Just The Way You Like It - Under Construction

Chapter Forty-Nine

Chapter Forty-Nine

Lying underneath of a car, Alice heard the phone in the shop begin to ring. Being the only one there, she slid herself out from underneath the car she was working on and went to answer it. Jimmy, the shop's tow truck driver alerted her of another car coming in. Some idiot had apparently swerved to miss hitting a deer on the road just outside of town and had managed to bang his car around pretty badly. Alice tried to wipe the grease off of her hands before replacing the phone and pulling the garage door up for Jimmy's arrival.

Minutes later Jimmy pulled up, hauling behind him a mess of a wreck. One look and Alice knew she was going to be working on it all night. She would probably have to call Hank too, and let him know that there would be plenty of work in the morning. Tourist season was just beginning, and already the shop was filled with work. She would never understand why people wouldn't check their cars before driving them across country. Most of their customers now where from out of town, driving here for vacation, only to find their vehicles were out of repair.

After Jimmy pulled the wreck inside the garage and hopped out before handing Alice the keys. Looking around, Alice was a bit surprised to see the owner of the vehicle was missing. “Don't tell me the driver went to the hospital.” Alice said, noticing that the air bag was still intact.

“No Miss, guy said he wanted to walk. Something about needing fresh air. Looked like a vacationer though, all tan and what not.” Jimmy was a good kid, strawberry blonde and rail thin for an eighteen year old. In the summer, Jimmy hauled cars for Hank to earn cash for college. His mother had taught him at a young age to always be polite to older people, and apparently that included Alice. She liked Jimmy, and they shared a wholesome respect for one another.

Hank had taken the day off to help Tess out around the house. Tess had taken Dr. Willub's death hard, and had not been in to work since they had found him lying at the bottom of a flight of stairs. Alice signed the paperwork that Jimmy handed her, releasing the newest arrival over to the shop. Hank had taught Alice well, and already she could do a lot of minor fixes to most cars. This one though was going to be a tough one. The front driver's side wheel was in the trunk, and after Alice pulled it out she began her assessment of the car.

Climbing into the front seat to see if the hood would pop open, Alice let out a gasp. The smell of oil and car fumes did little to hide the all-too familiar scent of one Dr. Blake Hansen. It was his car alright, same interior, same make, same model, same color. Balking, Alice climbed back out and stared at the car that was now looming in front of her. She tossed her paperwork to the ground and made a dash back to the telephone.

Hank answered, knowing it was the shop number by his caller I.D. “Hey Alice, what's up?”

“Hank, I need your help. I've got a Mercedes Benz here that I just can't fix.”

“Sorry, it's gonna have to wait 'til morning. Tess is sick now, I gotta take her to her doctor's office in an hour. What's wrong with it?”

“It's got a tire that needs realignment, a dented up front panel, and I think probably some engine damage.” Alice began nervously wrapping the telephone cord around her fingers as she listened to Hank.

“I taught you wheels last week, and you did just fine. Popping out dents is easy and you know it. As for the engine, I can take a look at it in the morning. Just do what you can and I'll fix the rest when I get the chance.”

“Please Hank, why don't I take Tess to the doctors and you can fix the car? I really can't do this right now.”

“Alice, what's really the matter? You're not telling me everything.” Hank always knew when Alice was upset, and began to sound worried over the phone.