| |
"I have another question," Sady said. "Are we done now?"
Before Morrow could answer, Amanda said, "Of course! The Pup and I can hold down the Chuck Wagon for the rest of the afternoon."
"I knew that one was coming," Matt said in a salty tone. "That Chuck Wagon doesn't need to be held down, least of all by me. And just to be sure I handed out ALL the dogs that were cooked."
Amanda narrowed her eyes. "There are more in the fridge, and when those are gone check the freezer."
"You're out of condiment packets," Matt continued. "They accidentally fell all over the ground and I know it's against health regulations to pick them out of the trash... I mean off the ground and use them."
"We still have the large containers on each end of the Wagon," Amanda challenged.
"Someone took off the lids, and I saw flies landing in the containers. I bet if you check you'll see dead flies in each one," Matt countered.
"The lids don't need to come off the squeeze bottles," Amanda said in triumph.
"Yeah, tell that to those kids who couldn't figure out how to use them properly. Hey, I bet they're related to Joey," he said insultingly. Sady elbowed him and Amanda thanked her.
"Uncle Sam," Amanda said. "Are you going to watch me beat the living hell out of him, or are you going to get him out of my sight for your own safety?"
"I think it's time to call it a day," a voice behind Amanda said. "We need to debrief and decompress."
"Well, Handsome Harry! Finally, someone with sense," Amanda said as she wrapped her arm around his. "Just for that you get to help me come close up the food wagon."
"That's what happens when you're nice to her," Matt shouted, laughing at the look Harry shot over his shoulder. "And don't let her put a hat on you! She uses it for mind control, abuse, and manipulation. Don't be surprised if you have the urge to lift your leg when you see a fire hydrant! Then they'll name a dog after you and call it 'WEE DOGGIE'."
After Amanda left, Morrow walked Sady and Matt to the truck. "I'm glad Amanda isn't around to hear this, but we're giving Arch the credit for this one. Just make sure to keep them apart."
"No need to worry about that one," Matt laughed. "I'll just encourage Amanda in her delusion of self-importance." Sady glared at him and he asked, "What? It will keep her happy."
"Until she finds out the truth," Sady warned.
"If that happens we'll blame it on... Arch," Matt replied with a grin at Morrow, who narrowed his eyes.
Morrow's face cleared, and he said, "Make sure you keep it that way, Meadows. And you'd better drive carefully with my niece in your truck."
Matt's brows rose. "Did you see Sady's Mustang on the news clip?" John nodded and Matt continued, "If she wasn't standing in the same room, I'd have wagered a good amount of money she was driving that thing. Right, Sady? Tell him you could have been behind the wheel that day."
She gave him an innocent look and asked, "What are you talking about? You act like I picked a fast car on purpose. I chose it because it was a pretty color." Morrow smiled and Matt pinched her arm, while Sady hid her grin.
Morrow turned to Sady and said, "I'm leaving for Washington later this afternoon. Arch will wrap up things here." He hugged her and told Matt to keep her safe. "Do a better job," he warned. "I don't want to hear my niece has been threatened by a thug again."
"Uncle John!" Sady yelled as her uncle was leaving. "When you see Daria tell her I used one of her moves and it worked. I took down a bad guy."
He smiled and replied, "And she actually managed to pull off a job without shooting anyone. I guess putting you together wasn't such a bad idea after all."
As he walked away Matt asked Sady, "How did I become responsible for your welfare?"
"I don't know," Sady replied. "But, if that's how things work then you are also responsible for Justin's theft."
"Oh, no. That guy did the state a favor. He should be getting an award for keeping the public safe."
"Well, until I'm reunited with Justin you're my free taxi service," she said. "How do you feel about my Mustang now?"
"I'm hoping it's been totaled or gone through a chop shop."
"Just for that, I want your extra set of keys in case I need to run errands," Sady sniffed.
He laughed. "Nice try, no dice."
"Then you'll have to drive me. I'm making an errands list as soon we reach Ann Arbor," she threatened.
"No, you're not. We are going to the Knight's, where we will give our statements. Then we're staying to eat... unless CJ has been in the kitchen. In that case, we're both sick and can't make it. Amanda's on her own, Morrow will be safely out of state, and Harry? Well, he married her for better or worse, which is her cooking."
"How about Arch?" Sady asked.
"If Amanda's around he won't show. He called her a man-eating shark and a few less flattering names."
"Maybe you boys should take some lesson from Joey on how to handle her," Sady suggested.
"Are you crazy? She was doing all the handling. I bet he has the bruises to prove it. I'm sure that handprint on his face is permanent. There isn't a male alive who wants to be in his shoes!"
On the drive to Ann Arbor Sady received a phone call about her Mustang. Matt glanced at her, surprised she was letting whoever was on the other end do most of the talking. When she disconnected, she looked at him with a glare.
"Whatever happened is NOT my fault, Sandy-Sue," he started. "What happened?"
"They found Justin," she replied. He waited, and she didn't say anything else until prodded. "I can pick him up at the police impound yard... as long as I bring a flatbed tow truck or a set of tires. It's not funny!"
"I'll take you there if you think you can handle seeing him in this condition," Matt offered.
Sady gave a dramatic sigh, causing Matt to smile. She sounded depressed when she said, "I suppose I'll have to face him sometime."
"Those acting lessons paid off," he joked.
The officer in charge wasn't successful in hiding his grin when she asked for her car. His grin turned to laughter when he heard Sady yelling from the fenced area. "Someone call the police! I want to report a rape." He looked into the yard and saw Matt doubled over while Sady circled her Mustang with her arms flailing.
"Who's idea of a joke is this?" she asked Matt. "Tires, my foot! Justin's been stripped. How am I supposed to drive a car that looks like this?"
Matt tapped her shoulder and pointed to an old state police cruiser that had obviously been in the lot a while. "Maybe you can get a deal on that one," he teased.
"And maybe I can share your truck," she snapped. "Justin doesn't need tires- he needs an undertaker. All his good parts are missing."
"Maybe you should call a surgeon," Matt continued poking. "Does he still have anything under the hood?"
"Are you offering to be a donor?" she asked acidly. Matt lifted the hood, and she moaned, "Just close him back up. There's nothing we can do."
"Would you like me to get you smelling salts?" he asked. "Or a glass of water?"
"I'm glad you're enjoying this moment, because you'll be needing them- not me," she threatened.
"I can call Morrow and ask him to spread the news of Justin's passing," he offered.
Sady glared. "Typical man. It's just like you to see the worst in this situation and write him off without a hope." She patted her Mustang on the hood, then turned to Matt. "You can drive me to the Knight's now, Mr. Wheels. Get used to it."
"That's not funny," he replied.
"Really? I thought we were having a fun time just now, joking about my poor car," she said.
"Well, I changed my mind."
"Too late. Besides, that's a woman's prerogative. Now drive, Matthew," she said. "And don't say what you're thinking or I'll call Alicia."
"You would too," he said with a shake of his head. "I can't afford another run in with her."
When they arrived at the Knight's, Harry met them at the door. "Where were you?" Harry asked. "You should have been here before us."
"We stopped by to pay our respects to Sady's Mustang," Matt replied. Harry looked relieved. One ride with Sady in her car would last him a lifetime.
"No Amanda?" Matt asked Arch when he saw him at the Knight's table.
"She's busy trying to re-organize Willie's Chuck Wagons to operate more efficiently," Tim replied. "But she did want me to pass this along." He handed Sady a note from Amanda, which she read aloud:
"Pops feels responsible for your Mustang, so he wants to pay for the repairs. He should have some free work coming with as much business as he sends to the mechanic and body shops. He's going to have us picked up two weeks from tomorrow, so we can be there to see your Mustang when it rolls out. Also, he has a surprise to show everyone."
"I hope we aren't conscious for the surprise," Matt said in a low voice to Harry. "Tell the driver to stock the bar in that limo, because we're sure to need it."
"Thanks for the warning and don't be offended if I don't join you. That woman scares me," Arch admitted.
"Amanda scares all men, except one. Can you believe she's got a live one on the hook and doesn't even realize it?" Matt asked.
"Is the man desperate or demented?" Arch asked, only half joking.
"Neither. I guess he's used to the abuse, having put up with it his whole life. It's her neighbor from Bloomfield Hills. If you ever get invited, take my advice and make up any lie to get out of it. There's a whole crew of Amanda doppelgangers running loose."
"Hey, you boys aren't being very nice," Sady interrupted with a yawn. "Willie let me drive his hot dog."
Matt was watching for Arch's reaction to that line. His jaw dropped, and he whispered, "I think you'd better explain that." Sady gave the men an angry look and stomped from the room.
***
Over the next two weeks Sady wasn't her normal cheerful self. She was short-tempered and forgetful. When CJ suggested Sady take a few days off she didn't argue. While she was gone the rest of the staff discussed her unusual behavior.
"It's probably just the stress," Harry told everyone. "And maybe the heat from working in the food trailer."
"That, and separation anxiety," Matt grinned. "She'll feel better once she gets Justin back. I just hope Willie doesn't turn it into a Pinto or something."
"I think you're right," CJ agreed. "She seemed overly distraught over the theft and vandalism of her car."
"I don't know," Amanda cautioned. "Maybe we should call her uncle and talk with him about it."
"You just want to see him and give him a hard time," Matt snorted.
"You can't blame a woman for trying. A girl can never have too many men on the hook," Amanda grinned.
"Is that what happened to all the men in the neighborhood where she grew up?" Matt asked Harry.
When Sady returned to work, she seemed to be better, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Her mood improved each day, the closer she got to seeing Justin up and running.