Cherry Orphan

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"GODDAMN USELESS PIECE OF SHIT!" Calley lashed out a kick with her tennis shoe that hurt her foot far more than the steel fender.

"You told me your dad showed you how to fix cars," James said, bemused.

She glared at him. "Cars, yes. Piles of scrap-iron, no."

James peered under the massive hood at the maze of plumbing festooning the huge V8 engine. He'd never seen anything like it. "Where do you think the problem is?"

Calley leaned her backside against a low brick wall and placed her hands on her knees. Head bowed, she shook it from side to side. "Battery is fine. Could be fuel. If one of the carburetors is leaking gas into the intake manifold the plugs are wet."

"By gas do you mean petrol?"

That made her laugh. "I can see you're going to be a big help."

"Can we increase the amount of air entering the manifold?"

She came off the wall and leaned on the opposite fender with both arms. "Say that again."

"We learned in chemistry class that a combustible mixture becomes more volatile when air is mixed in greater proportion to a fuel component."

"Okay, professor, take both air cleaners off. Those big round pans."

He turned the wing nuts and pulled off each assembly. "Done."

"See the throttle valve—that metal flap thing." She pointed inside one of the carburetor intakes. "Hold it fully open with your finger."

"With my finger?"

"Sure, pretend it's me." That made him blush. "Keep clear of the fan while I turn it over."

On the second pull a loud suction hiss preceded the motor bursting to life. "Can I let go now?" He yelled over the racket.

She joined him at the fender and listened for any sign of a misfire. "It'll run. You can put the air cleaners back."

***

First they went to the Post Office in Staines where James withdrew all the available cash from his account. Next stop: Silverman's office in Wimbledon. He knew the route well enough to navigate her through the bewildering tangle of streets that confounded Calley's sense of direction.

As they climbed the single flight of stairs she asked James what to expect.

"Mr. Silverman's been super to me, but he hardly realizes the extent of it. If he hadn't made those first inquiries with Robert we probably wouldn't know each other right now."

"Hmm, a matchmaker so to speak."

"Someone is paying handsomely for his services, Calley. I suspect it's your dad."

She grinned wider. "Even better. It's about time."

When Silverman turned and saw them both framed in the office door he did the classic double take. James was starting to get used to it.

"Hello, James. So this is the famous Calley Nameth. My, my, you are an attractive young lady. I had no idea. Come in and close the door." As always the hand gesture across his desk indicated they should sit.

Out of politeness Silverman chatted with Calley about California and the lifestyle, all the time making small glances at James. When Calley reached for James's hand beside the chair, this did not go unnoticed.