Without his mother.
Again.
Marcus saw him at 3:41.
The boy stood outside the yellow line holding something behind his back.
Marcus pointed a wrench.
“If that is another broken vehicle, I’m calling your mother.”
“It isn’t.”
“Good.”
Caleb walked closer.
He held out a paper bag.
“What?”
“My mom made cookies.”
Marcus stared.
“You carried cookies two miles?”
“I took the bus.”
“Good.”
Marcus took the bag.
“Tell her thank you.”
Caleb nodded.
Then remained.
Marcus waited.
“Anything else?”
Caleb looked toward motorcycles.
“How do brakes work?”
Dean laughed from back.
Marcus looked at him.
“What?”
Caleb pointed to the bike parts on a shelf.
“You changed the cable.”
“But when I squeeze lever, how does that make pads move?”
Marcus stared.
This was dangerous.
Questions like that had ruined his own life at age nine.
His father had handed him a carburetor.
Marcus had never recovered.
He set wrench down.
“Come here.”
Caleb approached the yellow line.
“Stay behind.”
Marcus picked up an old bicycle brake assembly from scrap bin.
He showed the lever.
Cable.
Caliper.
Pads.
“When lever pulls cable, cable shortens effective distance here.”
He squeezed.
Caliper arms closed.
Caleb leaned closer.
“So the cable isn’t pushing?”
“Pulling.”
“Then why did Mom’s not work?”
“Cable stretched and frayed.”
“Pads worn.”
“Adjustment wrong.”
Caleb nodded seriously.
“What happens if cable breaks?”
“Front brake disappears.”
“Rear still works.”
“But stopping distance changes.”
“Especially downhill.”
Caleb thought.
“My mom rides down Hanover Hill.”
Marcus stopped.
That was steep.
No wonder he had been angry.
“Tell her use both brakes.”
“She does.”
“Good.”
Caleb stayed another twenty minutes.
Then Marcus said:
“Home.”
Caleb looked disappointed.
“Why?”
“Because your mother thinks you’re where?”
“Library.”
Marcus closed eyes.
“You did not learn anything.”
The garage door opened.
Rachel stood there.
Arms crossed.
Caleb froze.
Marcus almost laughed.
Rachel looked at him.
“I found him.”
Marcus pointed toward Caleb.
“Your criminal.”
Caleb looked down.
Rachel walked over.
“What did I say?”
“Tell you first.”
“And?”
“I forgot.”
“You planned.”
“Maybe.”
Marcus stepped away.
Parenting was not his department.
Rachel noticed the brake assembly in Caleb’s hands.