Free Microsoft Word - Taxes_and_TARDIS-NR_Walker.doc by Dawn

into the roof cavity to see if I could locate an obvious problem for the light shortage in the storeroom.
    The space was like all ceiling cavities—dusty, dirty, and full of spider webs. It was also home to one crispy mouse and chewed-through wires. It'd be an easy fix.
    I stuck my head through the access hole and called out to Logan. I showed him the culprit, and he turned his nose up and stifled a strange eeeeep sound at the sight of the blackened mouse. He held out the wastebasket for me to drop it into and shuddered from head to foot when it fell into the bin. I chuckled at him, and he glared at me. "You'll

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    be washing your hands before you touch me again, mister."
    I grinned down at him, and he rolled his eyes, then quickly changed the subject. "So what do you need?"
    I already had my flashlight, so I asked him to hand up the reel of blue cable, my needle-nose pliers, and asked him to turn the power off.
    He looked at me nervously. "Will you be okay?"
    I smiled at him through the hole in the ceiling, and I didn't even roll my eyes. "Yes, I'll be fine."
    "How will you know when the power's off?"
    I stifled a laugh. "Um, because it will be dark."
    He glared at me through the hole, put his hands on his hips, and raised one eyebrow. "Right then, smartass."
    I laughed, and he turned on his heel and disappeared from my view. But I heard him mumbling as he walked off.
    "I can hear you through the ceiling," I called out.
    "Good," he shot back, from what sounded like in the front room. "Then I won't have to ask if you're okay if I do this?" he said, just as he flicked the main power.
    I smiled, even though he couldn't see me. "Good," I replied in the dark. "Then I won't have to tell you I'm fine."
    I flipped on my flashlight and had started replacing the damaged wires when I heard the bell on the front door indicating a customer. Then a female, English-accented voice said, "Logan? Why are the lights out?"

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    "Well, dear sister," he answered, letting me know who he was talking to, "the lights are out so the electrician fixing the lighting problem doesn't end up like the mouse who ate the wires."
    "A mouse chewed through the wiring?" Beth asked.
    "Yes, it got electrocuted," Logan told her. "Ugh. It was disgusting." I smiled to myself.
    "Is there a lot of damage?" Beth asked, alarmed.
    "And just how much is a Sunday call-out charge going to cost me?"
    "He's already paid me," I called out.
    There was silence for a long moment, until Logan
    explained, "He can hear through the ceiling, apparently."
    "Oh," Beth said. Then she whisper-shouted, "Lord blimey, Logan, you could have told me."
    I chuckled. They sounded alike; their English
    accents matched.
    "I'm almost done," I told them. And not a moment later, I asked Logan to turn the power back on. "Okay, flick the switch in the storage room."
    And presto!
    There was light.
    I collected my gear and stepped down the ladder to face a waiting Logan and his sister, Beth. She was tall and slim with long brown hair. They looked alike, even though

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    she didn't wear glasses.
    I brushed a spider web from my shoulder and
    dusted off my hands before extending one out to introduce myself to Logan's sister.
    Logan spoke first. "Beth, this is Brent Kelly. Brent, this is my sister, Beth."
    We shook hands, and I gave her my best smile. "Hi.
    Nice to finally meet you. Logan talks about you all the time."
    And I could see the moment in her eyes when the
    penny dropped. "You're Brent?"
    I nodded. "Sure am."
    Logan cleared his throat. "Beth, Brent's an
    electrician, and he offered to take a look at the problem."
    She looked me up and down. "Yes, I can see that.
    Thank you," she said rather curtly. Her British accent had more bite than Logan's. I realized then, though I had no clue why, but Logan's sister didn't like me.
    The bell at the door rang, signaling a customer.
    Logan looked at me