Small Things You Promised novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: Last Chance

I went back to the shop on Wednesday at six forty-five in the morning.

It was already ninety-one.

Missy parked the hatchback across two spaces and left the engine running.

"If he throws anything, I'm hitting him with the car," she said.

"He won't throw anything."

"I'm just saying. The car's ready."

The crews were loading up.

Nine trucks, the same as two weeks ago.

But the men saw me coming this time, and the yard went quiet before I opened my mouth.

The apprentice was by the third truck, coiling a hose.

He didn't look at me. His ears went pink.

Ty came out of the office with a coffee.

He looked tired. He hadn't shaved.

For a second, before he remembered to be anything, he just looked like a man who wasn't sleeping.

Then he smiled.

"Carlie. You lose something?"

"I came to give you a chance."

"A chance at what?"

I had one pink sheet in a plastic sleeve.

A photocopy. The originals were in Missy's mama's gun safe.

I held it up so he could see his own signature.

"Cool Seniors," I said. "Unit installed and working. East Lake. Your name."

The smile stayed on his mouth and left everywhere else.

"Where'd you get that?"

"There's thirty-one of them."

Some of the men looked at each other.

"Every one says a senior got an air conditioner," I said. "Now tell me where the units went."

"That's a lie."

"Then tell me where the unit for East Lake is. He's eighty-one. He's got a box fan."

Ty set his coffee down on the hood of a truck.

"Here's your chance," I said. "Call the charity's board. Today. Before the gala. Tell them what you signed and where those units went."

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