“You okay?”
Dutch shook his head.
“Arty was supposed to outlive all of us.”
Gravel didn't answer.
Dutch rubbed his eyes.
Then whispered, “That boy's going to grow up without hearing his father's voice.”
For a long time, Gravel remembered those words.
He just hadn't known what Dutch intended to do about them.
Rusty decided to approach the electrical problem first.
He didn't allow another hurried attempt to start the engine. Instead, the mechanics isolated the relevant circuits and examined the undocumented wiring with appropriate equipment, looking for evidence that a hidden cutout existed.
Tyler worked methodically.
He compared the visible wiring with the older modification notes they'd gathered.
Nate inspected the relevant areas without removing more than necessary.
Big Dave stood nearby, holding a flashlight and trying not to look impatient.
After nearly forty minutes, Tyler stopped.
“Rusty.”
The shop owner turned.
“What?”
“Come look at this.”
Rusty approached.
Tyler pointed toward a small, previously overlooked component concealed near the fuel tank assembly.
It wasn't obvious from the outside.
Someone had integrated it carefully into the motorcycle's modified electrical system.
Rusty leaned closer.
For several seconds, he examined the arrangement.
Then he looked toward Nate.
“Well, I'll be damned.”
Nate nodded.
“There it is.”
Big Dave frowned.
“What?”
Tyler straightened.
“The kid's hidden cutout.”
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Dave looked toward the office.
Leo was sitting at the desk with a pencil in his hand, working through a page of multiplication problems.
The large mechanic stared.
Then whispered, “No way.”
Rusty stood silently.
He wasn't ready to celebrate.
The security circuit appeared real, but that didn't mean it was the only fault.
The repeated kickback still required explanation.
And the engine could have sustained additional damage during the unsuccessful starting attempts.
But Leo had been right about something important.
The motorcycle contained an undocumented feature that every adult in the garage had overlooked.
Rusty walked toward the office.
Leo looked up nervously.
“Am I in trouble?”
The mechanic stopped.
For a moment, he stared.
Then shook his head.
“No.”
Leo frowned.
“Then what?”
Rusty crouched beside the desk.
“We found the switch.”
The boy's eyes widened.
“You did?”
Rusty nodded.
“Exactly where you said it would be.”
Leo stared.
For a moment, his mouth opened.
Then he smiled.
Not a triumphant smile.
Not the kind of grin somebody wears after proving a rival wrong.
It was something smaller.
A look of relief.
As though he had been frightened that the memories of his father were becoming less reliable with every passing year.