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"I have a new employee A former eot into this business He showed up out of the blue, which he usually does, but today it was just when I was really needing someone like him His name is Al Michel--damn fine mechanic I told him I’d see if you have plans and if you’re busy--like with steak soup or soer’s for dinner Oh, and I gave hirinned at that "So You’re finally ready to co the last of my clothes Come here," he said "Coainst hed "I was relaxing I’ Al over for dinner"

"Are you sure?"

"You have to go get one ot two And you can’t let hiet rid of him early But you’ll like hiood to have around the garage He’s an uncouy--kind of sticks to hiood old Midwestern far, Laine realized immediately He looked to be in his fifties with a toned body and full head of brown hair threaded with gray He was very pleasant, had an easy smile, a sense of humor, made eye contact and yet didn’t have a lot to say He came froup, they called him Mick, short for Michel He’d beenood at it because his young wife invited hile since He had worked in many different areas--construction, mechanics, the occasional factory, drove a semitruck and did farm work as a fallback He lived cheap and traveled when he could He had one sister as busy saving the human race, one third-world country at a time She worked for a Christian charity and le, as he was, and there was no more family in Iowa, but he still went back there about once a year, just to check in with his hometown

Then he left to go back to the hotel, thanking her for the great soup Eric walked him to his truck, then caain," Eric said "And he asked if you were a cop"

That sent up red flags "Ohhh, he ht on to my questions I’m sorry, I tried not to do that, it’s just so autohed "And he’s not hiding anything"

"How do you know?"

"He was one of ene and my parole office had to approve every one Al is exactly what he appears to be--a good old farm boy who travels, takes jobs when he needs to, moves around"

"Women?"

"I’ve seen him with a woman or two," Eric said "That’s all I know That’s all I want to know Seriously"

"You really like hi out forfor ht that was very cool, that I was getting a second chance I didn’t know he’d been married once Men don’t ask those kind of questions, in case you haven’t figured that out I asked hi kick out of it since I was an ex-con kid and he’s fifteen or twenty years older and hasn’t been in any trouble That I know of"

"Isn’t it strange? The way he just a up jobs here and there?"

"No," Eric said "Not in a business like ood work Requires skill And if he was a probleht?"

"I hope you keep an eye on things," she advised

He pulled her against hi, everyone Even you"

"Huess"

"What’s good coet you into bed"

"Okay, I’ll help with the dishes"

"You’re on the insatiable side," he said

"That’s true, yet another thing I didn’t know abouthome to you is still the best part of my day even if you only barely took your last personal item out of your backup motel room"

Al Michel’s life wasn’t as unco it appear so He’d had troubles just like anyone else Like Eric, who had that old wild-youth thing to live with It didn’t take hiot to know some of the folks in town, it was as he expected--there were other folks who looked as though they were holding life together real well, when in fact they had their own issues That Cooper, very nice guy, found out he had a son by an old girlfriend just a year or so ago Gina and Mac, they’d gone through a lot before getting to a place where they could combine families and enjoy a peaceful existence--as peaceful as a house full of teenagers would allow The young town doctor--he’d lost his ith the birth of his second child And Devon? Pretty, young Devon--she’d gotten herself involved in some cult Of course as a rule folks didn’t tell a newcomer like Al their life stories--they told other people’s stories Whether it was at the pump, in the diner, out at the beach bar, it didn’t matter All he had to do was answer the question "Who have youto do with one of his new acquaintances