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talking
about?” She rushed to his side. She couldn’t recognize much in a car engine,
but she knew those clips shouldn’t be dangling. “How would that happen?”
    He reattached them.
“Not likely to unhook themselves. Likely someone was messing with it. Let’s try
starting the car now.”
    “Whatever you say.” She
stepped back. “Are you sure they couldn’t have come loose on their own? That
dirt road is very bumpy.”
    His expression bespoke
pity. He let her question go and asked one of his own. “Wynne said you arrived
yesterday afternoon?”
    Wynne? Jack Wynne, of
course.
    Could Jack have
unhooked her battery? Nonsense. Rachel pushed the thought away.
    “I drove down from
Baltimore yesterday. It was parked in this spot for several hours.” She shook
her head. “Who would do such a thing?”
    Mike started the engine
and it hummed sweetly.
    “What’s the cost?”
Rachel asked. She pressed her fingers to her temples. If she’d looked under the
hood herself maybe she could’ve....
    “Hello.”
    Startled, she looked
behind her. The young man smiled broadly. Both his jeans and his boots were
well-worn. He looked at home in them.
    He asked, “Are you just
passing through? Or here for a visit? You’re a friend of Jack’s?”
    “I’m Rachel Sevier. I
came here looking for my brother, the most recent caretaker. Do you know him?
Jeremy Sevier? A little over six foot and skinny with blond hair? About your
age?”
    He looked aside,
crossing his arms.
    “Nah, don’t think so.
Usually, I go in the opposite direction, toward town. I do odd jobs here from
time to time.” He looked at Mike. “You ever meet him?”
    Mike wiped his hands on
a towel, and then shoved it into his pocket. “No, don’t think so.”
    Rachel turned to Mike
and asked again, “How much do I owe you?”
    He shook his head. “I
drove out and I’ll have to drive back.”
    “I understand. How
much?”
    “Wynne promised me one
of May’s casseroles so I think we’re about even.”
    “May?” A calendar
popped into her head showing casseroles of the month.
    The younger man spoke.
“May Sellers. She cooks for him, lucky guy.”
    Mike added. “Worth a
drive out here any time.”
    “It sounds like an
excellent deal for me.”
    “Wynne’s a good friend.
Known him all our lives. Happy to help a friend of his.”
    “Thank you.” Now that
she had transportation, she was in a hurry to visit Jeremy’s employer and to
get away before her car suffered some other vandalism.
    She wondered briefly
about the person who had stood in the hallway as she begged for help. If it
truly wasn’t Jack Wynne, then could it have been a vandal? Perhaps the same
person who tampered with her car? Someone with a grudge against Wynnedower?
    “I’ll tell Jack the
car’s fixed,” she said and headed to the porch to fetch her suitcase.
    He was already there,
coming down the front steps with her suitcase in his grip “So, Mike’s got your car
all fixed? Good deal.”
    “Especially for me. May
Seller’s casserole?”
    He laughed. His face
lit up, and the heavy brows now seemed to fit his face, his dark eyes and
strong features. Rachel noticed his hair was smoother today and neatly
controlled by the band. He’d shaved. He looked almost civilized.
    She added, “The only
thing wrong was that the battery cables were unhooked. Any idea how that
happened?” She watched his face closely, but saw nothing more than mild
surprise.
    “Not a clue.” Jack
turned away He stowed the suitcase in the trunk and closed it with a firm slam.
    “Good luck, Rachel. If
I hear anything from your brother, I’ll contact you. Probably nothing to worry
about. He’s a young man, and there’s a lot more life in the city than in this
old place.” With a quick wave, he walked straight over to Mike and the younger
man. They all went into the house together.
    She was left holding
her farewell ‘thank you’ like a wilting bouquet that nobody wanted.
    Good riddance could
work