Page 17 of Jack Rabbit (Dark Trails #1)

17

ADAIR

G igi is super-sweet and agrees to pick me up in the morning, but she’s got bad news.

“I’m sorry, Addy. Pete and Dylan are both tied up today; neither of them can make the drive out to the park to put a new battery in your car. I can drive you over there if you need to get stuff out of it, and maybe when you’re there, you can ask if you can leave it there for just one more day.”

I think it’s more likely the earth will fly into the sun, but I just thank her and stare out the window for the rest of the drive to work.

The rest of the day sucks. It’s my own fault; I’m preoccupied and I screw stuff up, which earns me dirty looks from customers and snark from Gigi. I apologize, reflexively and repeatedly. Even the e-reader app notification I get about a new release I’ve been looking forward to doesn’t cheer me up.

The nature center is already closed when we get there in the late afternoon, so Gigi drives me to the ranger station by the main gate. I’m relieved to see that it’s not Jack inside, but a younger guy with a light brown crew cut and a serious face.

When I explain about my car, he shakes his head. “I don’t understand why you didn’t get towed last night.” He frowns at me like I got away with something. “You’re not allowed to leave it here overnight. They’re pretty strict on that rule.”

“Please?” I hate the pleading tone that’s crept into my voice. “I tried to get a friend to come today and put a new battery in it, but he couldn’t get off work. I’ll come tomorrow and get it out of here. I promise. I can’t afford to get it towed. Do you think you could make an exception for me?”

He frowns. “Let me see if I can get my boss on the radio. The answer’s probably still no, but I’ll ask.”

I thank him profusely until a blast of static from his walkie-talkie shuts me up. “This is Patrick in Station One. You copy?”

I cringe when I hear Jack’s deep voice on the other end. “What?” he asks tersely.

“Oh, um, sorry to bother you. I, uh — there’s a guy here with a question.”

Listening to Patrick stammer is oddly reassuring. I’m glad to know it’s not just me. Jack’s overtly cold impatience seems to rattle everybody he interacts with. Which I’m sure is just how he likes it.

Jack interrupts Patrick’s explanation. “Is the visitor sure his vehicle is disabled?”

Visitor. Like he has no fucking clue who I am. Like I’m nobody. Like I don’t matter.

Oh. Right.

Patrick looks at me. “Are you sure it won’t start?” I nod. “Yeah, he’s sure,” he says into the radio.

The irritation in Jack’s sigh hums through the speaker. “Tell him to give it another try, because if he can’t drive it out of here, we’ll have to call a tow.”

Patrick’s face is apologetic when he puts down the walkie-talkie. “Sorry. He doesn’t exactly have a reputation for leniency, as you can probably tell,” he says.

Gigi can see the bad news on my face when I get back into her car. “Aw, I’m sorry, babe.” She pats my arm. I swallow the lump in my throat as she drives me to my car.

I’m grabbing some stuff from the backseat when she sticks her head out the window. “Hey, you think it’s worth trying to start it one more time? I mean — you never know.”

I let out a mirthless laugh. “Oh, what the hell. I could use a miracle.” I get behind the wheel and turn the key, expecting the same futile clicking.

The engine catches immediately and roars to life.

“Whoa!”

Gigi applauds. “That’s awesome! Yay for a miracle.”

“Yeah, wow, I guess so.” I shake my head. “Do batteries do that sometimes?”

She shrugs. “Beats me. But at least you can get home now. Give me a call tomorrow morning if it’s dead again, and I can definitely get either Dylan or Pete to stop by your house and see what’s up with it. I’m sorry they couldn’t today, but I’m glad it started for you!”

She gives me a wave as I thank her again. I sit there for a minute longer watching her taillights wind down the access road, listening to the purr of the engine as I bask in a rare sense of relief.

I ’m already half-asleep when it hits me: I left my car unlocked last night, because I remember Jack asking me about it. But I definitely unlocked it today. Weird.