Missy's Gentle Giant by P D Miller Read Free Book Online Page B

time’s always the final answer.”
    “There’s no way around asking three
times?”
    “Eloping if you can get the girl
away from everyone long enough.”
    “No other way?”
    Gonzalo shifted
uncomfortably.  “Getting her in a family way which would be the worst
thing to happen.  Man, the last two options are both unacceptable,
especially at our house.  Why are you asking this?”
    “Just curious.”  Ben
shrugged.  “What I really want to know—is Eduardo around enough to know
when you’ve got loads lined up, what’s wrong with your trucks and so on.”
    “I suppose.  I mean we don’t
think about whether he’s there or not when we talk about things.  Yeah, I
guess he probably does know what goes on pretty much.  You suspect him?”
    “Why not?  I have to suspect your
brothers.  His dad owns a rival company.”  Ben made a steeple of his
fingers and rubbed it against his forehead.  “What are the names of the
companies you were running for when you got hit?”
    “Bowling and TexIt.”
    Ben stood and stretched. 
“I’ve got to disappear for a few days.  Got some things to do.”  He
turned to face Gonzalo.  “Here’s what you do.  Have your brothers
make an inventory for repairs to get you back in running order with all six
trucks, and you hunt for a place where you can lock the trucks away.  As
soon as the money comes in, rent the place, move the trucks inside, start on
repairs, and get the trucks running.  Make sure they do it right but do it
as fast as they can.  You’re going to have some orders lined up before you
know it.”  Ben stretched again and opened another beer.
    “And it’s all you’re going to tell
me?”
    “Yeah, but I want to be able to
call you each day while I’m gone, and it has to be a phone where we can
talk.  I don’t want to use cell phones.  Where and when?”
    “I don’t know.
    Ben rubbed his neck.  “Look,
I’ll keep the room.  How does this sound?  You come here every day and
I’ll call you here while I’m gone. ”
    “Yeah sure.  What time?”
    “Five thirty or six.  Which is
best?”
    “Probably six.”
    “Okay, and if for some reason I
can’t call, I’ll leave a message on the phone.”  He picked up his key
cards and tossed one to Gonzalo.  “You might tell anyone who asks, you
have to check on some things I left.
    Gonzalo took the key. 
“Sure.  Is there any more?”
    “I don’t like the way Eduardo hangs
around.  Missy doesn’t need his kind.”
    Gonzalo glanced at Ben with a
smile.  “Look, you don’t have to worry about Eduardo.  Pop doesn’t
like him either, and Pop isn’t anxious to let Missy go.  He doesn’t think
she’s ready for marriage.”  Gonzalo bit his lip.  “In fact, he was
telling me he thought maybe in another four or five years she could—”
    “Four or five years?”  Ben
shook his head.  No way were they going to keep her single so long. 
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
     
    At eight the next morning a florist
pulled up to the Sanchez house while they were having breakfast.  When
Mrs. Sanchez came back with a mile wide grin carrying a long flower box and
handed it to Missy; Gonzalo put his head in his hands.  Charger, damn him!
    Missy opened the box and stared at
a dozen red roses.  The card said, “ Had to go out of town.   Will
miss you.  Ben .”  Missy and Mrs. Sanchez cried.
    The Sanchez men rolled their eyes
toward the ceiling, got up and left for work.  As instructed, Gonzalo told
his brothers to look for any signs of foul play and needed repairs on the
trucks and to make a list.  He called places until he found a warehouse
where they could secure the trucks.  When the guys went home for lunch,
they were surprised to find a sleek Cadillac sitting in front of the house. 
Inside, Missy and Mrs. Sanchez were still crying, and a man in a suit sat
across from them with a lap full of papers.
    Half an hour later Gonzalo dropped
on the sofa and closed his eyes.