"Yeah. Sitting on some boxes." At my perplexed look, he added, "It just came in. I ordered it last Saturday."
I was so touched, I almost didn't know what to say. "Really? You did?"
"Yeah, except Jake grabs the thing and drives off. I could've killed him."
I gave a confused shake of my head. "I don't get it. Why would you be mad?"
"Because I didn't know what he was doing. Just all of a sudden, he's gone. With Luna, the sap who agreed to marry him."
"What, you don't like her?"
"I likeherjust fine. It'shimthat's the problem. But last night, they both take off. And just when I'm about to go looking for them, they come back. Withyourcar."
"But how?"
"The usual way," Joel said. "He breaks in, pops the hood, replaces the cap, and off he goes."
I stared at him. "And that's theusualway? You guys do this a lot?"
Joel hesitated. "I wouldn't say a lot."
I was almost afraid to ask. "About the garage, did Jake break anything? Like a window or door?"
"Nah. He told me he left it just like he found it."
If I weren't so concerned, I might've smiled. Apparently, therewassome brotherly trust after all. "And you believed him?"
"Hell no," Joel said. "I drove out and checked, also made sure that Jake paid the guy."
Well, so much for the trust thing.
Pushing that thought aside, I said, "I need to pay him back."
"No. You don't. I already paid him."
"Oh. Okay. So I'll payyouback."
"That's whatyouthink. It was a surprise, like a gift. You can't pay for that."
"But–"
"But nothing," he said. "I'm just pissed it was Jake, and not me, that found the place first."
"Oh, soyouwere gonna break into the garage?"
"That was the idea." He glanced away. "Which I should've kept to myself."
I had to laugh. "You'reallcrazy. You know that, right?"
"Hell yeah," Joel said. "Which is why I wanted them gone."
I saw his logic. But it still hurt to hear, for his sake, not mine. Tentatively, I said, "There's something I don't get."
"What's that?"
"Well, Jake retrieved my car, and saved you the trouble. Why would that make him–"
"A prick? Because he is."
