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the NADA convention.”
    â€œAll right. Get me another manager.”
    â€œI can’t. They’re all down at the NADA convention. In Palm Beach. Uncle Ray is up for dealer of the year.”
    I pushed the Lincoln’s keys across the desk at him. “Fine. I’m assuming that you’re capable of making decisions, since they left you in charge. You give me the refund. And the Electra.”
    Tyler shoved the keys back toward me. “Sorry. Can’t do it.”
    â€œThere must be somebody here who can help me,” I said, raising my voice. “The Lincoln only has fifteen miles on it. It still has the paper floor mats. My grandfather can’t afford that car. You’ve got to give me the money back.”
    The phone on the desk rang, and Tyler grabbed for it. “Mitchell Motors,” he said breathlessly. “Come in today and test-drive the new Lincoln Navigator and win a chance at a weekend for two in Montego Bay, Jamaica.”
    I snatched the phone out of his hand and slammed the receiver down. “Tyler! Pay attention here. I want my $43,000. And the Buick.”
    His neck flushed red. His eyes narrowed. “What’s the matter, Bee-Bee , are you worried that the old man’s blowing your inheritance?”
    Without thinking, I reached out and slapped the smirk off his face. I grabbed the keys and flounced out of the Mitchell Motors showroom. And I laid rubber as I peeled off onto Victory Drive.

6
    My hands shook with anger and frustration as I unlocked the front door of my town house. I picked up the mail that had been slid through the mail slot and sorted it aimlessly.
    The phone rang in the kitchen, and I sprinted toward it, hoping it would be one of my grandmother’s doctors.
    But the caller ID digital readout told me I was being called from a Budget Inn in Daytona Beach, Florida.
    â€œBeBe? Hey. It’s Rikki.” My missing-in-action waitress sounded as though she’d been gargling with gravel.
    â€œHi, Rikki,” I said coolly. “How are you?”
    I was answered by a series of racking coughs. “Not so good,” she rasped. “I’m coughing up a lot of green goo. And I’ve had a fever of 102 all day. My doctor says there’s something going around. He says I should stay in bed. Because I’m probably contagious.”
    â€œYou poor thing,” I cooed. “That’s terrible. Listen, you stay right there in bed. I’m going to bring over some of Daniel’s chicken soup and some cough drops.”
    Rikki coughed violently. “No! Don’t do that. I’ll be fine in a couple of days. Anyway, I don’t want you to catch this crud.”
    â€œThat’s so thoughtful of you,” I said. “And how about Kevin? How’s he feeling?”
    â€œKevin?” Her voice was cautious. “I, I don’t really know.”
    â€œReally?” I said. “Why don’t you lean over in the bed there in the Budget Inn in Daytona Beach and ask him how he feels?”
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œYou’re busted, Rikki,” I said. “So don’t give me any more of that calling-in-sick crap. In fact, I don’t want any more of your crap again, ever. But I do appreciate your calling. That way, I can fire both you and Kevin at the same time. And the beauty of it is, you’re paying for the long-distance phone call. ’Bye now.”
    I slammed the phone down, but it gave me little pleasure. Kevin and Rikki weren’t exactly employee-of-the-month material, but Rikki was a shapely blonde who was great at selling our customers on expensive wine, and Kevin, who was tall, dark, and shallow, was a big draw for our women customers who liked to fantasize about making it with a bartender.
    A wave of depression washed over me. Our busiest season was just around the corner and I was suddenly short two experienced, if unreliable, employees.
    I continued going through the mail, and slammed