and they’re bringing it down this afternoon. When you get that Dodge done, pull it out and hold the bay open for the Chevy, okay?”

“I’m almost done. Be about fifteen minutes more. I’ll get it right out of here.”

Winslow again. He wasn’t sure whether to be elated, disgusted, or worried. A busted tie-rod? That, too, seemed pretty strange for a truck less than a year old. He wondered what he’d find when he went to replace it. Better see if they had one in stock that would work or if Ben would need to call in a quick order to the parts supply house in Los Mercados.