Page 31 of Married to Murder
“Me too. But he hates bothering with things like getting his car detailed, so I knew if I dangled that in front of him he’d let me have the car for a day.”
“I had no idea you’re so devious.”
“Devious? I’m being a nice guy.”
I snorted. “Right.”
“Want to hop in and I’ll take us for a drive?”
I widened my eyes. “Um… sure.” I moved to the passenger door and noticed the front tire was flat. “Shit. You have a flat.”
He frowned. “I do?” he knelt down next to me, poking at the rubber. “How the hell did that happen?”
“Do you have a spare?”
He nodded and stood with a grunt. Since he was close to the front of the car, he moved around the hood. But then as he rounded the vehicle, he stopped short and his mouth fell open. “This tire is flat too and… the window is smashed in.”
“What?” I hurried around the vehicle to find the driver side window shattered, and the front tire flat as a pancake. “One flat tire is coincidence, but twoanda broken window?” I leaned in the car. “Plus, this baby is loaded with all the upgrades. But they didn’t touch a thing inside?”
He rubbed his jaw. “Why go to all that trouble and then just not steal shit?”
“Maybe they got interrupted.”
“I’ve never felt worried parking on the street here.”
“I wouldn’t have thought you’d need to.” I glanced around. “I can’t remember the last time a car was broken into on this street. And in broad daylight?”
He tugged his cell from his back pocket. “I can’t believe I’m almost thirty and I’m afraid my dad’s gonna kill me.”
“This wasn’t your fault.”
“I know. But it’s his baby. I think he loves this car more than me and mom.”
I laughed dryly, but he didn’t. “We should call the police and report this.”
“Yeah.” He swiped a few menus on his phone. Once he’d found the local police department’s number, he leaned on the hood looking demoralized. “My dad already doesn’t approve of me driving here so much.”
“You mean to see me?”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t have to.” I studied him.
He scowled. “I want to. I like hanging out with you. You know that.”
I shrugged. “Wouldn’t want to cause a family rift.”
“Ha! Way too late for that. Not counting talking about getting his car detailed, my dad has barely said two words to me in months. We just don’t mesh well. He’s always on his phone, and he’s been in a foul mood for at least a year.”
“That’s too bad.”
“Yeah. But it is what it is.” He turned away and started talking into the phone.
I glanced around the area, my hair prickling on the nape of my neck. Was the jerk who’d vandalized Tanner’s car still around right now? That thought sent a chill up my spine.
Tanner hung up and moved closer. “They said they’d send a patrol car to take a report.” He bit his lower lip, eyeing the broken window. “Thank God they didn’t spray paint the upholstery or anything like that.”
“I guess you got lucky.” I winced. “In a weird way.”
