Ten minutes later, I had Ranger's truck safely tucked away in my parents' garage.
My dad had retrieved Uncle Sander's Buick from the police and the Buick and Ranger's truck were now locked up together.
'What a nice surprise,' Grandma said when she saw me at the kitchen door.
'I can't stay,' I told Grandma and my mother. 'I just wanted to tell you I'm leaving Ranger's truck in the garage.'
'What about our car?' my mother wanted to know. 'Where's your father going to park the LeSabre?'
'You never use the garage. The LeSabre is always parked in the driveway. Look outside. Where is the LeSabre? In the driveway. I had to drive around it to get to the garage.'
My mother was cutting vegetables for soup. She stopped cutting and looked over at me, wide-eyed. 'Holy mother. There's something wrong, isn't there? You're in trouble again.'
'Did you steal the truck?' Grandma asked hopefully.
`I'm not in trouble, and there's nothing wrong. I told Ranger I'd take care of his truck while he's out of town. I was going to use it, but I've changed my mind. It's too big.'
My mother didn't really want to know the truth, I told myself.
The truth wasn't good.
'It is big.' Grandma said. 'And you know what they say about the size of a man's truck.'
'I'm off,' I said. 'Lula's waiting for me.'
Grandma trotted after me. She stopped at the front door and waved at Lula. 'What are you girls doing?' Grandma asked. 'Are you chasing down a killer?'
'Sorry,' I said. 'No killers today. I'm going car shopping. I need something to tide me over until I get the insurance check from the
Escape.'
`I'd love to go car shopping,' Grandma said. 'Wait a minute while
I tell your mother and get my purse.'
Wo,' I said. But she was already running around the house, gathering her things.
'Hey,' Lula yelled from the curb. 'What's the holdup?'
'Grandma's coming with us.'
'The Three Musketeers ride again,' Lula said.
Grandma bustled out of the house and climbed into the
Firebird's back seat. 'What have you got?' Grandma asked Lula.
'You got 50 Cent? You got Eminem?'
Lula slid Eminem into the slot, punched up the sound system, and we motored off like distant thunder.
'I've been thinking about your car problem,' Lula said, 'and
I know a guy who's got cars to sell. He don't ask a whole lot either.'
'I don't know,' I said. 'If you buy a used car at a lot you usually get a guarantee.'
'How much do you want to spend?' Lula asked.