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twenty-one
Back at the shop, Delaney opened the front bay and drove ’33 right into the shop. Later, when she wasn’t so frazzled, she wanted to get Dad’s bike up on a lift and go over it with a fine-toothed comb. Sean pulled up beside her and let Wyatt out, who raced inside and lapped at his water for about thirty seconds straight, then dove into his bed, curled up and closed his eyes.
“Thanks for hauling him back and forth today.” Delaney set her swag bag and ribbon on the counter, which included coupons and little gifts. At a quick peek, she noticed a package from Hell’s Bells in there, but couldn’t get excited about it. Her brain was still going a thousand miles a minute about what had happened at the motorcycle show.
“No problem.” Sean, whose face was tanned from the day spent in the sun, looked over at ’33. “I’m going to check out your storeroom again.”
“Knock yourself out,” Delaney offered. She followed him into the back and watched as he put his hand on the chain used to raise and lower the bay door. He imitated the motion, pulling on an invisible chain, then squatted down and examined the floor, touching the concrete lightly with his fingertips.
“What’re you thinking?”
Sean glanced up at her. “I don’t know yet.”
“This is no mystery, Sean. The Dudes did this. Plain and simple. They stole ’33, then put in new parts to sabotage me in the show. They knew I was planning on entering because I told them so at my grand opening. They also are very familiar with the show and the judging. They waited until the judge was looking over ’33 and then pointed out the new parts.”
Sean rose and rolled his shoulders back, like he was working off some stiffness. “But if they went to the trouble of stealing the bike, why not keep it? I don’t think sabotaging you in the show is the best plan for them. They were already sabotaging your business by talking shit about you to everyone around town. If they stole the bike, my bet is that they could’ve sold it or stripped it for parts. They have those kinds of connections. But to steal the bike, put in new parts, then give it back and hope you don’t notice... This doesn’t seem like them. They’re mean, and probably dangerous, but they’re not particularly clever.”
“But they pointed out the new parts,” Delaney insisted, even though Sean’s logic was sound. “We both saw them talking to the judge. This was a way to come at me from behind. Make me look foolish and be able to see my face when it all went down.”
“I agree that the Dudes saw the new parts and pointed them out to the judge. That’s as far as I’ll go.”
“They saw the new parts because they put them there,” Delaney insisted.
Sean shook his head. “No. It’s personal.”
“I know you like solving cases, Sean. But this is no great mystery.”
“No,” Sean said. “I mean, it’spersonal.” He nodded toward the front of the store, where ’33 sat.
Delaney felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. “What are you saying?”
Sean planted his hands on his hips and looked around. “I’m saying what’s been bothering me this whole time.”
“Which is what?” She watched Sean’s expression change as his mind ran through the puzzle. He looked almost like a little kid figuring out how something works for the first time. “Did your rear break rod need replacing?”
“Yes. I just hadn’t gotten around to it.”
“See? Whoever stole the bike didn’t want to chop it up and sell it for parts. That much we know. Whoever stole the bike took care of it. Theyfixedit. Then they gave it back. Why would they give it back?”
Delaney ruffled her hair, working out the wind and sweat from the day. “To mess with me. We already established that.”
“But if they wanted to mess with you...” Sean grabbed the chain and raised the door, for real this time, which creaked and groaned. When it was open about two feet, he stopped. “Is this about how much you left the door open that night?”
“Yeah,” Delaney said. “I left it propped open in case Wyatt came back to the shop while I was out looking for him. I didn’t want him stuck out in the storm.”
“You left it open just enough for the dog to fit through. Which meant you had to duck to get in and out.” Sean imitated, bending in half to go out, then back in.
Delaney rubbed her forehead with the back of her wrist, her mind scrambling to follow Sean’s train of thought. “Alright, Callahan, I’m a grunt mechanic, what’re you—”
“The person who stole your bike came upon an open door,” Sean cut in. “They knew you had gone out. They probably watched you leave.” He ducked outside the door, then ducked back in. “That’s how they got in. But in order to get the bike out—” Sean grasped the chain and raised the door all the way “—they had to do this.” He pointed at the wide-open door. “Is this how you found it? When you came back?”
Delaney thought back to that night. “No. It was just like I left it,” she said, her voice low as she pictured the scene. “I would’ve noticed right away if the bay was wide-open.” She closed her eyes and let the memory flesh out. “Yeah.” She opened her eyes again. “I had to duck to get back inside.”
“Which means,” Sean said, lowering the bay door all the way and tamping it down with his foot to lock it, “whoever stole the ’33 took the time to put the door back how they found it. Why?”
“Well... I...” Delaney sighed, feeling stupid. “Probably so that when I got back I wouldn’t notice right away that the bike was gone. Like I said, I would’ve noticed a wide-open bay right off.”
“Okay.” Sean shrugged. “So how long did it take you after getting inside and drying off Wyatt and settling him in his dog bed to notice the bike was gone?”
