Free Restore My Heart by Cheryl Norman Page A

against the wall. “One semester we were signing up new students. An overweight freshman asked me all sorts of questions at orientation, clearly wanting to join the class. But she held back, saying she’d have to lose weight before she enrolled.”
    “Did she? Lose weight, I mean?”
    He shook his head. “No. Master asked her why she thought overweight people hadn’t the right to defend themselves. Two years later, she beat my butt in a tournament, and still outweighed me by several pounds.”
    Sally laughed. “Good for her.”
    “And now I’m asking you: Why would you think a person with an injured leg deserves less than anyone else?”
    Her eyes narrowed, her nostrils flared, reminding him of a filly during a thunderstorm. “I don’t think that!”
    “Okay.” He held out supplicating hands. “I’m sorry if I spoke out of turn.”
    “You do have a point.” She sighed, the fire in her eyes abating. “My life’s a lot more complicated than you know. And I’m not going into it.”
    “Fair enough. I didn’t mean to pry.”
Liar
. He did want to know what demons she battled. He could be patient. “Tell me about your upper body strength training. Is that part of your aggressive physical therapy?”
    “That’s job related.” She flashed him a cocky grin. “I can’t have customers thinking I’m a weak mechanic. There’s a lot of muscle required in auto work. Some of my hardest labor is lying beneath an engine working with my arms held up over my head. Several hours of that tend to wear you down.”
    Joe pushed aside the image of Sally lying with her arms held up, an image without an automobile or overalls covering her body. Down, boy! “I’d never call you a weak mechanic. You’re anything but weak, lady.”
    She ducked her head, murmuring “thanks.” Embarrassed again? Didn’t anyone ever feed this woman praise? Sally presented a curious puzzle, one he’d like to solve.
    “Does your regimen include a special diet?”
    “No. I take extra calcium and vitamins to strengthen my bones. Liquid minerals help boost my energy and immune system.” Her lips turned up in a smile that failed to mask the strain in her eyes. “You must think I’m a health nut.”
    “Not after watching you wolf down two rolled oysters and a mountain of French fries.” His teasing remark eased the tension, earning him a smile.
    “Watching me? Ha! You were too busy stuffing your own face—”
    Roy Bishop stuck his head inside the door, interrupting her. “Excuse me, boss.”
    “Hey, Roy.” Sally beamed at the mechanic. The easy camaraderie between the two suggested a long working relationship. “Aren’t you due home by now? Janet will have my hide working you late on a Saturday.”
    “I’m gone. I have a call in to that guy in Moultrie about those relays, in case he calls back this afternoon.”
    “I’ll handle it.” Sally waved him away. “See you Monday.”
    Roy’s retreating footsteps faded, followed by a door banging shut.
    “I didn’t realize it was this late,” Joe said. “Where are the cops?”
    “You told them it wasn’t an emergency. And I told you it was a waste of time.”
    “We’ll see. You need to lock up while we wait.”
    Sally looked at the electric clock on the wall opposite her desk, a clock reminiscent of grade school. “Yeah, I need to clean up before heading to the Universal Joint. Uncle Sal doesn’t usually work Saturdays, but he’s there today and I told him I’d stop by.”
    Joe wasn’t ready to leave. They hadn’t discussed the attempt on her life with the police, nor had he broached the subject of tomorrow’s dinner at his mother’s. He’d hoped to bring up the subject of Vic and the Darrin, too.
    Sally must have read his mind. “You want to follow me over there? We could grab some health food.”
    “Health food. Right.” Her invitation cheered him, more than he’d expected. “I don’t mind if I do.”

    Just as Sally suspected, the police report didn’t take