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“She told me. She also said that my tires were bald. I just don’t understand how that’s possible and wanted to come see for myself. You still have them?”
“Sure do. Just took them off about an hour ago when I told Annie to call you. They’re in the stack to recycle.”
“Will you show me?”
He raised a brow, but motioned for her to follow him through the shop, dodging cars, car parts, and workers. At the back, he pushed through the exit leading into an area that looked like an organized junkyard. The stack of tires to her right drew her. “How am I supposed to find them in this?”
“You’re not. I am.” He started pulling tires off the top and setting them against the wooden fence. It took him five minutes before he gave a grunt and held a tire up for her to see. “This is one of ’em.” He set it on the ground and rolled it to her.
She caught it and pushed it over. It landed with a thwack in the wet mud. For the next several seconds, she studied it, then stood. “That’s not my tire.”
Sonny frowned at her, then scowled. “You think I don’t know what tires come off which cars?”
“Of course you do. And I know what tires I bought and had put on. I bought four at the same time. But that wasn’t one of them.”
He leaned in and came up with a second tire. “This is the other one.”
It was identical to the first. “Again, not one I purchased.” She bit her lip and ran her fingers over the almost nonexistent treads. No way would she have worn them down this much in six months. But theywerethe brand she’d bought.
Sonny scratched his bristly chin. “Then what were they doing on your car?”
“That’s a very good question. Were the other two like this as well?”
“No, they were practically brand new.”
“Exactly.” She shook her head. “Can you throw these in the back of my rental?”
“You’re gonnakeepthem?” His eyes narrowed. “You in trouble, Lainie?”
“I’m not sure how to explain what’s going on, but say prayers for me when you think of it.”
“Always do, Lainie girl.” He patted his shirt pocket and grunted. “Left my smokes in the office.”
“You need to stop that, you know.”
“Course I know. I know a lot of things. Doesn’t mean I always do what’s best for myself.”
“You should, Sonny,” she said, her voice soft, hoping he could hear the love in her words. “You deserve the very best.”
“Aw, girl, you know how to go straight for the heart, dontcha?”
She smiled, gave the man another hug, then climbed back in her car, eyes on her surroundings, nerves twitching. She didn’t see anything that alarmed her, so she aimed her vehicle toward the shelter. She’d promised to be there, so that’s what she would do. Better late than never. Then she’d ask James to help her figure out how her perfectly good tires could go bad so fast.
Ten minutes later, she pulled into the parking lot of the humane society and climbed out of her vehicle. She headed for the side door she always used, climbed the two steps to the postage-stamp porch, and pulled on the handle.
Locked.
“That’s weird,” she muttered. Candace usually had the door open by the time Lainie arrived.
A light breeze sent strands from her ponytail whipping around her head and across her eyes. With a hand, she brushed them away and scanned the area behind her.
Goose bumps prickled her skin in spite of the muggy heat, and a ball of anxiety curled in her belly. The facility was set in the middle of four acres surrounded by a chain-link fence that was divided into exercise sections.
She hurried to the back of the building, looking for Candace Freeman’s white truck parked next to the door. The empty spot kicked her heart rate up a notch and Lainie glanced at her phone. 1:57. Okay, so technically, Candace wasn’t due back from lunch until 2:00, but she was usually early.
Once again, she studied her surroundings, fully expecting to see the man, but she was the only human on the premises. Trees rose in the distance, blocking the sight of the main highway, but she could hear the cars zipping past.
Where was Candace?
