Page 68 of Suits and Spark Plugs

“I’m not sure I trust your movie list,” Sadie replied.

“You’ll be eating those words faster than you ate that popcorn,” I retorted.

Sadie snorted, Mom laughed, and my mind took a little picture as I focused on the screen.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The text from Connor came two days later.I have chocolate for you at the shop.I texted back that I’d be off work at five and head straight over. When the time came, I happily walked out to my car and flung my purse into the back seat. For chocolate I was more than willing to pop by. I felt settled and light in a way I hadn’t for a while. I was still feeling a little buzz from the homey movie night with Mom and Sadie. It had been the most pleasant, normal, boring evening at home that we’d had in a long time. I hoped we could do it again soon.

When I pulled up to Mainstreet Mechanic I could see Connor and a large man talking in the lobby. I grabbed my purse from the backseat and started in, but as I got close enough to pull open the glass door the man turned his head slightly and I realized it was Levi. He was back, and he seemed to still be angry. I was unsure about going in. Levi had scared me enough the night I was cleaning, and I didn’t want to be in the same room with him. He was already large and loud when he wasn’t angry.

I saw something flash just as I made my decision to wait in the car. Levi was holding a shiny silver object and waving it at Connor. A gun. Oh my gosh, Levi was pointing a gun at Connor. I wasn’t sure what to do as my heart felt like it plummeted to my toes. I couldn’t believe it. Was he robbing Connor? Was he mad about a car repair? What was going on?

I reached into my purse to grab my phone and call the police, but it was nowhere to be found. It had probably fallen out on the floor of my car when I’d chucked my purse into the back. I was about to run to my car and get it, but Levi took a step closer to Connor and icy alarm skittered up my back. There wasn’t time to find my phone. I had to help Connor now. But how? I couldn’t simply barge in if a weapon was being brandished around. What if I startled him and the gun went off accidentally?

I looked around and noticed that one of the bay doors was open. Thanks to slightly warmer temps, Connor could work with the doors open more often. Whatever the reason, I was grateful. Connor had said I could find a weapon of some sort in the shop, and that was my intention. I figured if I entered the lobby waving a large—I don’t know—car part or something, I could distract Levi long enough for Connor to get away or make a move, or do whatever he needed to do. Now was not the time to freeze up.

“You are strong, you are brave, you can do this,” I said to myself as I ducked down low in the doorway and searched the area for something I could use. “You laugh in the face of fear. You mock damsels in distress,” I continued to whisper. “You will not run away. You will not hide.” I was going to be there for a new friend who had cleaned my house and cooked my family food, and who had chocolate waiting for me inside.

I stumbled a bit over numb feet as I realized that I’d let my guard down enough to actually care about Connor as more than just a citizen in my community getting held up by a big jerk. With that caring came trembling. Whatever happened here today mattered to me.

My mind felt hazy as the fear and adrenaline coursed through my body. I entered the shop crouching down to avoid being seen through the windows that provided a view of the lobby. My gaze shot erratically from side to side until I spotted a tire iron hanging on the back wall. I glanced through the windows and was grateful to see that although Connor had to have noticed my car pulling into the parking lot, the men were still engaged in a heated discussion and he didn’t seem to be looking for me. He probably wondered what I was up to. Would he be glad or angry when he found out? There was no time to debate the pros and cons. I’d have to deal with whatever happened.

I took the tire iron off its hook and tested its weight in my hands. It wasn’t overly heavy, but still brawny and serious enough looking to get Levi’s attention. With any luck the surprise of me entering the lobby with it would cause him to drop the gun to the floor. Then Connor could kick it out of the way and hold Levi down while I called the police. I’d watched enough episodes of cop shows to have an idea of how it would go down. I gripped the iron tightly and took a deep breath. It was time to save a life.

Still bent down, I worked my way to the lobby door. I peeked up through the window. Yep, Levi was still flashing something silver and aiming it at Connor. I could hear their voices, loud and heated, but I was too focused on timing to listen to the words. I’d count myself down from five. No, from ten. When I got to one I was going to burst through the door, wave the tire iron, and yell for Levi to drop the gun. Then I’d run to the office and call 911 while Connor took it from there.

I counted with frozen lips and ice-cold hands until I reached one. Just as I did, Levi lifted his arm and I saw his face contort. It was now or never. I shoved the door open, raised the tire iron above my head, and started to yell at Levi in the loudest voice I could.

“Drop it, Levi!” I screamed as I rushed toward him.

Levi surprised me with his speed. Rather than ducking or dropping anything, he spun around and grabbed for the tire iron in my raised hand. I was holding on tightly enough that it yanked me off my feet for a second and pulled my body toward his much larger one. He was yelling at me, Connor was yelling, and I heard something clatter to the ground as Levi used his other arm to push me away from him. The tire iron was ripped out of my hand, and the shove at my chest caused me to fall back down to the floor. My feet hit and I stumbled backward, slamming hard into a wall of muscle. That impact hurtled me forward and I would have fallen to my knees, but Connor grabbed me by the waist.

He lifted me right back off my feet and swung me to the side as he moved in front of me in one fluid motion, causing me to stumble yet again as I found myself facing his back. I caught my balance using a nearby wall and stood still. Connor’s shoulders were bunched and his breathing hard as he yelled at Levi, who yelled back, now waving my tire iron, until I could hardly distinguish who was yelling what.

I tried to step back into the fray and get them apart, but Connor stopped me with an outstretched arm as I came to stand next to him. “Stay out of this.” His voice was the voice of a stranger.

Levi stepped toward me and Connor tensed further. The arm that had prevented me from moving forward now became a steel band blocking Levi’s access to me.

“Your crazy cleaning lady just tried to kill me,” Levi bellowed.

“He has a gun,” I yelled back. “Call the police.”

Both men turned to me, my statement causing a pause in the action.

“What is she talking about?” Levi boomed.

Connor’s eyes were a mix of confusion and thunderous rage. “There’s no gun.”

I shook my head and pointed to Levi. “But...but he had a gun,” I argued. “I saw him wave it at you.”

“What did she say?” Levi wasn’t yelling anymore, but he was still irate. “Never mind, save it for the cops.” Levi threw the tire iron down and reached for his phone.

Connor dropped his arm, but stayed alert as he pierced me with hot, angry eyes. “What were you thinking?” he said in a furious tone I’d never heard from him before.

“I was saving your life,” I stated.

“Levi wasn’t trying to kill me. It wasn’t a gun in his hand.”

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