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I’ve ot a lot of smirks when I strolled in here the first day And then I overhauled a Volkswagen W8 engine in record time and they all shut up pretty quick Some of theine problem I’ve been here for only six months

"You’re the one anted lance back so he can see the wide grin on my face I know Boone’s not jealous of me Well, maybe a little But he hasn’t been a dick to ht?"

I shake my head Any place that requires I borrow clothes from Boone isn’t over, especially when I have to be inhaling fuht am sharp tomorrow Miller docks pay by the hour for latecomers

"You sure,about you"

"Sure she was" Boone can be relentless And a liar "For what, exactly?" It’s fair to assuirl like Priscilla waking up on the doubleon

Turning back to work on the wheel alignuys chirp harh around the edges, but they know cars Just like me

I’m finished with the Enclave about half an hour later and lowering the hoist when a loud grumble approaches outside We had the bay doors open all summer, but noith the cool fall temperatures, Miller h one of the s and drawls, "She’s baaaack Wonder what the missus did this time"

Any half-ould know it’s colance out the small panelbut can’t le A whistle sails through the garage as Tabbs punches the button on the wall, and a door begins its noisy ascent along its tracks

My attention immediately zeros in on the rare silver BMW Z8 parked just outside There’s little doubt that it’s the same car But can it possibly be? A woman steps out of the driver’s seat and pops a zebra-striped uer from The Cellar The one with the peanut butter–colored hair

Her hair isn’t peanut butter–colored anyhts caught that night in passing In black dress pants and a fitted leather jacket, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, she still screa less trashy about her, so decidedly more sophisticated

Maybe it’s because she’s not attached to her ar daddy

Her husband The car thief

Who she technically cheated on, with me

Holy shit

"I hope that chubby’s for the car, because nothing good can come of it otherwise," Tabbs warns in a low voice as he passes by me and steps out into the rain to meet her, his polite mechanic mask fir, there’s nothing polite about Tabbs He’s five-foot-four, balding, and tests new combinations of every cuss word I’ve ever heard, plus some new ones

"Sounds like you have a probleuffaws and I know exactly why The top of Tabbs’s head comes up to her chin

Her eyes don’t veer froht shake in it "Ion ht over and solance at the six bays--all being used There’s a line of cars waiting to get in, too I don’t see how this is going to happen

"Zeke! Clear Bay Two for uess our boss’s business partner has a lot of pull around here

"Thank you" At least she remembered her lances at her watch "Will this take long?"

"Depends on what’s wrong Hopefully you just lost a claestures with one greasy hand toward the waiting room "ComeHave a cup of coffee It’s on me"

I roll e has one of those coffee and dance There are over thirty types of coffee to choose froanic stuff thatinto their veins intravenously, and it’s all free

A faint s the pave her free hand to open the passenger-side door and pull out ait over her shoulder, the corner of what looks like a textbook popping out

Though I should turn my focus back to the car, I can’t pry my eyes fro toward the custoe

It isn’t until sos, that I snap out of it "I thought you weren’t into her breed," Boone says

"I’ht Is that really her? It’s got to be her, but how are my mystery woman and Viktor’s trophy wife one and the saotta test this"

Shaking his head, he reaches up to slap the button on the wall

"Gotta ad under the car, staring up at the gaping crack in the muffler

Tabbs doesn’t look ih the ass-splittin’ e this?"