Blackout by Caroline Crane Page A

engine?
Firmly in place?”
    “Well, not exactly new.” It was Mr. Patton
again. “I explained about that.”
    “It’s okay,” I said. “As long as it lasts
forever.”
    “Ninety-day guarantee.” He seemed proud of
that.
    Who was I to argue? I called Rhoda, hoping
she’d be home before they closed.
    “I’m sorry, honey. I have a late appointment
this afternoon. You don’t need it tonight, do you? I can drop you
off there tomorrow morning.”
    I didn’t need it that night, but I wanted it
all safe at home. Once again, I couldn’t argue. Rhoda’s
appointments were her livelihood. And someone else’s sanity. How
could there be so many neurotic people in the world? Why weren’t
they all nice and normal, like—ahem—me?
    I tried calling Cree, just in case she felt
like borrowing her grandmother’s car and driving several miles to
pick me up.
    She wasn’t even home. Nor was the car,
because Cree had it. Her grandma didn’t know where she’d gone. I
thought Grandma kept close track of the car, if not her
granddaughter. Apparently, she had learned to relax a little.
    I called the garage, told them I couldn’t get
there until morning, so please would they put it in a safe place
and keep the keys in their office.
    It was Wally I spoke with that time. “Will
do, pussycat.”
    It made him laugh, me treating the ratty old
Chevy as if it were a Rolls Royce. Hey, I was paying through the
nose for that new engine. A girl had to protect her investment.
    I fiddled with my computer, not really seeing
it, till Daddy came home. I explained about Rhoda being late and
together we heated some beans.
    By morning, I still hadn’t heard from Rick.
How could the hostage guy hold out so long? Didn’t he have to eat
and sleep and go to the bathroom?
    Or was Rosie keeping Rick occupied? Maybe I
didn’t want to know.
    I had to brace myself once again for being
boyfriendless. But this was different from when I dumped Evan. I
really cared for Rick. Okay, I loved him. I even had dreams of a
whole future together.
    Probably that was stupid. As Rhoda constantly
pointed out, I was only seventeen. So what? I’d found out from a
distant relative that Rhoda herself was seventeen when she got
engaged to Daddy. I never told her I knew, but believe me, I filed
it away. Now wasn’t the time to confront her, not until I knew
where I stood with Rick. He might have woken up and realized I was
just a high school kid, while Rosie was—good grief, she was
married, divorced, and a mother. That’s old.
    Someday maybe I would be a mother. But not
divorced. Not if I married Rick.
    The garage opened at eight. Rhoda had a nine
o’clock appointment, so she wanted to drop me off in time to reach
her office by then. Her office was in Ossining, not too far from
us, but not right next door either.
    I was ready by seven-thirty. That was
actually no worse than a school morning. As soon as we got to
Barger Brothers, I looked around in back and saw my car there.
Outside.
    I had specifically asked for a safe
place. They must have thought their parking lot was safe. They
didn’t know Evan. Or his cronies.
    Come to think of it, the time he cut the
brake line, it had been parked outside at home. Right next to my
house. No place was safe from Evan.
    Rhoda stayed with me until I finished paying.
It took all of my credit card and a good bit of hers. It also took
what seemed like forever. She got fidgety but finally was able to
leave in plenty of time for her appointment.
    “Your car’s right out in back,” Wally told
me.
    “Yes, I saw it there. I asked for a safe
place. Aren’t there any safe places inside?”
    That called for a laugh. “Inside? That’s a
work area. It’s all finished. Doesn’t need more work.”
    “I’ve been having some trouble with somebody
who hates me,” I explained. “Remember when it got towed in with the
brake line cut?”
    He didn’t remember. I knew they had a few
other customers besides me.
    His face crinkled with