Caleb stepped out.
Wind hit hard enough to sting his cheeks.
“You called?”
She nodded.
“Vivienne.”
He closed the truck door.
“Caleb.”
“I know.”
Right.
Phone call.
She looked toward the tire.
“I thought maybe it was the battery at first.”
Caleb glanced.
“The battery is still where the factory put it.”
Despite herself, she gave a tiny laugh.
Good.
Her breathing steadied.
Caleb crouched near the wheel.
“Did you hit anything?”
“No.”
“Pothole?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Warning light before it happened?”
“No.”
“Any vibration?”
She thought.
“Maybe.”
“How long?”
“Ten minutes?”
Caleb ran his gloved hand along the tire.
Something about it bothered him immediately.
Not the puncture.
There was no obvious puncture.
He stood.
“Do you have the wheel-lock key?”
Vivienne stared.
“The what?”
Caleb nodded toward rear cargo compartment.
“Probably with spare tools.”
“I’ve never changed a tire.”
“That’s fine.”
She opened the rear hatch.
Everything inside was immaculate.
Two pieces of luggage.
A garment bag.
An expensive leather tote.
An emergency roadside kit still sealed in plastic.
Caleb found the wheel-lock key.
The factory jack looked unused.
He went back to his truck for a stronger jack and breaker bar.
Vivienne stood beside him.
“You don’t need to stand out here.”
“I feel rude sitting while you do this.”
“You’ll feel worse when your shoes fill with snow.”
She looked down.
The snow had already swallowed half her boots.
Caleb almost smiled.
Vivienne noticed.
“Go ahead.”
“What?”
“Laugh.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You were thinking it.”
“I was thinking whoever sold you those boots should be investigated.”
That produced a real laugh.
It disappeared quickly.
Caleb looked at her.
“You okay?”
The question was simple.
Vivienne looked toward the mountain.
For a second, her polished composure fractured.
“I’m having a very bad day.”
Caleb nodded.
He did not ask why.
That seemed to surprise her.
“You’re not going to ask?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you said it was bad.”
“You didn’t say you wanted to explain it.”
Vivienne stared at him.
Then looked away.
Snow collected on the white fur of her hat.
Caleb rolled the jack into position.
The wheel came off harder than expected.
The first lug nut required almost his full weight.
Second too.
Caleb frowned.
“Problem?”
Vivienne asked.
“Maybe.”
He removed the wheel.
Examined studs.
Then looked at the inside of the rim.
His expression changed.