Classic Calls the Shots by Amy Myers Read Free Book Online

shorter than me, but somehow . . . oh well, he’s Rob, that’s all, and Zoe – though not infatuated with him – accepts his presence in her life without quibble.
    So far, I thought. One day this otherwise sensible sparky girl will see the light.
    â€˜Zoe says you’ve a spot of trouble with an old banger,’ Rob said carelessly.
    I froze. Old banger? ‘It’s an Auburn 851,
1935.
’
    â€˜That’s good, is it?’
    Even Zoe looked horrified and Len appeared to express his indignation in person, wiping his hands on the oily cloth he’s treasured from the 1960s by the look of it.
    â€˜A beauty. Only ninety-odd produced. The queen of the speedsters, either supercharged or non-supercharged. Company lost money on every one of them,’ Len added admiringly.
    Naturally he approves of this approach. I sometimes think he does his best to see he follows it through with the beauty of his repairs versus the bill it finally produces.
    â€˜How can I help?’ Rob said unenthusiastically.
    â€˜I’ve reason to think –’ it sometimes pays to be pompous with Rob because he understands pomposity – ‘it could be still in the neighbourhood. It’s too conspicuous to escape notice for one thing, and for another I’m betting on the fact that the thief is staying locally and wouldn’t have the time to take it far.’
    â€˜No Far Eastern potentates then?’
    â€˜Unlikely. It’s a known car. It wasn’t featured in
Running Tides
itself, but it appeared in a lot of photos of the star Margot Croft. She was having an affair with its owner, the director Bill Wade.’
    Rob looked interested. ‘That one of her standing by a car with her hair blowing over her face on a Scottish moor?’
    â€˜The North Downs near Folkestone in fact,’ I said.
    â€˜Whatever,’ he dismissed this. ‘Why didn’t you say so earlier? Had that photo stuck on my wall as a kid. Killed herself afterwards, didn’t she?’
    â€˜She did.’
    Rob shrugged. ‘Helps the image. So that was the car, then?’
    â€˜Yes.’ I spat the word out with difficulty at this typical Rob observation on life and death.
    â€˜I’ll help.’ He made it sound as if I should sob with gratitude, but I could see that one off.
    â€˜Thanks,’ I said offhandedly.
    He grinned. ‘Don’t think I can do it, do you?’
    â€˜It’s a tough one,’ I said ambiguously. ‘Especially as I have to find the Auburn by Monday.’
    He didn’t turn a single one of his mousy brown hairs. ‘Leave it with me.’
    I would, but only so far. There were lines that Rob could follow and other ones that I needed to do myself. The local pubs for one thing. There were two in Lenham, one in Sandway, not far from the studios, and another in Grafty Green on the Headcorn Road. Asking the regulars about it was a no-brainer. Its theft must have been in the dead of night, but with such an engine any car lover would be drooling at the sound even in his sleep.
    â€˜By the way,’ Rob added, as thankfully he took his leave, ‘I hear the film’s being shot at Syndale Manor.’
    â€˜Yes,’ I said cautiously. ‘How did you know?’
    â€˜Nigel Biddington’s a pal of mine.’
    He didn’t need to explain who he was. I knew. He was the son of Sir John Biddington, the owner of Syndale Manor.
    â€˜He’s pretty desperate about the Auburn,’ Rob added.
    â€˜Why?’ I asked.
    Rob grinned. ‘Firstly, he’s the car adviser on the film, and secondly he’s dating Louise Shaw.’
    I was still reeling from this news as I drove over to Charden, where Harry Prince lives. I needed to be in fighting form to seek Harry’s help, and luckily the news of Nigel Biddington had shot me out of my corner. I wanted to go out and bash the world for treating me this way. In brighter moments I told myself