Simon nodded grudgingly. “Getting there.”
Lucy beamed with pride, a victory won. She took off her cap and shook loose her hair, then touched his cast gingerly. “Hurt much?”
“No.”
She ran a hand up his arm toward his shoulder. “And this?”
“Careful,” he said, wincing.
She ran her fingers over his bruised cheek. “Bring me back a present?”
“I might have a snow globe for you.”
“You were in Paris. That’s where all the designers are.”
“Do you think I brought Harry Mason a present?”
“He wouldn’t look as nice in a silk camisole as I would.”
Simon considered this. “You have me there.”
“Besides, I could be more.”
“More than what?”
Lucy smiled, her head tilted toward him. “More than just your favorite mechanic.”
Simon took her hand and guided it to her side. “Who says you’re my favorite?” he said firmly. “Now, give me the heat gun. You missed a spot.”
Lucy crossed her arms furiously. “I did not!”
A commotion in the main shop interrupted them. He heard raised voices. Harry Mason shouted. A toolbox overturned, scattering its contents.
“Riske,” a man called. “Simon Riske!”
The voice was too loud, the words too clearly enunciated, to mistake the accent. Not again, thought Simon.
“Don’t!” said Lucy, grabbing his arm.
“Stay here.” Simon hurried back to the shop floor. There were five large men he didn’t know and one fat man he did.
“You asked me to look you up,” said Boris Blatt. “Here I am.”
One of Blatt’s men held Harry Mason in a headlock with a gun stuck into his side.
“And here I am,” said Simon. “Let Mr. Mason go.”
Blatt barked an order in Russian and the man released Mason.
“Everyone keep calm,” said Simon. “I know why Mr. Blatt is here. You guys can go back to work.”
Blatt carved a path through the sports cars, appraising each in turn. “Nice, but nothing special.”
“No 275s,” said Simon, referring to the automobile Blatt had purchased the Sunday before. “I told you not a dollar over twenty million.”
“What’s five million here or there?” Blatt shrugged, but his sour expression said he wasn’t happy to be reminded of his rash expenditure.
“I don’t suppose you’ve come to see about some work it might need?”
