[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Katie d send her right back home. No, I ll take care of that, too, she said. It s no trouble.I have lots of time on my hands. Out of nowhere, resentment boiled up. It s my mess, Ray.Mine.For once, let me clean it upmyself. She turned and stalked back to the kitchen, knowing he was probably gaping after her.Grabbing hisplate, she scraped the uneaten food into the garbage disposal then turned the unit on so she wouldn thave to hear the door close behind him.Ray quickly realized that the day was too hot for the sweater he wore.It would have been fine had hebeen riding in his truck, but on foot, he d already broken a sweat despite the relative coolness of thelate August morning.Damned if he d go back to change, though.Once he got clear of the close-settown houses, the breeze picked up, cooling him.Too bad it couldn t cool the anger burning in his chest.He turned onto a main thoroughfare and started the long walk up the hill to the car dealer.Where the hell did Grace get off? All he d done was offer to rent her a car so she wouldn t bestuck at home, but she d rounded on him like a cat who d had its hair ruffled the wrong way.Well, if she wanted to take care of her damn mess, she was welcome to it.Thirty minutes later, Ray stood, hot and irritable, in front of the dealership manager. Mr.Melville,you got the message I left you on your voice mail? I sure did, Detective. Then you know I came close to becoming a hood ornament for a Freightliner because of yourservice department s negligence. The other man shifted. I m sorry about that, but before you say anything more, I d like you to takea look at the vehicle. Let me guess. His words dripped sarcasm. You re gonna show me something to suggest thiswasn t your fault at all. The manager colored but kept his composure. The customer is always right, of course, and if youfeel it was our negligence, we re quite prepared to replace the tire and the bent rim free of charge.But if you d just take a look, sir. He shrugged and started toward the garage bays. No, not in there, called Mr.Melville.Ray looked around, then lifted an eyebrow. Where, then? Way over at the far corner of the lot.I had it moved this morning. Why? Mr.Melville cleared his throat. Frankly, we re a little leery of it. Ray s mouth fell open. Come again? We think it may have been sabotaged. You shittin me? Please, Detective, let s just have a look. Three minutes later, Ray toed the shredded tire. Okay, what am I looking for? Not the tire.The door, over here on this side. Ray moved to the passenger side. What about it? See those scratches? It looks like someone used a car-breaking tool on it, the kind the tow-truckdriver uses after you ve locked your keys in. Slim Jim? Right.And it looks like it was used with some haste. Ray examined the scratches and grunted noncommittally. Maybe.Or maybe they ve been there formonths.Who d notice a few scratches like that? Would you notice if your glove compartment was broken? Definitely.I always keep it locked. Not anymore.It s busted. Ray peered through the window.Sure enough, the door of the glove compartment hung open. Okay, so someone broke into my vehicle.I don t see how that advances your case for sabotage.Infact, it probably happened last night, right here on your lot.I d have noticed last night if the glovecompartment were broken. Maybe, maybe not.Someone went to the trouble of sticking it shut with electrical tape. Before Ray could express his skepticism, the manager took his arm and urged him back a step ortwo from the vehicle. See the nut covers on those rims? He pointed to the rear wheel. Yeah. You have to use a special adapter to remove those covers. I wouldn t know.I ve never had to change a tire on this vehicle. Guess it s supposed to deter opportunists from stripping the wheels right out from under you.It sa small little do-hickey, about so big around and so long. The older man used his fingers toapproximate the size. We generally put them in the glove compartment so they don t get lost. In the glove compartment.The broken glove compartment. Let me guess mine s gone. Gone, he confirmed. Maybe your man forgot to put it back, like he forgot to put all the lug nuts on. The older man snorted. Yeah, and maybe we broke into your car and busted your glovecompartment to shift the blame away from ourselves.But we didn t, Detective.I ve already told you,we re prepared to pay for the tire and the bent rim, even the tow charges.What do we stand to gain bylying about this? How about so I don t sue your ass? You won t sue. Melville s response was immediate. Even if you could prove negligence, you dalso have to prove damages.This incident might have given you some grey hairs, but the courts don ttake judicial notice of that. Ray arched an eyebrow. What, you studying law in your spare time? Melville returned his stare.Ray rubbed his neck.The man had a point.Maybe there had been tampering. Come on over here, Detective. Ray followed the other man around the car [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Katie d send her right back home. No, I ll take care of that, too, she said. It s no trouble.I have lots of time on my hands. Out of nowhere, resentment boiled up. It s my mess, Ray.Mine.For once, let me clean it upmyself. She turned and stalked back to the kitchen, knowing he was probably gaping after her.Grabbing hisplate, she scraped the uneaten food into the garbage disposal then turned the unit on so she wouldn thave to hear the door close behind him.Ray quickly realized that the day was too hot for the sweater he wore.It would have been fine had hebeen riding in his truck, but on foot, he d already broken a sweat despite the relative coolness of thelate August morning.Damned if he d go back to change, though.Once he got clear of the close-settown houses, the breeze picked up, cooling him.Too bad it couldn t cool the anger burning in his chest.He turned onto a main thoroughfare and started the long walk up the hill to the car dealer.Where the hell did Grace get off? All he d done was offer to rent her a car so she wouldn t bestuck at home, but she d rounded on him like a cat who d had its hair ruffled the wrong way.Well, if she wanted to take care of her damn mess, she was welcome to it.Thirty minutes later, Ray stood, hot and irritable, in front of the dealership manager. Mr.Melville,you got the message I left you on your voice mail? I sure did, Detective. Then you know I came close to becoming a hood ornament for a Freightliner because of yourservice department s negligence. The other man shifted. I m sorry about that, but before you say anything more, I d like you to takea look at the vehicle. Let me guess. His words dripped sarcasm. You re gonna show me something to suggest thiswasn t your fault at all. The manager colored but kept his composure. The customer is always right, of course, and if youfeel it was our negligence, we re quite prepared to replace the tire and the bent rim free of charge.But if you d just take a look, sir. He shrugged and started toward the garage bays. No, not in there, called Mr.Melville.Ray looked around, then lifted an eyebrow. Where, then? Way over at the far corner of the lot.I had it moved this morning. Why? Mr.Melville cleared his throat. Frankly, we re a little leery of it. Ray s mouth fell open. Come again? We think it may have been sabotaged. You shittin me? Please, Detective, let s just have a look. Three minutes later, Ray toed the shredded tire. Okay, what am I looking for? Not the tire.The door, over here on this side. Ray moved to the passenger side. What about it? See those scratches? It looks like someone used a car-breaking tool on it, the kind the tow-truckdriver uses after you ve locked your keys in. Slim Jim? Right.And it looks like it was used with some haste. Ray examined the scratches and grunted noncommittally. Maybe.Or maybe they ve been there formonths.Who d notice a few scratches like that? Would you notice if your glove compartment was broken? Definitely.I always keep it locked. Not anymore.It s busted. Ray peered through the window.Sure enough, the door of the glove compartment hung open. Okay, so someone broke into my vehicle.I don t see how that advances your case for sabotage.Infact, it probably happened last night, right here on your lot.I d have noticed last night if the glovecompartment were broken. Maybe, maybe not.Someone went to the trouble of sticking it shut with electrical tape. Before Ray could express his skepticism, the manager took his arm and urged him back a step ortwo from the vehicle. See the nut covers on those rims? He pointed to the rear wheel. Yeah. You have to use a special adapter to remove those covers. I wouldn t know.I ve never had to change a tire on this vehicle. Guess it s supposed to deter opportunists from stripping the wheels right out from under you.It sa small little do-hickey, about so big around and so long. The older man used his fingers toapproximate the size. We generally put them in the glove compartment so they don t get lost. In the glove compartment.The broken glove compartment. Let me guess mine s gone. Gone, he confirmed. Maybe your man forgot to put it back, like he forgot to put all the lug nuts on. The older man snorted. Yeah, and maybe we broke into your car and busted your glovecompartment to shift the blame away from ourselves.But we didn t, Detective.I ve already told you,we re prepared to pay for the tire and the bent rim, even the tow charges.What do we stand to gain bylying about this? How about so I don t sue your ass? You won t sue. Melville s response was immediate. Even if you could prove negligence, you dalso have to prove damages.This incident might have given you some grey hairs, but the courts don ttake judicial notice of that. Ray arched an eyebrow. What, you studying law in your spare time? Melville returned his stare.Ray rubbed his neck.The man had a point.Maybe there had been tampering. Come on over here, Detective. Ray followed the other man around the car [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]