The Wells Brothers: Luke by Angela Verdenius

at that moment Elspeth bounced
into the front seat, flashed Mikki and Luke a beaming smile and announced
happily, “Isn’t this fun ?”  She stuck the key into the ignition and
started the SUV with a roar, making Luke quickly tug on his seatbelt.  “I’ve
been looking forward to this for weeks.  Exploring the origins of this place,
getting things sorted, checking out this town.”  Shoving the car into gear, she
moved forward while turning her head around to smile widely at Luke.  “And
having you with us - why, the more the merrier, right?”
    “Right,” he croaked, white-knuckling
it as Elspeth spun the wheel as she faced the front, narrowly missing taking
out an old, cracked, stone urn.
    His father was more religious than
he was, but Luke believed in God.  He just had to believe that God wasn’t ready
for him to go to Heaven yet.  It’d been awhile since he’d prayed, he was a bit
slack in that direction.  He wondered, as Elspeth roared the SUV down the road
and he bounced in the back seat, whether it was too late to turn Catholic and
start confessing.  He had a lot to confess.
    His teeth chattered until he
clamped his jaw shut as she rattled over the corrugated sections of the road,
he swore his arse actually left the seat at one stage.  Sure as hell his abused
balls remembered the kneeing they’d gotten hours before as he slammed back into
the seat.
    “Guess this road will need fixing,
too,” Elspeth said cheerfully.
    Hanging onto the handle above the
passenger door, Mikki agreed.  “Get the grader on it then some bitumen.  Good
plan.”
    Better plan would be for Luke to take
over the driving.  No wonder Elspeth bought a new car every year, with her
driving she undoubtedly wore it out.  He’d heard stories about her driving,
seen Jason come out of her car looking decidedly green in the gills when she’d
given him and Izzy a lift home one night from the movies.  He’d seen her
darting between traffic, driving like she was in a race.  God must’ve liked
her, because she still had her life, her license, and no one driving near her
had ever ended up wrapped around a light pole. 
    He’d bet his arse her Guardian
Angel had been to many counselling sessions.  Or maybe they rotated several for
her.
    Coming to the road, she glanced to
the right, saw it was clear - thank God and anyone else listening - and pulled
a sharp lefty that had Luke almost cracking his head against the window.
    Sure as hell gave him whiplash
when she snapped the wheel straight and his neck almost snapped with it.
    “How you doing, Luke?” she asked
happily, glancing at him in the mirror.
    “Yeah, Luke,” Mikki added
brightly.  “How you doing?”
    The irritating redhead was
enjoying this way too much.  Unfortunately, with his employer’s happy face and
beaming smile centred on him - and not the freakin’ road! - Luke could
only gasp and stare with wide eyes as a car appeared ahead.  On their side of
the road.  No, on it’s own side of the road because Elspeth’s car had wandered
a bit.
    Unable to help it, he burst out,
“The car!  The car !”
    A sharp swing of the steering
wheel and she had the car back on the correct side, the oncoming car going past
them.  Luke just glimpsed the ashen face of the driver, noticed he clutched the
steering wheel pretty much the same way Luke was gripping the door handle with
one hand while white-knuckling the back of Mikki’s headrest with the other.
    Not in the least bothered by what
had nearly transpired, Elspeth was chatting away.  “Now, I think if we stop in
at the antique dealer first.  We can go in and meet him, which will be
interesting since I’ve spoken to him on the phone and only met him once in
person a few years ago.  It’s good to talk business face-to-face, right?”
    “Absolutely.”  Mikki cast a glance
back at Luke, her eyes twinkling as she reached back to pat his fingers where
they death-gripped the back of her headrest.  “You okay there,