Free Broken Identity by Ashley Williams Page B

gentleman that his dilapidated vehicle would be better off in a junkyard than on the road. “I might as well tell you now. I don’t even have a fraction of the money I need to buy a car, used or not. I brought my truck down here today to see if you might be…well, if you might be interested in buying it.”
    Bruno maintained his smile, which Drake found particularly odd. Why hadn’t this guy already run him out of his office? Drake almost left, but Bruno stopped him by saying, “I can’t make any promises, but I’ll be happy to look at your truck.”
    Drake knew he should feel ecstatic at those words, but he couldn’t ignore the looming dread of being turned down as he led the man outside. Don’t hold your breath, Drake. Once he sees your truck, you’re gone.

    “I can’t find my toothbrush anywhere,” Ronnie complained as he searched again through his unpacked bags.
    “Did you check the zippers?” Andrew called from downstairs.
    “All empty.”
    “Hang on, I’m coming.” Andrew hustled up the stairs, wishing his body would stop reminding him of his age. “Wait…” he stopped. “Then you didn’t brush your teeth last night?”
    “Uh…no.”
    “Then I must have forgotten it,” Andrew said, mounting the last stair. “I didn’t even think to get your things out of the bathroom before I left.” He thought for a moment and snapped his fingers. “Ronnie, hold on. I think I have an extra toothbrush in the bottom left drawer in the bathroom cabinet. You’re welcome to it until I buy you a new one.”
    Ronnie made a face. “You mean a used one?” he said, dragging out the word “used” as if it were the most nauseating thing on earth.
    Andrew stifled a laugh. “No, I don’t mean a used one.” He walked to the bathroom with Ronnie following close behind him. He found the toothbrush and held it up. “See? Still in the package. Here you go.”
    Ronnie took the toothbrush in his hands and examined it, nearly making Andrew laugh again.
    “Still not completely convinced, eh?” he joked.
    “It’s really big,” Ronnie said. “You must have a big mouth.”
    Andrew knew Ronnie hadn’t meant for that to be an insult, so he didn’t take it as one. “Well, I can’t argue with that,” he answered truthfully, rubbing his jaw. “I’ll find you your own toothbrush tomorrow. But for now…” He observed the toothbrush and couldn’t help but smile. Ronnie was right; it was rather big. “I guess you’ll just have to somehow fit that monstrous thing in your mouth and get it over with.”
    Ronnie sighed and trudged over to the sink, but Andrew detected a smile on his face before he disappeared from view. Andrew wondered what it must be like for Ronnie to at last live in a peaceful environment where it was normal to joke around and have fun. Ronnie seemed relaxed here, not tense like Andrew had seen him when he was around Kevin. He was 7 years old, and for the first time in his life, he was allowed to be a kid.
    “Uncle Andy?” Ronnie said in a garbled voice from the bathroom, his mouth overflowing with foamy toothpaste.
    “Yes, Ronnie?”
    Ronnie trudged into Andrew’s bedroom and found him already pulling the covers back on his bed. “Mind if I make a pallet in your room again tonight?”
    Andrew let go of the covers and met Ronnie’s eyes. “You mean you don’t want to try out your soft, new bed yet?”
    Ronnie halfheartedly turned his head to the side in a yes-and-no answer.
    Andrew noticed the disappointment on Ronnie’s face as soon as those words left his mouth, so he said quickly, “Of course you can, Ronnie. I just didn’t want you to think you couldn’t stay in your room because I enjoy your company so much. You know, I sometimes get lonely too in this big old house by myself.”
    “Really?”
    “Sure. C’mon, I’ll pull out the inflatable mattress while you go get the blanket and sheet off your bed.”

Chapter
    6
    S TRANGE R EACTIONS
    Bruno Gorman did appear somewhat