Nolan glanced at the key in his hand and then stared for a long moment at the sleek red sports car. ‘You’re joking.’
‘I know how you and your father are about cars, so I wouldn’t joke about something like this.’ Martin’s thick Irish brogue was filled with sincerity. ‘Did you pass a long, dark car on your way up the road?’
‘Yes?’
‘Well, the gentleman riding in the back of that fine automobile left this car for you, along with a note.’ Martin pulled an envelope from the pocket of his overalls. ‘He said it would explain everything.’
Nolan tore open the envelope with the edge of the Viper key and extracted the letter inside. The stationery bore the embossed penta-star emblem of the Chrysler Corporation. Nolan unfolded the sheet and read the handwritten letter aloud.
‘Dear Mr Kilkenny, ‘I read about your exploits in London over the weekend. Bravo! Your name sounded familiar, so I made a few calls. I discovered that your name had come to my attention a few months ago, during the investigation that dealt with an attempt to break into Chrysler’s computer network. The FBI said that you prevented the thieves from doing any real damage, and for that I and everyone in Auburn Hills thank you. If our corporate financial records had been damaged, or our engineering research stolen…well, I don’t want to think about what that would have cost us. You’ve saved Chrysler a lot of money and we owe you, so I’ll get to the point. ‘Your efforts to catch the people responsible for these crimes cost you a Mustang. She was a classic, and I ought to know because I built enough of them. The Mustang holds a special place in my heart. By way of a thank-you, I’d like you to have one of our new Vipers. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.’
Nolan stared at the signature of Chrysler’s chairman emeritus boldly scrawled across the bottom of the letter, still not believing what he’d read. ‘You mean that was…’
Martin grinned from ear to ear now that the surprise was out. ‘Aye, big as life, cigar and all. Drove this little beauty out here himself, he did. He hopes that you’ll like it.’
After only a few years of production, the Viper had already earned an honored place in the American musclecar pantheon.
‘I think I can live with it,’ Nolan replied. ‘You want to try her out, Dad?’
Sean was already opening the passenger door. ‘I thought you’d never ask.’
Nolan and his father put the Viper through a rigorous test-drive on the highways and side roads between Dexter and Chelsea, turning heads and gathering envious looks wherever they went. Almost two hours later, they returned to the Kilkenny farm grinning like a pair of juvenile delinquents. It was the kind of car that made a definite impression.
‘Should we set a plate for you?’ Sean asked as they pulled up to the farm’s main house.
‘No. Kelsey got out of the hospital yesterday, and I’m taking her out to dinner to celebrate her recovery.’ Nolan noticed a slightly arched eyebrow on his father’s face. ‘What?’
‘Nothing.’ Sean’s voice lowered to a sly tone. ‘I was just thinking about the bounty.’
The Newton and Kilkenny families had been close even before Nolan and Kelsey had been born. Once their combined children reached marrying age, the parents began thinking about grandchildren. To encourage those who were already married to have kids, the respective fathers offered a one-thousand-dollar bounty for the first grandchild in each family.
In an effort to create a marital bond between the two families, Meghan Kilkenny and Anna Newton had upped the ante with a five-thousand-dollar prize for the first child from a Kilkenny-Newton union. With most of the Kilkenny and Newton children now married, Nolan and Kelsey were the only candidates left for the big prize.
‘For the moment, Dad, your money’s still safe.’
Nolan parked the Viper beside the old Egan barn, where he now lived. It wasn’t until the hot water struck his body that he realized how gritty he felt from the long flight. As he showered, he went over his plans for the evening, preparing himself as if he was going on a mission. He realized that in many ways, he was on the most critical mission of his life. The water refreshed him and brought clarity to his mind. The events of the past few days were forgotten and only the next few hours were important.
Once out of the shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist and studied the fading scars on his face. The gash on his forehead was healing nicely and was mostly hidden by his thick red hair. Nolan wasn’t an unusually vain person, but pride in one’s appearance was a virtue drilled in by the military, and Nolan felt that tonight required attention to every detail.
He completed the shaving ritual with a light splash of a cologne. With his grooming preparations complete, Nolan dressed in the medium weight blue-gray wool suit he’d bought from a reputable London tailor. From the outside, Nolan was as ready as he would ever be. Inside, it was a completely different story. He felt as nervous as a high school boy on his first date.
Nolan rang the bell and Kelsey’s father welcomed him inside and offered him a drink, which he declined. He stood in the foyer making polite small talk while waiting for Kelsey to appear. Kelsey was with her mother upstairs and still getting dressed. Both men waited, half-listening to the evening news while talking about Nolan’s new car.
Ten minutes after Nolan arrived, Kelsey appeared on the balcony overlooking the foyer. Her hair was drawn back in a French braid accented with her new gold and lapis hair clasp, and she seemed to glow as she slowly descended the staircase, carefully taking each step one at a time. The shimmering lapis silk dress looked more stunning on her than Nolan ever imagined, flattering every sensuous curve of her body. Nolan’s heart began to race as Kelsey approached; she was a radiant vision. In his mind’s eye, Kelsey Newton had completely evolved from longtime friend and confidante into something more profound. She now held a place in Nolan’s heart that no one had ever occupied before, a vague, empty space that he’d dismissed until the day he thought he’d lost her. The transformation of Kelsey in Nolan’s mind, of how he thought and felt about her, was now complete.
‘Kelsey,’ Nolan stammered, finding himself at a loss for words, ‘you look incredible.’
‘This is the dress I told you about, Nolan, the one I bought in Chicago. Thanks for giving me a reason to wear it.’
‘Kelsey, the dress is nice, but you’re the one who makes it look special.’
Nolan offered a hand and helped Kelsey negotiate the last steps. She was taking the stairs carefully, as if each step threatened to send a jolt of pain through her wounded ribs should she take one too hard. Nolan had suffered rib injuries before and could empathize with her condition. It would take some time before she was fully healed from the accident. When Kelsey reached the last step, she leaned over and kissed him. Her lips lingered on his for a moment and her warmth glowed like a welcome fire.
‘Are you ready for a night out on the town?’
‘You wouldn’t believe how ready I am, Nolan. I’m tired of recuperating. If I don’t get out and do something fun, I’m going to lose my mind.’
‘That’s the truth, Nolan,’ Kelsey’s mother commented from the living room. ‘She’s not one to just sit around. For her to be cooped up here is a lot like caging a wild animal.’
‘Well, I’ll take her out for a little fresh air,’ Nolan volunteered graciously. ‘We’ll probably be out late, so don’t wait up for us.’
Kelsey’s father put a firm hand on Nolan’s shoulder. ‘You two are adults responsible for your own actions. Kelsey has a key, and I expect we’ll be fast asleep when you return.’
Nolan nodded, accepting the trust that Kelsey and her parents placed in him. He smiled at Kelsey. ‘Very well, my lady, your chariot awaits.’
Nolan carefully helped Kelsey to the door, which her father held open as they both passed through. Arm in arm with Nolan, she already seemed noticeably better. Only when they stopped beside the Viper’s passenger door did Kelsey look away from her date and notice the bright red car.
‘Nolan, where did you get this car?’
Nolan acted nonchalantly about the Viper. ‘It’s just a car, Kelsey, four wheels, an engine. Something to get you from point A to point B.’
‘At the speed of light, from the looks of it. It’s so cute.’ Kelsey gave Nolan a stern look; she wanted the truth and not one of his stories. ‘Is it your dad’s?’
‘No, it’s mine,’ he answered casually.
Kelsey studied him skeptically, but she sensed he was telling the truth.
‘Kelsey, it’s a long story, but I’ll tell you on the way.’
