something going on at the dealership and his name gets in the papers?” she yelled into the phone.
“Make the call, Ashley. If you don’t, then I’ll do it when I get there. Now turn on all the lights and fix a pot of coffee,” Cooper directed firmly, even though her sister had begun to cry. “I’ll be right over.”
She slid her phone into her coat pocket and pulled the lapels tightly over her throat, as though she could block out the sharp air along with her sister’s unbelievable story.
Seeing that her phone call was finished, Edward stood. “One of these lug nuts is stripped. It’s gonna take time you plainly don’t have. Tell me where you need to go and I’ll get you there.”
Cooper didn’t hesitate. She grabbed the truck keys from her ignition and stuffed them into her purse. She then strapped on the extra helmet Edward had quickly produced and told him where Ashley lived. Standing in the cold, she felt foolish in her long, woolen coat, hand-knit mittens, and purse draped diagonally across her chest like some paranoid tourist, but Edward smiled and jerked his thumb over his shoulder.
“You best plan on holdin’ tight!” he shouted. “I don’t drive slow.”
As the motorcycle lurched onto the pavement, Cooper gasped with surprise and threw her arms around Edward’s waist. She’d never been on a motorcycle before and she was struck by the force of the icy air as it careened up her pants legs and slapped the exposed flesh of her neck. Edward shifted gears and the bike shot forward. Cooper tightened her grip on his leather coat, though she was actually more exhilarated by their speed than fearful.
Edward’s body felt taut beneath his coat. It was as though every cell in his body was focused on getting Cooper to her sister’s side as rapidly as possible. He was clearly skirting the line leading to reckless driving. Yet Cooper trusted his skill, even though she had never driven with him before. Instinctively, she felt she would come to no harm in his care.
She followed Edward’s lead as he leaned his body into turns and hunched down further during moments of acceleration. He tore through intersections and soared under the pools cast by flashing yellow lights until they had reached the windy, dark corridor that was River Road. Slowing now, he waited for Cooper to tap him on the shoulder, indicating he should make a left or right turn. They had no other way to communicate, but they seemed to have a natural connection—their bodies engaged in a wordless conversation of trust.
Cooper was confused and shaken by the subtle feeling of loss she experienced when she released her hold on Edward in front of Ashley’s Georgian mansion. However, she had little time to dwell on the sensation because her sister flew out the front door in a tracksuit and slippers and immediately buried her head against Cooper’s shoulder.
“I’m here. I’m here,” Cooper said soothingly. “Let’s go inside.” She hugged her sister tightly and then gently pushed her away. “I’ll look in the garage, while you pour us some coffee, okay? We had a cold ride.”
Ashley blinked and suddenly became aware of both the motorcycle and the silent man dressed in black. Her blue eyes widened and she shot a frightened, questioning glance at Cooper.
“He’s a friend,” Cooper said quietly and smiled at Edward. At this, he removed his helmet and fell in behind the sisters as they passed into Ashley’s house.
The heat immediately wrapped itself around Cooper. Her fingers and toes tingled as feeling returned to them and her wind-chafed skin ceased smarting. She stripped off her mittens, but kept her coat and hat on as she moved through the kitchen and out to the garage with a greater show of calm than she felt.
The spot where Ashley’s Lexus convertible was usually parked was occupied by a sleek, metallic gold Cadillac sedan. The trunk was fully ajar and several shopping bags were lying in disarray on the floor behind the right rear tire.
Cooper breathed in deeply, hoping to draw some courage from the still air and forced herself not to tiptoe to the back of the car.
Her first impression was that the body was in the fetal position. It was a man, but no one Cooper knew. He seemed small to her, almost childlike in his curled posture within the deep, spacious truck. She looked at his black hair and pecan-colored skin, at the pair of callused and grease-stained clasped