Solid as Steele by Susan Sleeman

Author:Susan Sleeman [Sleeman, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Edge of Your Seat Books, Inc.

Owen stood in the casting company foyer waiting for the manager to come out of his office. Mackenzie had taken a seat, but Owen was too antsy to sit so he walked around the space. He examined a bulletin board in the corner where the company posted the driver of the month’s photo and name. A redheaded man stood in front of a red extended cab linked to an eighteen-wheeler.

“Come look at this,” he said to Mackenzie.

She joined him and stared at the board. Her gaze flashed to his. “Could be our driver.”

“Yeah, unless they have two truckers with red hair and red cabs.” Owen dug his phone from his pocket and snapped a couple of photos. Owen texted the picture to Ernie and tapped his foot while waiting for a reply, but the dinner rush was a busy time and Owen might not get a quick answer.

The lobby door opened, and a stout man with a thick black beard and head of coffee-brown hair poked his head out. “Frank Urban, manager. You people want to see me?”

Owen got out his identification and displayed it then introduced Mackenzie as an associate. “We’d like to ask you questions about one of your trucks.” Owen purposely said the truck instead of the driver to make his request less threatening. “Mind if we have a talk?”

Frank creased his high forehead. “Was one of my trucks involved in something bad?”

“Nothing like that,” Owen said. “We only want to talk to you. In private.”

“This way.” Urban disappeared into a dark hallway.

Owen waited for Mackenzie to enter first, and they both had to hurry not to fall behind the man’s long strides. He turned into a room at the end of the hallway. It was a small dark office with a single desk and three chairs, two of them metal folding chairs. The desk looked handmade from rough timbers perhaps harvested from Oregon forests. A ceramic ashtray loaded with cigar butts sat near the computer, the monitor was yellowed from smoke and the room reeked of it.

Urban dropped onto the cracked blue chair behind the desk. Owen didn’t bother sitting. He wouldn’t be here long enough. “Mind describing your truck fleet? Especially the cab design.”

“All of our company trucks have white cabs with our black logo painted on the side.” Urban leaned back, and the chair groaned as if wanting to die. “We also use contract drivers, and they drive their own rigs.”

“Any of them have a red one with a sleeper?” Mackenzie asked, still standing next to Owen.

“Yeah, one. Nice rig. Owned by Hobert Tovar.”

“Did I see his picture as driver of the month in the lobby?” Mackenzie’s tone was totally innocuous.

“Yep. Been driver of the month for as long as I can remember. Smart driver and hard worker.”

“Is he on the road for you right now?” Owen asked.

Urban nodded. “Had to take a load of fittings to LA. Been gone for two days.”

“And before that?”

“He was off for a week after a trip down to southern California.

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