Wrenched Fate Bluegrass Security Book Four Read online

  Wrenched Fate

  PJ Fiala

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2022 by PJ Fiala

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Publisher’s note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Printed in the United States of America

  First published 2022

  Fiala, PJ

  WRENCHED FATE / PJ Fiala

  p. cm.

  1. Romance—Fiction. 2. Romance—Suspense. 3. Romance - Military

  I. Title – WRENCHED FATE

  EBOOK ISBN-13: 978-1-942618-62-1

  Blurb

  Let’s stay in contact, join my newsletter so I can let you know about new releases, sales, promotions and more. https://www.subscribepage.com/pjfialafm

  * * *

  One former military security specialist.

  Plus, one independent mechanic in trouble.

  Equals a wrenching dilemma that puts them in the middle of a cartel war out of control.

  Jeremy Dirks has always known his path. His time in the military taught him how to handle himself and precarious situations with practiced ease. Now as an owner of Bluegrass Security, he's on solid ground and ready to settle into life and reap the rewards of his years of hard work. Until the sweet little mechanic he's had his eye on finds herself in a whole mess of trouble.

  Dani Stewart has always been a tomboy. She grew up in her father's garage with grease under her nails and dirt on her face and she couldn't have been happier. Living her working dream she's puzzled by the turn of events that one car brings to her garage. Turning to the only man she trusts besides her father, she seeks Dirks' assistance and that's when things get out of control.

  Dani and Dirks find themselves fighting not one, but two drug cartels as they battle each other. It shouldn't involve them at all, except Dani has a secret and that may get them killed.

  DEDICATION

  I’ve had so many wonderful people come into my life and I want you all to know how much I appreciate it. From each and every reader who takes the time out of their days to read my stories and leave reviews, thank you.

  My beautiful, smart and fun Road Queens, who play games with me, post fun memes, keep the conversation rolling and help me create these captivating characters, places, businesses and more. Thank you ladies for your ideas, support and love. The following characters and places were created by:

  * * *

  Delores Lewis- Steph K. Coutts

  Parker Hannibal (Lisa Gibbs)

  Jake (Kerry Cox Ebanks) Davis (Tracy Cruey)

  Richie (Marie Evans) Taggert (Kari Wolff)

  Officer Anthony “Tony” Hickman - Belinda Jackson Hercule

  Gentry Lankford - Donna Bullard

  Bronson Hobbs - Christy Seiple

  Los Malvados - Lisa Rolape Courter

  The Stone Cartel - Cyrus Stone Leader - Amanda Grace

  Wade Phillips - April Shindlebower Brown

  Bryant Richards - Karen Cranford LeBeau

  Dirks' friends:

  • Carl James - Kerry Harteker

  • Stella Cate - Karen Cranford LeBeau

  • Wyatt Reveal - Pamela Reveal

  • April Morgan - Judy Hamilton

  • Buck Blevins - Ginny Honeycutt

  • Denise Hultz - Melissa Hultz

  * * *

  Last but not least, my family for the love and sacrifices they have made and continue to make to help me achieve this dream, especially my husband and best friend, Gene. Words can never express how much you mean to me.

  To our veterans and current serving members of our armed forces, police and fire departments, thank you ladies and gentlemen for your hard work and sacrifices; it’s with gratitude and thankfulness that I mention you in this forward.

  Contents

  Copyright

  Blurb

  DEDICATION

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  ALSO BY PJ FIALA

  Enjoy this book? You can make a big difference

  MEET PJ

  1

  Dani tightened the bandana she wore around her forehead to keep the sweat from dripping in her eyes. Swiping her cheek across the shoulder of her shirt, she swore for the hundredth time today that she’d get air conditioning in this shop before the summer was out. She’d earned it. She had the money for it. The trouble was she couldn’t get a contractor to come out and install it because contractors were booked up. When it was this hot out, folks found the money to install air conditioners. For the time being, she’d have to make do with fans and hope to catch a breeze.

  “Dani, there’s nothing wrong with these brakes.”

  She looked up from the alternator she was installing to see her one and only employee, Parker Hannibal, looking at the black Camry that had been brought in yesterday for service. They’d been paid for the work upfront, and asked if they could get it done right away.

  She set her tools on the drop cloth laying inside the car she was working on, and walked over to the Camry.

  Parker pointed. “Look, these are about as old as the car, only about two years, and the brakes aren’t worn.”

  Dani examined the exposed brakes. “You’re right there. Doesn’t make much sense, does it?”

  “No, it doesn’t.”

  “Okay, go ahead and put the tire back on the car and we’ll leave it until the owner comes back. I’m glad we checked, but it sure does make this whole thing curious. Why would someone pay up front for something to be done on a car that wasn’t broken? Do you mind getting started on the pickup old man Jenkins brought in? Says the exhaust is leaking.”

  “Yeah, I’ll get it started as soon as I get something to eat. My stomach’s growling and I’m hotter than a firecracker.”

  Dani smiled at Parker. He was funny. “I get it Park, go on ahead and eat something after you put this girl back together. Just in case the owner comes for it.”

  “You got it.”

  Dani glanced at the clock on the wall as she walked to the far garage bay to finish her job. She wrinkled her face as she caught a whiff of herself. It wouldn’t matter if she took three showers a day, she’d still smell.

  She heard Parker lowering the Camry and smiled. She’d struck it rich with him. He was easy to work with, never chatted uselessly, was dependable and he was fast. Wrap that all up in a bow and add it to the fact that he was very good at his job and she was a lucky boss.

  “Okay Dani, I’m heading to the Brass Rail for lunch. Can I bring something back for you?”

  “No thank you, Parker; You go on ahead, I brought my lunch today.”

  “Okay, see you in a bit.” br />
  She finished up her work on the Ford and carefully placed her tools in their proper places in the toolbox.

  She opened the passenger door to Parker’s next job, Mr. Johnson’s truck, which was next to the Ford. As she opened the door, papers and debris fell out. “Damn pig.” She huffed.

  She bent and picked up the receipts on the floor, the key ring with no keys on it, a straw and a thumb drive and tossed them back in the truck with mild disgust.

  She jumped when she saw a strange man standing in the garage door behind the Camry.

  “You work here?”

  She swallowed as she stared at him. Tall and thin, he had impossibly white-blond hair and steely blue eyes. Creepy almost.

  “Yes, sir. Name’s Dani.” She pointed to the sign on the wall.

  The man stared into her eyes and slowly walked toward her. She didn’t like the way he moved and stared, so she stayed on the opposite side of the car from him.

  “This Camry is mine.”

  “Is that so? What’s your name?”

  “Why does that matter?”

  “Well, clearly if the car is yours you will identify yourself and I’ll verify your name with the papers in the glove box. Cause you sure don’t look like the man who brought this car in here yesterday.”

  “That man is my associate.”

  Dani nodded. “Okay. Give me your name and show me some ID.”

  The door to the reception area opened and her father walked out.

  “Can we help you?” He stared at the stranger.

  “I was just telling this...woman...that Camry is my car.” He nodded toward the Camry.

  Daniel George Lewis was a big man. He was older now but he still was an imposing figure. Easily six feet two inches tall and broad in the chest when he stood tall and puffed his chest out, he looked like he could have been a fighter in his day. This is what he did now and Dani was proud as hell.

  “This woman is my daughter. And I’ll take a guess right now that she asked you for your ID to prove you’re the owner of the car.”

  “Yes sir, she did.”

  Danny nodded and Dani was so happy he was standing there right now. She was seldom creeped out by anyone, but this man, he set her nerves on edge.

  “Well, then you’ll need to know that this car won’t leave our garage until you show us proper ID.”

  The man looked between the two of them for what felt like an eternity. “Alright then, I’ll come back with some identification.”

  Danny nodded once and stood stone still as the man assessed him, then her, then slowly turned and walked out of the garage.

  Once he’d gotten in his car, her father looked at her. “I’m going in to call Dirks.”

  “Why Dirks? Shouldn’t we call the police?”

  “Well, Dirks is the one who came to look at the Camry first. Richie Taggert called him to head up this investigation, so that’s why. If Dirks needs to bring the police into it all, he will.”

  “Okay.” Her knees shook slightly. Dani took a few deep breaths and let them out slowly to calm herself; her heartbeat began to return to normal.

  Just then a rock sailed through the window from the side of the garage and nearly hit her in the chest.

  2

  Dirks pulled into the parking area at Dani’s garage. He noticed right away that a couple of things were off. One, the garage doors were closed. In this heat, with little to help cool off the garage, that was unusual. Second, it seemed oddly quiet. Usually there were people milling about. Danny’s old friends still stopped here to visit and keep the old man company as he babysat the office, but not today.

  Looking across the parking lot, Dirks saw Dani’s Jeep. She loved that Jeep and she looked damned good in it too. Her blonde ponytail blowing in the breeze and the doors usually pulled off and the top down. That was Dani, a free spirit of sorts. Except not in the irresponsible way, she ran a good business and she was dedicated and loyal.

  Taking a deep breath, Dirks strode to the door of the reception area and walked in. There in the store, Danny sat behind the counter, with Dani sitting on the customer side, her back against the wall, and Parker leaning against the far end of the counter. They’d been deep in conversation when he walked in and they all stopped to look at him.

  “Afternoon folks. What’s going on?”

  Dani sat up on her stool and looked him in the eyes. “I don’t scare easy, I’ll tell you that, but I have a bad feeling after that albino looking fella came in here this afternoon.”

  “Albino fella?”

  Danny explained. “That fella that came in here telling Dani girl that the Camry was his car. White hair and light eyes. I mentioned him when I called you. He’s a creepy sort of fella and he moves slow and deliberate and he could stare a hole in a metal wall, that one. He left here saying he’d bring us proper ID to get the Camry, refused to give his name, then left. And a short while later a rock come sailing in through the back window of the garage. So, I closed it up, to many protests I might add.”

  Danny’s eyes darted to Dani and Parker.

  “May I see the rock?”

  Danny picked the rock off the counter and handed it to him. There was nothing special about it, just an old rock, about the size of his hand with rough edges. It definitely had not been in the water or from the lake or river.

  “Okay, and he never came back for the car?”

  Dani twisted her ponytail around her fingers and if she only knew how sexy he thought that was, she’d likely think twice about it. “No and what’s more, there is nothing wrong with the brakes on the Camry. And Jake Davis, the kid who dropped it off yesterday, never showed up for it, though technically we’re still open for an hour.”

  Dirks tucked his thumbs in the front pockets of his jeans. “I’m not surprised. I just came from speaking with Detective Stevie McKenzie and she asked if you’d leave the Camry here for another day. They have some word that it was used in a robbery and while they’re pulling the evidence they need and making room for it at the impound yard, she asked if you’d keep it here and secured in the garage. Bourbonville PD will pay you for the space if need be.”

  Dani smiled. “So Stevie is finally using her married name?”

  He nodded and chuckled. “Mac was having a fit that she wasn’t. They compromised. I didn’t get into what that compromise was.”

  She snickered. “It’s not a problem leaving it here. Now I’d be afraid to put it outside and leave it to everyone who says it’s theirs. I don’t know what my liability is with it; Daddy called the insurance company and we’re waiting for a call back. He also called in a favor and Puddy is coming over to finally install air conditioning in this place. So, we’ll be able to keep things closed up even during the day. Seems like the smart thing to do now.”

  Dirks nodded, “It does seem like it’ll be more comfortable for you all working for certain. I’ll let Stevie know you’ll keep the car here for the night and I’ll let Richie Taggert know he can’t have his car back for a day or two. It’ll likely be a week, but that’s for Stevie to determine.”

  Danny nodded, “So you confirmed that the car belongs to Richie Taggert?”

  “Yep. It’s his insurance paperwork in the glove box and he showed me the title this morning. Tags are his too.”

  Danny looked at his daughter, then back to him. “You need a coffee or soda Jeremy?”

  “No thanks Danny. I’ve got to be getting back to the office. I just wanted to touch base on the Camry and let you know what was going on.” He looked at Dani. “You have a minute?”

  Her cheeks tinted a bright pink and he thought she looked spectacular. He smiled at her and her father cleared his throat.

  “Everything alright?”

  “Yes sir.”

  Dirks walked to the front door and held it open for Dani. He immediately felt conflicted about being inside, where it was closed up but fans circulated the thick air, and being outside in ninety-eight-degree weather, eighty-eight percent humidity an
d no breeze. He likely smelled too.

  “What’s up Dirks?”

  “I was wondering if you wanted to go to the swim party over at the park with me tonight?”

  “I didn’t know you liked going to the lake.”

  Her smile was breathtaking, even though her face shined as perspiration formed on her skin. But her complexion had always been smooth and enviable, and more than once he’d heard women comment on it.

  “Who doesn’t like going to the lake in this heat?”

  “True enough and I’ll tell you after today, nothing sounds nicer.”

  He smiled at her and looked deep into those amazing brown eyes. “Pick you up around six? We’ll go to the diner for dinner and then out to the lake.”

  “Lord, Dirks, everyone in town will know we’re out on a date before we walk through the doors of the diner.”

  “Does that bother you?”

  She laughed and his heart beat faster. “Nope.”

  “Okay then, I’ll pick you up at six. In the meantime, leave the Camry as it is and if anyone comes back for it, call me. Remember, Stevie thinks it was used in a robbery.”

  Dani’s smile turned down a bit as she frowned. “That’s too bad. We’ve had a few of them this year.”

  “That we have.”

  “See you at six.”

  3

  Dani strolled inside the reception area to the garage and stopped short when her father and Parker both stood, goofy grins on their faces, waiting for her.