CHAPTER ONE
This had been a really long day. In fact, this had been a really long week. Month. Year…years. A lot of people Betsy Peyton had loved were no longer walking the earth, and she was having one of those missing-them periods in her life. Of course, it could have been worse. At least she still had plenty of family and friends to fill her off hours.
Peyton’s Automotives, her branded dealership, filled her days with single-car clients and company fleet contracts. The service center handled cars, trucks, SUVs, vans and the occasional emergency RV repair. Motorcycles she referred to the bike shop a couple blocks over.
Sighing, she set the burglar alarm for the night and stepped out the back door of the main dealership structure housing the offices and automotive display area. It was Friday night, and she was headed to Joanie’s Pizza, Pub and Pool, one of the places in town she could count on for friendship, laughter and good food.
Sliding into her SUV, parked in her spot next to the door, a couple of trucks parked behind the detached multiuse service center shop, at the far end of the lot, caught her eye as Papa Carrington walked into the service center. Her work ethic wouldn’t allow her to leave before her workers were able to go home, especially heading into a weekend. She might be the boss, but others always came first in her way of thinking.
She started the car and coasted down to the service center. Not recognizing the customer’s truck or SUV, she shifted into park, then headed inside. She heard indistinct voices from the other side of the closed door, but the moment she opened the back door the instantaneous silence was deafening.
“Hello. Anyone here?” Silly question seeing that she’d just seen at least one person enter less than two minutes ago.
“Betsy. Betsy, is that you?” Papa C stepped out from behind one of the floor posts. “Thought I saw you heading out of the office for the day when I turned into the lot.”
“You’re right, it’s that time. I saw some customer cars sitting down here. Just checking to see if I could help with anything.”
Off to the left, a grunt-groan caught her attention. Slowly, Earl Millerton, the service manager, pushed himself up from behind a car, holding his palm to his forehead. A trickle of blood oozed from the side of his mouth.
“Oh my gosh, Earl! What happened to you?” She stepped in his direction, but Papa C waved her off.
“Nothing to worry about, Betsy. He just got startled when I slammed one of the cabinet doors. First, he dropped a power tool. Then he tripped over it. I’m always telling him that you gotta be careful when you’re around equipment.” Papa C steered her toward the door. “Don’t you move, Millerton. As soon as I get Betsy on her way, I’ll find the first aid kit and get you all fixed up.”
She’d never understood why Papa C insisted on calling employees by their last names. Guess he thought it sounded more professional. More likely, he felt it gave him an edge of control over them. As for her, she wanted her workers to understand she considered them friends. They already knew their jobs, otherwise she’d have spoken to them. Worst case let them go. Either way she’d still call them by their first name.
Movement and a man’s mumbled voice caught her attention from the front of the building.
“Customer? I figured the service department was closed for the day.” She glanced to the corner where all she could see was the back of a mid-length bomber-style camouflage jacket and red cap on a tall muscular man. He appeared to be talking on his phone.
Papa C cleared his throat. “An emergency repair drove in at the last minute. Some guy heading out to hunt had an oil leak. That’s why Millerton called me. I told him I’d come over and help.”
“You sure? I don’t want you to get all tied up working late tonight.”
“We’ll be fine. Ain’t that right, Millerton?” He raised his voice as he called across the room.
The service manager glanced at the man near the front, then over to her. “Sure thing. You head on out, Betsy. We’ll be done and gone in no time flat.”
“Hey, can you get a move on back there? I’ve been waiting a long time for my repairs,” the man from the front hollered. “Got places I need to be. Things I need to check on. Or did you forget that part?”
Halfway out the door, she turned to confront the unappreciative customer, but one quick moment of eye-to-eye contact told her the man wasn’t one to squabble with. In fact, he sneered right into a threatening laugh as he shoved the red hat in his pocket then unzipped the jacket. She didn’t turn away, but a flash of cold raced up her spine as the clean-shaven man raised his sweatshirt’s hood and tugged it forward on both sides. He didn’t turn away either but did take a couple steps toward Earl.
“Be right there,” Papa C answered in return.
“You sure you and Earl will be okay with this guy?” she quietly asked.
He nodded, slowly pulling the door closed between her and him. “Don’t worry. We’re fine.”
“You seen him around before?” Something about the customer seemed vaguely familiar to Betsy.
“Met him a few times. He’s just got a chip on his shoulder. Now get on out of here and enjoy your evening.”
“Okay, I’m just concerned. Text me once the customer leaves.”
Papa C nodded and finished pulling the door closed. She heard the click of the security lock being set from inside.
As she got in the car, she realized just how lucky she was to have Papa C’s continued interest in the dealership. Of course, without him she’d have never owned Peyton’s in the first place. She used to refer to him as her father-in-law, or Phillip’s father. Nowadays she simply called him the previous owner out of respect for all he’d done, and still did, for her and the business.
Her own dad would probably have enjoyed helping around the dealership if he hadn’t been killed on the steps of the FBI building in Jefferson City. She’d only been ten, almost eleven years old. He’d been a special agent with the FBI, a man who loved the danger of following clues and solving cases. He also loved to tinker with cars. She must have inherited his penchant for automotives.
