“They are?”
“Yeah.” He scratched his head. “Bikes I can do, cars not so much, especially these.”
That surprised her. Surely engines all worked on the same principles.
“But I’ll take a look.” He tipped his head and grinned. “If you want me to, that is.”
“Er, yes, please,” she said, “that would be very helpful.” Damn it, she’d really wanted to hit the road and get to her beachside retreat by morning.
He leaned over the engine. “Go try it again.”
Quickly, she slid into the driver’s seat and turned the key.
Once more, there was nothing. Leah clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. This didn’t bode well for the first vacation she’d scheduled in what felt like forever.
“Are you turning it?” Carter called.
“Yes!”
There was a bang and a squeak. “Try it again.”
She did. Silence.
“What’s the problem?” she called.
“It’s fucked,” he said.
“What?” She got from the car. “What do you mean it’s…?”
“Fucked. I’m guessing the connection between the stabilizing convector and the twin gaskets in the spindles have gone.”
She stared at him, her mind a blank. “Is that bad?”
“Yeah, pretty bad.”
“What does that mean? I have somewhere to go. Can I get it fixed tonight?”
He shook his head then ran his hand through his hair. “Nah, it’s a big job. A few days in the workshop, and it will take a couple of guys to do it once they get the parts brought in, specialist parts for this kind of motor.”
“You can’t be serious.” Her mouth hung open.
“Deadly serious, it’s a disaster for the engine, to be honest.”
“But … but how did it happen? I mean, I just drove home and it was perfectly okay.”
“That’s the nut-jerk about twin gaskets, they just go, and they go in pairs. It’s the way the oil goes through them.” He shrugged. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.”
She sighed. “Well, at least I know.” It looked like her vacation had taken a nosedive before it had even gotten started. “Guess I’m stuck here.”
He said nothing, just shifted from one foot to the other.
She reached for her holdall and closed the car door hard, taking out her frustration on it. The bang echoed around the street. She’d have to call the rental owner then the workshop. Let Nick know she’d be around after all. What a waste of time. She’d gotten her hopes up, dared to dream of sand between her toes, and it had all been for nothing.
“You want a ride to Strands Beach?”
“What?” She spun to face him.
“You heard.”