Fear - 59

Max looked up at the burly man standing on the other side of his desk and said, "May I help you?"

"Yeah. I'm looking for an old friend of mine. I was told he worked here. His name's Shawn Mathews."

Without a moment's hesitation, Max replied, "Sorry, but whoever told you that was mistaken. I don't have an employee by that name and never had."

"I hope you don't mind if I go out there"—the man sneered, nodding toward the garage—"and ask around. Maybe he's using a different name."

"I do mind. My men are busy and don't need you bothering them."

"Now ain't that too bad, because I'm going to anyway."

Max reached for the phone, stopping with his hand hovering over the receiver when the man pulled a gun. "He must be a pretty damned important 'friend'," Max growled.

"I might have misspoken when I called him that. He's more a friend of a friend." He backed toward the office door, beckoning with the gun for Max to join him. "You first," the man said when Max did. "One wrong word and I'll take you out and anyone who tries to stop me. That includes Mathews. We keep this civilized, he leaves with me, and everyone will be able to go home to their families."

As they entered the garage, two of the mechanics looked up from what they were doing.

"A new customer, Max?" John, the closest one asked. "I should be done with this in twenty minutes, give or take."

Max could see Shawn at the back of the garage, bent over a car's engine, most of the hood hiding him. Don't look up. Don't move, he prayed before answering John. "Yep, he's new in town and wants us to look at his vehicle. It's an older one, which is Shawn's specialty. Has he gotten back from lunch yet?"

John hesitated then shook his head. "He's should be back any minute now."

* * * *

Shawn heard his name and started to call out that he was there when what Max had said sank in. Since when are they my specialty? And if he wants me to work on the dude's car, why didn't he just bring him over. He knows I'm not out to lunch.

Very cautiously he lifted his head enough to peek past the raised hood. He could barely see Max or the man standing just behind him, but something about the man sent warning shivers up his back. Hunkering down behind the car, he inched forward just enough to take another look. Oh shit! He didn't know the man's name but he'd seen him before a few times back when he'd driven Jared to the construction site. Whatever the reason, he was here and apparently looking for him; it couldn't be good.

The back door was only a few feet away. If he could get to it without being seen…