Page 51 of Finding Storm

“Where’s Dad?” I ask him.

“On the phone with a supplier. He’ll be out in a minute.”

“Beck, this is Nick Slater.” I thumb in Nick’s direction, who’s standing just to my right.

“Black smoke coming out of the exhaust?” Beck says to him, getting straight to the point, moving toward the back of the pickup where Nick’s car is.

I follow them too.

“Yeah, that’s right. She was fine. Then, she just started chugging, and black smoke started pouring out of the exhaust,” Nick tells Beck.

Beck’s got his head under the back end of the car, inspecting the exhaust.

“Any problems like this before?” Beck asks him.

“Nope. I’ve only had her six months.”

Why do men always refer to cars as her and she? I’ve grown up around cars all my life, and I still don’t get it.

Dad says it’s because cars carry life. And women carry life.

But not all women carry life. Some women don’t have children, so his point is moot in my opinion.

Beck runs his index finger around the inside of the exhaust. His finger comes out black. He puts it to his nose and sniffs his finger.

“Diesel,” Beck says.

“What?” is Nick’s reply.

“Diesel.” Beck wipes his finger on a rag he got out of his coverall pocket. “She’s a gas car, right?”

There’s a pause.

Then, Nick glances at his car and then back to Beck. “Yeah.” His word comes out slowly.

“You filled her up just before she started acting up, right?”

I can see the color start to drain from Nick’s face. Even I know where this is going. He put the wrong fuel in his car.

Uh-oh.

“Uh-huh.” Nick nods.

“Sorry to say this, man. But you put diesel in her. I can smell it.”

“What?” Another glance to his car. “No. I’ve filled her up a hundred times. I’ve never …” He drifts off, eyes going to his car again. “Fucking hell.” He sighs. “I’d been driving for a while. I was tired.” He drags his hands through his hair. “I can’t believe I did that.”

“Happens to the best of us, man. Don’t sweat it,” Beck says kindly.

“Is she fucked?” Nick asks.

“I can’t say without looking at her. But I’d be surprised if she was. You pulled over as soon as the smoke started kicking out, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I can’t promise anything. But worst-case scenario, she’ll need a new fuel system. That’s worst case. Just let me take a look at her, and I can tell you better.”

“How long will it take?”