sorry Desmond. The engine is completely locked up with sand. I, I just don’t know if I will be able to get it clean.”
“Of course, you can,” he said lightly. “Right?”
“Desmond,” I started. I knew I would have to tell him but I didn’t want too. “There is a chance that I won’t be able to fix this. The engine may be completely ruined. If that’s the case, then even with a month and unlimited funds, I still wouldn’t be able to make it run like it did before. Theresa would be done for.”
He shook his head, “No. You will find a way.”
I smiled at his faith, but I had to face reality. “Desmond, the chances … they aren’t good. I have no idea how much is packed in there.”
He wasn’t fazed though as he continued to shake his head in denial. “Curtis is towing her back to the shop. Tomorrow, we will look at it with fresh eyes and see what we can do okay?”
“Tomorrow may not give us enough time to fix any problems,” I said to him.
“They delayed the race for three days. Apparently, this storm is a lot worse than anyone knew. It will give me time to hunt down Luke, and beat him to within an inch of his life too,” said Desmond.
“No, you will be giving him what he wants.” I said to him before adding on, “Wait until after the race. Then even I will help you.”
He laughed, but I could tell that underneath his cool exterior he was stressing out. He knew as well as I did that the damage was bad. Theresa would need a miracle if she were going to run in the race. The extra time bought us a little help, but we would need a lot more if things were as bad as I thought.
15
Desmond
I hadn’t been up that early in at least five years. Not since long before I started my racing career. No one wanted to watch a race take place at nine in the morning, so for me, there was never any reason to be out of bed before ten.
Today was different, though. I knew that Amber would be in the shop and starting to take apart Theresa early in the morning. I didn’t blame her. Even with the three days’ grace that we had gotten because of the storm, she still seemed pretty worried about the car.
When I arrived and opened the door at six in the morning, I wasn’t surprised to see Amber already working on the car. She turned to look at me as I walked in. “Hey, I didn’t think you knew what six am looked like,” she said playfully.
I smiled, “I have been known to very rarely get out of bed.”
Even with the friendly banter going back and forth between us, I could tell that she was worried. I had never before seen her so concerned about anything, especially not about Theresa. I looked over her shoulder to see what she was doing, but I didn’t know enough to be of much help.
Sure, I knew the basics, but from where I was standing everything just looked like it was covered in sand. There was no way that I could tell if she was fixable. All I could do was stand and watch as she worked.
After a little while, I found my patience starting to wear thin. I hadn’t gotten up so early so that I could sit in a shop and not talk about what was going on with the car.
Clearing my throat, I started, “So, what have you found?”
She rolled her eyes, “Nothing yet. I am still just taking things apart.”
“How long do you think it’s going to take?” I asked her.
“I have no idea Desmond; it could take hours,” she replied, already with a short temper.
“I was just wondering. What do you think happened out there?” I asked Amber.
She sighed, “Isn’t it obvious? Luke removed the filter.”
I made a noise, and she looked over at me and asked, “What?”
“Well, don’t you think that is something that you should have checked?” I asked her.
Now she glared at me. I had no idea why. It seemed like a pretty straight forward question. Mechanics were supposed to keep an eye on their cars, especially with someone as shady as Luke walking around the place.
She laughed, “Right, and when was I
“Of course, you can,” he said lightly. “Right?”
“Desmond,” I started. I knew I would have to tell him but I didn’t want too. “There is a chance that I won’t be able to fix this. The engine may be completely ruined. If that’s the case, then even with a month and unlimited funds, I still wouldn’t be able to make it run like it did before. Theresa would be done for.”
He shook his head, “No. You will find a way.”
I smiled at his faith, but I had to face reality. “Desmond, the chances … they aren’t good. I have no idea how much is packed in there.”
He wasn’t fazed though as he continued to shake his head in denial. “Curtis is towing her back to the shop. Tomorrow, we will look at it with fresh eyes and see what we can do okay?”
“Tomorrow may not give us enough time to fix any problems,” I said to him.
“They delayed the race for three days. Apparently, this storm is a lot worse than anyone knew. It will give me time to hunt down Luke, and beat him to within an inch of his life too,” said Desmond.
“No, you will be giving him what he wants.” I said to him before adding on, “Wait until after the race. Then even I will help you.”
He laughed, but I could tell that underneath his cool exterior he was stressing out. He knew as well as I did that the damage was bad. Theresa would need a miracle if she were going to run in the race. The extra time bought us a little help, but we would need a lot more if things were as bad as I thought.
15
Desmond
I hadn’t been up that early in at least five years. Not since long before I started my racing career. No one wanted to watch a race take place at nine in the morning, so for me, there was never any reason to be out of bed before ten.
Today was different, though. I knew that Amber would be in the shop and starting to take apart Theresa early in the morning. I didn’t blame her. Even with the three days’ grace that we had gotten because of the storm, she still seemed pretty worried about the car.
When I arrived and opened the door at six in the morning, I wasn’t surprised to see Amber already working on the car. She turned to look at me as I walked in. “Hey, I didn’t think you knew what six am looked like,” she said playfully.
I smiled, “I have been known to very rarely get out of bed.”
Even with the friendly banter going back and forth between us, I could tell that she was worried. I had never before seen her so concerned about anything, especially not about Theresa. I looked over her shoulder to see what she was doing, but I didn’t know enough to be of much help.
Sure, I knew the basics, but from where I was standing everything just looked like it was covered in sand. There was no way that I could tell if she was fixable. All I could do was stand and watch as she worked.
After a little while, I found my patience starting to wear thin. I hadn’t gotten up so early so that I could sit in a shop and not talk about what was going on with the car.
Clearing my throat, I started, “So, what have you found?”
She rolled her eyes, “Nothing yet. I am still just taking things apart.”
“How long do you think it’s going to take?” I asked her.
“I have no idea Desmond; it could take hours,” she replied, already with a short temper.
“I was just wondering. What do you think happened out there?” I asked Amber.
She sighed, “Isn’t it obvious? Luke removed the filter.”
I made a noise, and she looked over at me and asked, “What?”
“Well, don’t you think that is something that you should have checked?” I asked her.
Now she glared at me. I had no idea why. It seemed like a pretty straight forward question. Mechanics were supposed to keep an eye on their cars, especially with someone as shady as Luke walking around the place.
She laughed, “Right, and when was I
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