“Just Dropping By”
 

Raine pulled up in front of Colin’s Garage and sat in her car – watching Adam as he talked with a strange looking man. She didn’t like the look of the bloke - didn’t look to Raine like someone who would be living there in The Glen. She waited until the man was leaving before she got out of her car and headed into the garage bay where Adam was standing.

“Hi sweetie,” Raine called out to him, “I hope you’re not too busy to take a lunch break.”

Adam turned, a wide smile spread across his face, “Never too busy for you, luv. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

She saw a wad a bills in his hand, which he quickly shoved into his pocket. Her brow furrowed, wondering why he hadn’t handed it over to Arthur to put in the register. “Oh now, do I really need an excuse to stop by and see my darling husband?”

“No, not really, I guess,” he chuckled, then wiped his brow with the back of his grease-stained hand – smearing more grease across his forehead.

“Actually, Colin had an unexpected visitor stop in, so I thought I’d make myself scarce for a bit; give him and his girlfriend a bit of privacy,” she confessed, following him into the bay as he began straightening up his tools.

“Oh yeah? Good for Col,” Adam chuckled, closing the hood of the SUV parked in the bay. “Give me two ticks here luv to clean up a bit and we can head out. Why don’t you go say hello to Arthur and let him know we’ll be gone for a bit?”

“Um... okay,” Raine replied, biting her lip, “Would you like me to hand him that money the bloke paid you?”

“Money?” Adam asked, pretending as if he didn’t know what she was talking about. “Oh... oh right. You must be referring to that bloke that was just hear as you drove up. Yeah, he already paid for his car repair, luv. That was a tip he was giving me. Said I did a bang-up job and gave me a bit extra for my troubles.”

“Yeah?” Raine asked skeptically. “Adam... if you’re trying to skim... I mean, I know we need the money, but this is my brother’s business. You can’t possibly take advantage here!”

“Raine, luv, I’d never skim money from your brother,” he assured her. “Look, go ask Arthur yourself, he’ll tell you. The bloke paid, it’s completely on the up-and-up.”

“You promise?”

“I promise. Now, let me get out of this dirty coverall and give my hands a good scrub...”

“...and your face,” she giggled.

“Yes, and my face,” he chuckled, “and I’ll take you over to Andy’s for a bite to eat.”

“Two ticks,” she smiled, then turned and went into the office.

“Two ticks,” he repeated, letting out a sigh as he watched her as she walked away.

He headed to the store room, pulled off his coverall, stuffing the wad of cash into his wallet, then pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number.

“Dob?” he said quietly into the phone, “Yeah, yeah, he just left. He was impressed, said he’d be back for more at the end of the week and he’d spread the word. Good. See you then.”

Adam click off the phone and shoved it into his pants pocket, then went to find Raine.