Page 12 of Capture My Heart

Her brows dropped in doubt.

He huffed. “You can ask Sheila. They were busy, and I didn’t plan on staying long. I didn’t think I would get towed.”

That was his problem. He never thought. She’d had to look out for him from day one. “I start at ten tomorrow morning. Be here at nine-thirty and I will give you a ride.”

“Thanks, Amy. You’re the best.” He came around the counter and gathered her up in a big bear hug. He really was a good guy. He just needed to grow up a little. “Am?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you loan me some money? Just until I get my first paycheck.”

She shook her head in exasperation. Some things never change.

Chapter 3

Instead of dropping her brother off at the city impound lot the next morning, Amy parked her car and went with him to the office.

“I could have done this myself.” Tommy pouted as the door closed behind him.

Cool air rushed from the vents above and sent a chill down Amy’s arms. She relished the feel before she donned her polyester uniform and tactical vest. The dog days of summer were upon them. They made parts of her job miserable.

She took a number and waited behind a teenage boy and his father. She glanced at her brother and empathized with the dad.

With a sideways glance, she canvassed the office. The small building housed a counter with dividers separating the employees’ stations. The cream walls held advertisements for local towing companies and the fees for retrieving a vehicle from impound.

“Next.” The line moved fast for a midweek morning. They stepped up to the plexiglass window and flashed her number. Amy smiled at the woman behind the clear protector.

Tommy eased by her and approached the counter. “I’m here to pick up my car.”

The employee all but rolled her eyes and said, aren’t they all. Instead, she asked for his license and registration.

He slipped them through the small opening in the partition. The woman tapped rapidly on the keyboard then told him the fee. Amy stepped up and paid in cash. Within a few moments, she passed them a slip of paper and they were buzzed through to the side door to the lot.

Heat rolled off the asphalt as they moved through the back of the lot where his car was.

“You can go. I know you have to get to work.”

“I got time.” She ignored his scowl and kept walking.

Tommy gestured to the rows of vehicles. “Man, there’s a lot of vehicles in here. By the window tags, some have been here for a while. Wouldn’t you think they’d come pick up their cars?”

The lot held everything from new full-size SUVs, cars, and trucks to some that were worth less than her shoes. “If the owners don’t claim them soon, the older ones will go to auction.”

They were four cars from the Camry and Amy stopped. Next to her sat a few-years-old Honda Accord. The hairs on her neck danced. The dark gray two door matched the one on the West hit-and-run video.

“Mine’s over here.” He pointed to his car.

She didn’t look at her brother. Her full attention stayed on the car. Long strides propelled her as she canvassed the car. “Where are you? Come on, I know you’re here.”

“Who are you talking to?” Tommy shadowed her footsteps.

Amy ignored him. Too focused. She continued to mutter to herself. “I can feel it. You’re the one.”

She turned the corner and did a fist pump when she saw it. The dent in the front right bumper. “Ah ha. There you are. I knew it.”

“I always knew you were a little crazy, but this talking to yourself is starting to scare me.”

“I’m not crazy.” She finally tore her gaze from the car. “Tommy, you can go. I have a work matter to take care of. I’ll see you later.”