"No, fortunately not, or that car would still be burning," Susie said. "The fire department was able to control the fire before it pierced the protective casing surrounding the battery."
"I don't understand," Mace said. His eyes shifted between Susie and Detective Brown.
"Someone doused your car in gasoline," Susie said.
I felt faint. I was going to be arrested. Where was that drink? "I uh—"
"Don't worry, Josie," Mace said. "I'll find whoever did this. They'll pay for trying to hurt you." His face had this blank look that scared me.
"Actually I um… I'm the one who put the gas on the car," I said.
"What, why?" Susie asked.
"I didn't know it was electric!" I started sobbing. "I thought I was helping, but I'm an idiot."
I could tell Susie and the detective were trying not to laugh.
"It's not funny!" I gasped.
"Actually it kind of is," Susie said. "Those electric cars don't even have gas caps. How did you pry a piece of the car off?"
"I'm made from sturdy stock," I said, wiping at my eyes with a napkin. "And I eat a lot. Mass moves mass."
"Still. Maybe you should take up boxing or MMA fighting if your grip is that strong," the female police officer chuckled. I didn't dare look at Mace.
"I guess we'll close the case," Detective Brown said. "Love it when my job is easy."
"Don't I need to sign a statement or something?" I asked meekly.
"Let's not get carried away," Susie said. "No one likes extra paperwork."
"Grab a drink on me," Mace said, shaking their hands and signaling to the bartender.
"Aren't there rules about police officers accepting gifts?" I asked when he sat back down across from me. I expected to see that terrifying blank look turned in my direction, but his eyes were warm with humor.
"This is a small town," Mace said with a shrug. "People don't get too worked up over that stuff."
He took a sip of his whiskey then laughed. "Only you would set my car on fire."
"Don't remind me." I drained my glass and used the little plastic straw to scoop out the crumbs of the SweetTart candies.
"Need another?" Mace asked.
"I need, like, three more of these," I said as the server set down our appetizers. "Yum! Cheese," I said, swiping a pretzel bite through the cheesy sauce. "And French fries. This is the best date ever! This is basically my dream come true—go to a restaurant and order every appetizer."
Anke wasn't a big eater; she was a big drinker. But I was with Mace now. I wasn't going to let Anke spoil my evening.
She'll come through with the rest of the money, I promised myself.I just have to believe.
The server brought me another drink that had a whole stick of Airhead candy in it to use as a stirrer.
"This is so clever," I cooed. "And everything here is so cheap. New York is so much more expensive."
"Another bonus of a small town," Mace said, reaching over and taking a goat cheese fritter.
"It's not that small," I said. "There're a lot of buildings, and Main Street seems busy."
"A large number of families live here," Mace explained, "because of my company. Though that is slowly driving up prices." He looked annoyed for a minute, then his features smoothed out.
