The Mask of Minos, Bruno's Inferno

Chapter 46 - Change of Plans

                                                Change of Plans

Sara and Harry followed David back into the compound towards the back of the house. They made for a garage with four open doors. A light came from one deep corner and the sounds of tools clicketing.

A little man stood on a step stool with his head inside the engine of a truck. He mumbled to himself, and his hand came out with a chisel looking for the table to put it on and then it searched as if with a mind of its own for the next tool. David walked over to him and put a wrench in the hand.

He stood up, "Hello boss. You scared me. I thought you were Sophia." He laughed at his own joke.

"Dimitri is married to Sophia, a very loving and beautiful woman. This is Harry Thursday a good friend of mine from,,,"

"The old days, I know boss. You're so young." Dimitri wiped his hands on his smock and shook hands with Harry. Then he looked at Sara,

"And this is Sara,"

Dimitri smiled, a charming sort of smile made more so by his blue eyes. Dimitri was a good looking sort of man with that symmetrical arrangement to his face that when he was young, went a long way with the ladies.

"This thing is giving me a head-ache. I think it's the alternator."

Dimitri was about five-seven and wired in build, strong and sinewy. The dark hair covered his arm. His grip was strong, decisive.

"Where did it come from?"

"The school, where else." He looked at Harry. "They give me their repairs. Right boss? I got nothing else to do."

"How is she?"

"Who's that? Oh. She's fine. Ready to go. I had her out yesterday to get some gas."

"I there any left in it?"

"Sure. I refilled it before I came back."

David lifted the cover off the car and there sat a mint-condition red Austin Healey.

"Sweet."

"I knew you'd like it Harry. It's a 1959 Healey 100-6. I don't drive it much anymore, and I thought Dimitri didn't either."

Dimitri lowered his head and drew on the floor with his foot. "It hadn't been out in months." He saw Harry admire it and said, "This is a beautiful machine. It has an inline six, 2.6 liter BMC engine with triple Skinners Union carbs." Harry ran his hands over it.

"Horses?"

"120 Bhp, and a top speed of about 150." He looked at David's reproachful glare. "It's a 4 speed," he added.

"Business must be pretty good." He asked more than stated and looked at David's eyes for the answer.

"You don't know what I do on the side Harry." He laughed and slapped him on the back. "Get in. I know you want to."

Harry tried to open the door but it wouldn't move. "That's not how it's done."

Harry placed his hand on the door and jumped into the seat and settled in. He ran his hands over the wooden wheel and felt the smooth leather. "Nice. My father had a car like this. He lost it in a poker game."

"No he didn't Harry. This is the car."

"Get the hell outta here."

"My father loved it, though he only drove it two times?" he looked at Dimitri who nodded.