Leo stopped breathing.
The bikers behind him looked at one another.
Jim stared at the boy.
“Arty’s son?”
Leo nodded slowly.
Jim walked toward him.
The shop seemed to shrink.
Leo held broom like it could somehow protect him.
Jim stopped three feet away.
“What’s your name?”
“Leo.”
“How old?”
“Eight.”
Jim studied him.
“You know who I am?”
Leo nodded.
“My dad called you Mercer.”
One biker covered a laugh.
Jim’s mouth twitched.
“What else did your dad call me?”
Leo looked toward Rusty.
Rusty silently begged him not to answer.
Leo said:
“He said you never paid labor rates without complaining.”
The garage erupted.
Even Dave laughed.
Jim stared for one long second.
Then laughed louder than anyone.
“That's Arty.”
Leo relaxed slightly.
Jim pointed toward the motorcycle.
“You ever see that bike before?”
Leo nodded.
“In pictures.”
“Your dad work on it?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“A lot.”
“How much is a lot?”
Leo looked at the FXR.
“He said Dutch never stopped changing things because normal motorcycles made him bored.”
Jim’s eyes softened.
“That sounds right.”
Leo took a breath.
“The timing marks are wrong.”
Rusty closed his eyes.
Jim turned slowly.
“Excuse me?”
Dave muttered:
“Here we go.”
Jim looked back at Leo.
“What do you mean?”
Rusty stepped in.
“He overheard us. Kid stuff.”
Leo’s face reddened.
“It’s not kid stuff.”
Rusty lowered his voice.
“Leo.”
The boy gripped broom harder.
“Dad showed me.”
Silence.
Jim looked at Rusty.
Rusty looked at Leo.
“What did he show you?”
Leo pointed toward the FXR.
“Dutch broke something in the engine in Reno.”
Jim frowned.
“When?”
Leo shrugged.
“Before I was born.”
“Helpful.”
“He couldn't get the right part.”
Jim looked at the motorcycle.
“Dutch could afford parts.”
Leo shook his head.
“My dad said Dutch could afford parts. Dutch didn't like waiting for parts.”
Jim smiled faintly.
“That sounds more accurate.”
Leo continued.
“So they used pieces from an older engine.”
Dave stepped forward.
“What pieces?”
Leo looked nervous now.
He knew ideas.
Not terminology perfectly.
“My dad called it a Shovel part.”
Dave’s expression changed.