Chapter 5: Micah

I hang out at the counter while Jenny takes Robyn back to the employee break room to show her around and give her a T-shirt and an apron. I can’t believe this worked out. When Robyn walked away from the shop, I had just enough time to call Jenny and ask her to put up a help wanted sign. I told her I’d foot the bill. I just needed her to give Robyn a job.

I’m willing to eat the cost of her rebuilt transmission, but I know Robyn won’t accept a handout—hell, she had a fit over me buying her breakfast. This is the best alternative. She can earn the money she needs working for Jenny. The work won’t kill her, Jenny will take good care of her, and I’ll be able to keep an eye on Robyn. I know something’s going on with her. I just don’t know what.

Robyn’s too young to be out here in the world on her own, without protection. With no one looking out for her. I don’t know her story, but my gut tells me she’s hiding something. Or worse yet, she’s running from something. Or someone. I’m not about to let anyone hurt this girl.

A heavy hand clasps my shoulder, and a familiar voice says, “Hey, man. What’s up?”

My sister’s boyfriend, Jack Merchant, drops down onto the empty stool beside me. Merchant, as in The Merchant of Death. That was the nickname his teammates gave him when he worked for a private black ops team that did wet work for the US government. He’s retired now and working as a bartender in my sister’s tavern next door.

“Gee, Jack, what brings you in here? Let me guess.”

“Nothin’ much.” Jack grabs a discarded newspaper lying on the counter and pretends to skim the front page.

“What are you doing here?” The tavern doesn’t open for several hours, and he never comes in here without my sister. I’m guessing she sent him in here to do reconnaissance—which means Ruth has heard about Robyn.

Jack turns the page and continues to pretend he’s reading the paper. “Just thought I’d stop in for coffee. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at work?”

“Are you sure my sister didn’t send you here to snoop on me?”

Jack chuckles as he lays the paper down and turns another page. “Well,” he drawls. “She might have caught wind of your new lady friend .”

“She’s not my lady friend. She’s a customer. That’s all.”

“Right,” Jack says with a long drawl.

Robyn returns to the dining room wearing a short-sleeve pink T-shirt bearing the Jenny’s Diner logo in white letters. The form-fitting top is tucked into her jeans, which ride low on her hips. The jeans accentuate her generous curves, and the T-shirt is snug, molded to a pair of plump breasts. A white apron is tied around her waist, and her long hair is pulled back in a high ponytail.

She turns in a circle, arms outstretched. “How do I look?”

Perfect. “You look great.”

Jack clears his throat, never once taking his eyes off the newspaper.

Jenny comes up behind Robyn, her eyes lighting up when she sees who’s sitting beside me. “Jack! What brings you in here?” She looks around, undoubtedly expecting to see my sister. “Where’s Ruth?”

“Next door,” he says, still focused on the paper. “Doing inventory.”

“Can I get you anything?”

“Just coffee, please. I’ve already eaten.”

“Sure thing.” Jenny grabs a mug, the pot of coffee, and pours him a cup.

Robyn glances at Jack and frowns. With his dark hair and beard, swarthy complexion, and numerous tattoos, he’s an intimidating sight. But the man’s got a heart of gold. He risked his own life not long ago to protect my sister. I’ll always have a soft spot for him for that reason alone.

“Robyn, this is Jack Merchant,” I say. “He’s my sister’s undeserving half.”

Instantly, Robyn relaxes. “Nice to meet you.”

Jack chuckles as he turns the page. “Likewise.”

“He’s a scary son-of-a-bitch, but don’t worry. My sister keeps him on a short leash.”

“Funny.” Jack play-punches my shoulder. “I’m this guy’s future brother-in-law. We’re practically family.”

Robyn looks to me for confirmation, and I nod. “Afraid so. For some crazy reason, my sister wants to keep him.”

“We’re all set here, Micah,” Jenny says. “I’ll get Robyn up to speed on how we do things.” She smiles dismissively at me as if saying, You can go now.

Fine. I can take a hint. “See ya later, Jack.” And then I meet Robyn’s bright blue eyes and do my best to ignore the punch I feel. “I’ll pick you up when you get off work, okay? I don’t want you walking back to the auto shop.”

She makes a guilty face. “Are you sure? I hate to be a bother.”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“She gets off at three,” Jenny says as she comes around the counter and shoos me toward the door. “Now git back to work. We sure don’t need you hovering.”

I’m reluctant to leave Robyn, but when I glance back, I catch her laughing at something Jenny said to Jack. Probably something at my expense. I know Jenny will keep an eye on Robyn. I trust Jenny like I trust my own sister. Speaking of my sister… I need to call Ruth and ask her why she sicced her attack dog on me this morning. Word sure does travel fast around here. I imagine Jenny called and told her I asked Jenny to hire Robyn. That’s going to lead to a lot of questions.

I walk back to my truck. Just as I’m about to back out of my parking space, the sheriff’s SUV pulls in beside me. On the side of his vehicle is the familiar logo PROTECT AND SERVE.

Great. More grilling.

Chris steps out of the vehicle. He’s wearing his uniform, so clearly he’s on duty.

I roll down my window as he approaches.

“Micah! Just the person I wanted to see. I stopped in at the auto shop, and Margie told me you were probably here. What’s the news on Robyn’s car? Got it up and running yet?”

I guess word doesn’t travel quite fast enough. “Unfortunately, no. Her transmission’s toast.”

“Oh, man.” Chris shakes his head. “That’s too bad. So, what’s the plan? If I recall correctly, the girl’s short on funds.”

“The plan is, I’ll rebuild her transmission, and she’s going to work at Jenny’s to save up the money to cover the repair.”

Chris whistles. “That’s going to take a while.” He does the mental math. “If she works full time, with tips, it’ll take her at least a month.” He glances at the diner. “I thought Jenny was fully staffed.”

“She is. I called in a favor.”

Chris frowns at me. “What kind of favor? ”

“Relax, Sheriff. I asked her to hire Robyn, and I told her I’d cover the cost. It won’t cost Jenny a thing.”

Chris nods. “All right, then. You headin’ back now?”

“Yes. Apparently, I’m not needed here.”

As Chris walks into the diner, I head back to the shop. I need to get busy making calls to my suppliers to find a suitable transmission.

* * *

“Find one yet?” Margie asks when she returns to the office after her lunch break.

I’m sitting at my desk, on my PC searching the inventory of a national auto parts supply company. She walks up behind me and peers over my shoulder at my computer screen.

“Yes.” I lean back in my creaky office chair. “They’ll ship it out in two days. I should have it by the end of the week.”

“How much?”

“A little over fifteen hundred dollars.”

She whistles. “That’s a lot of money for a broke twenty-something.”

“It’s all right. I’ve got it covered. She’s going to earn the money working for Jenny.”

Margie frowns. “Not overnight, she won’t. Where’s she going to stay while she’s earning this money?”

“I offered her my cabin. She wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but she doesn’t have a lot of options.”

Margie’s brow furrows. “Then where are you going to stay? Surely not in the cabin with her.”

“Of course not! I’ll sleep here in my office.”

Now that I’ve found a transmission for Robyn’s car, I change into my coveralls and head into the shop to get to work. Pete’s got his head buried beneath the hood of a Toyota, replacing a timing belt. Tony is changing the tires on a Ford.

“What’s the word, boss?” Tony asks as he goes to grab a new tire. “Did you order the transmission?”

“Yeah. It’ll be here by the end of the week.”

“Where’s Robyn?” Pete asks, glancing around as if he expects her to magically appear.

“She’s waiting tables at Jenny’s.” Everyone is so damned curious about Robyn and what she’s up to.

“Hey, Micah,” Pete says. “Have you looked at Robyn’s tires? They’re threadbare.”

“No, I haven’t. I was so focused on the engine, I didn’t look at anything else.” I walk over to her Civic and take a look at the tread on her front right tire. It is indeed threadbare. I check the other three tires and find them all worn down. “Looks like I’m changing tires.”

She’s not going to be happy about it, but it needs to be done. She can’t drive around on those things.

I pull a set of top-quality, all-weather tires from my stock. When I raise her car on the lift and start loosening lug nuts to remove the old tires, I notice something attached to the underside of the frame. “Son of a bitch.”

“What?” Tony walks over to me and peers beneath Robyn’s car. “Oh, wow.”

Pete’s right behind him. “What is it?”

I pry a small, black magnetic box off the metal frame. It’s a GPS tracking device.

Pete takes the device from me and examines it. “Holy shit. I wonder who put that there.”

“Yeah, me, too,” I say. I pluck the device out of Pete’s grasp, drop it to the floor, and crush it under my boot heel. Now my suspicion that Robyn is in some kind of trouble takes on even more significance.

If she is running from someone, then they already know exactly where she is. In Bryce, Colorado. At my auto repair shop.

* * *

After I finish changing the tires on Robyn’s Civic, I head out back to tidy up the cabin. I change the sheets, clean the kitchen and the bathroom, sweep the floors, and take the rugs outside to beat them. I even dust. I want the place to be clean and comfortable for her.

If there’s a chance someone tracked her here, she definitely needs to stay in my cabin, with me. I’ll install a wireless security system, and I’ll be on site in case we have some uninvited guests.