YOU'RE ALL MINE - ch 28

YOU’RE ALL MINE - ch 28

(the magic of Midnight)

^ ^

A spiffy, black Camaro eased up the road to the distillery and parked behind the building. The driver, after exiting the car, proudly swaggered to where his two friends were sitting.

Tim asked, “Done?”

Marty answered, “Done! Should go off in about an hour. Got another cigarette?”

Tim tossed him the pack and continued to smoke his own when Allen asked, “Marty, why wait so long? Why didn’t you just light it and run?”

“Are you nuts? And get caught? I’m telling you right now, if I get caught, we all get caught! The old man and his son were busy in the back, so they didn’t see or hear a thing.”

“They won’t get hurt, will they?”

Tim scowled at his friend, “And why do you care? You should be as pissed off as I am. He’s got a nerve taking my girl.”

Neither wanted to remind him that Mia was not his girl, so they just sat in the grass smoking and listening to Tim rant about his broken arm. “Boy, if this arm wasn’t broken, I’d teach him a lesson.”

Allen wondered, “Man, I can’t believe the hood of your car just fell like that! I didn’t think the wind was that strong! Man, that’s horrible. What did the mechanic say?”

“He said there was nothing wrong with the hinge. Said I probably didn’t engage it all the way. Can you imagine? Me? Not engaging the hinge all the way? What does he think? That I’m some kind of jackass?”

Allen and Marty just let him blow off the steam that had been building up inside him since Mia rejected his invitation to the dance.

Yet, he wasn’t finished. “I told her I’d pick her up! Didn’t I say that on the card? Yes, I did! Did I say please go with me, please, pretty please? NO. Did I trick her into going with me? NO! I said I’d pick her up and she blew me off! Blew me off for that drug peddling jerk! Too bad I can’t get to her, but she’s protected.” He paused long enough to catch his breath, then continued, “I need to go the cabin. Who’s with me?”

Allen and Marty looked at each other and, knowing what was in the cabin, shook their heads. Allen said, “Sorry, man, but I need to get home. Ma’s gonna be suspicious if I don’t get home early.”

“Me, too,” Marty agreed. “I got chores to do.”

“Fine! Go! I don’t need you for what I want to do. Scram! Beat it.”

The boys stood and tossed their cigarettes on the ground. As they left and went on their way, the lit cigarettes still burned. The grass became warm, and the wind made a spark flicker and fly. Then another. And another. An hour later, there was a huge explosion and the distillery was burning.

^ ^

Brian parked his car and walked towards the burnt building. He heard a partial conversation of two men. “I’m tellin’ ya, Mr. Dwyer. I know ya don’t want to hear this, but someone was smoking right outside. I found several cigarette butts in the grass. If this wasn’t done deliberately, then it was some huge accident. But either way, the cigarettes caused it.”

He heard, crystal clear, the very angry voice of John Dwyer, “When I find who did this, his hide will be mine! This fire cost me a huge amount of money. It’s just a good thing we’d already began using the new building, otherwise I’d be out of business – permanently!”

As Brian watched the fire marshal walking to his truck, he heard a gruff voice behind him. “Can I help you?”

Brian stuck out his hand and said, “Mr. Dwyer, I’m Brian Diehl from a few roads towards the east. I heard about the fire and wondered if anyone was hurt, what I can do to help. My brother, Ian would also like to help.”

“Diehl?” John Dwyer asked but not in a polite way.

“Yes, Brian Diehl from Diehl Landscaping. “I’m handy with many tools and am more than willing to help.”

“Your daughter is Mia? The same Mia Diehl that refused to go to the dance with my boy?”

It wasn’t just the question that had Brian take a step back, but more of how it was uttered.

“Mr. Dwyer, she’d already accepted another invitation and felt obligated not to break it. If Tim had asked first, she’d be going with him, but it didn’t work out that way.”

“My Tim spent a lot of money on those flowers and for what? So, she could slap my boy in the face? I’m not in a very good mood, right now, Diehl. I’m thinking it’s best you leave.”

Brian couldn’t help but smile at the suggestion. “I do believe you’re right. I’d wish you a good day but clearly, you won’t be having one.”

He turned and walked back to his car and on the way home, his thoughts were, “Well, I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from that tree! I need to hug my daughter!”

He called Morena. “Hi Babe. Question. I know your hours at the clinic are always hectic, but do you think we could ask Ian and his family and Finola for supper tonight? I can pick up take out, if that’s easier.”

He heard her laugh. “Brian, you really are a twit! I’ve had stew in the slow cooker all day. There will be plenty and if I know Finola, as soon as you call her, she’ll be baking bread. Yes, let’s do this.”

Brian smiled and thought, “Ah, she knows me so well.”

Before he pressed the buttons to call his aunt and brother, his phone rang.

“Dad, I just had a weird feeling. It started off like a bad vibration but ended up being more like a ticklish tingle. Are you okay? And I can feel you smiling.”