The Honda had been totaled.
Its owner was seventy-four.
His wife needed dialysis several times a week.
Since the crash, he had been driving her to appointments in a borrowed vehicle.
Then Ramirez told me investigators had found a small amount of blood near the road.
“My son,” I said.
“Noah cut his lip.”
The detective took the crash module, the booster seat, and several damaged components as evidence.
Then she surprised me.
“Finish repairing the car.”
I stared at her.
She explained that Laura and Brent couldn’t know the police were investigating yet.
If they became suspicious, they might hide evidence.
Or disappear.
Children’s Services would quietly check on the boys.
Denise suggested one more thing.
A standard release form.
But she added a sentence.Learn a Language
It stated that the customer acknowledged all removed damaged components, including the crash module and stored data, had been retained by the shop and released to law enforcement where required.
Everything in that sentence was true.
Friday came.
Laura arrived at exactly five.
She brought Brent.
He inspected the Mercedes like he was looking for reasons to insult my work.
He ran a finger along the perfectly matched paint.
Then wiped that finger on my shirt as if I were a rag.
He complained about a panel gap that wasn’t uneven.
Laura said the paint looked cheap.
Then Brent picked up my invoice.Try Billing Tools
**$7,018.**
He laughed.
Dropped it onto the oily floor.
“We’re not paying.”
Then he said I should consider the experience compensation enough.
After all, now I could tell customers I had worked on a Mercedes.
Marcus stood behind me with his fists clenched.
I signaled for him to stay calm.
Then Laura stepped closer.
“And Craig, if you cause trouble about this, you won’t see the boys for a while.”
I looked at her.
Then at Brent.
I thought about the cracked booster seat.
Noah’s lip.
Rick being told the accident was his fault if he talked.
And I smiled.
“Okay.”
Their smiles widened.
Brent laughed.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
Then I held out the release form.
“I just need both signatures confirming you inspected the repairs and accepted the vehicle.”Earn a CS Degree
Brent signed without reading.
