White Raven

Chapter Five: New Car Smell

Ary wasn't surprised to learn that her i***t cousin had gone back to Chicago. She didn't know why he suddenly decided to up and join a gang this past year, but she did know that he was in way over his head. Luke may have been a big deal in Haven, but it was hard not to be a big deal in a town with just barely six hundred residents.

She and Luke hadn't really kept in touch after she dropped out of college and moved far away from the state of Illinois. She hadn't really kept in touch with anyone, which is why she was stuck socializing with her mother. She didn't have any friends.

Today she was spending the day with her Uncle Jack. He had called and asked her to come down to the Sheriff's Office. Of course her first thought was that he found out what she had been doing for the last year and was going to arrest her, but she quickly shook the thought away. If anyone knew what she had been up to, the FBI would have been knocking down her front door.

The River County Sheriff's Office was located in Riverdale, a town a few miles south of Haven. It was an old brick building that sat across the street from a liquor store. Ary laughed at that. Besides for her Uncle Jack there were four deputies. They didn't need a lot of officers when the worst crime that had ever been committed in River County was when Tripp Johnson had stolen a box of tampons from the grocery store. It had been a dare and all he got was an awkward talk with his parents and fifteen hours of community service.

"So, what are we doing today?" Ary asked her uncle as she hopped into the passenger seat of her uncle's Blazer. It was an old piece of junk with the words 'River County Sheriff' on the side.

"I thought we'd cruise around downtown and try and catch some jaywalkers," her uncle said, grinning over at her as he put the Blazer into gear and pulled out onto the road.

He was dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt, his badge clipped to his gun holster that was strapped around his waist. His dark brown hair was sticking up in all directions and he wore aviator sunglasses, hiding his dark green eyes.

"I don't know if Dad would like me being involved with something so dangerous," Ary replied, acting as if she were scared.

Jack let out a laugh. "I don't know who your real father is, but it certainly can't be my brother. You're way too funny," he joked.

"You have to have a sense of humor when you live with my mother," Ary told him.

"Yeah, your mom is quite the character, but she is pretty hot," Jack sighed. Ary made a gagging noise and he just laughed. "Come on, where do you think you got your good looks from because they certainly didn't come from Tommy."

"I like to think I get my looks from my dashing uncle," Ary said, fighting back a grin.

"Oh geez, you're so full of s**t," Jack said, rolling his eyes. "But you do speak the truth. I am dashing." He rubbed his stubbled jaw and admired himself in the rearview mirror.

"Now who's full of s**t?" Ary laughed as her uncle shook out his dark hair, like female models usually do.

Ary and her uncle spent the next hour cruising around the mostly barren highways of River County. She had forgotten how much fun her uncle could be. He wasn't anywhere near as strict or serious as her father was. That might have to do with the fact that he was only thirty-six and was currently a bachelor. He didn't have any children he needed to keep in line, although sometimes his deputies behaved like they were children.

"Did you get a chance to talk to Luke before he went back to Chicago?" Jack asked her. They were parked on a back road, hiding behind tall grass. They were setting a speed trap for the highway even though the radar gun was sitting untouched in the backseat.

"No," Ary said, giving her uncle a curious look.

"So he hasn't spoken to you about the incident last week?" Jack was starting to sound serious.

"Are you trying to ask me if I know something about it?" Ary ventured. Was this whole bonding experience so her uncle could grill her about Luke's accident?

"You and Luke use to be inseparable and you share a lot of the same friends. I just thought maybe you had heard something," Jack shrugged, casually.

"I haven't spoken to any of Luke's friends in well over a year, and I've barely spoken to Luke since I've been back," Ary snapped, angrily. If her uncle had wanted to ask her any questions he should have just come right out and ask them, not spend the day trying to butter her up.

"Hey, this isn't an interrogation," Jack laughed, holding his hands up in surrender. "I'm just trying to find out who hurt my favorite nephew."

"He's your only nephew," Ary mumbled. Then she let out a heavy sigh. She didn't know why she was being so defensive. It was just hard keeping secrets from her family.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Jack apologized. He was giving her a worried look. She didn't normally get upset this easily, even when someone was questioning her.

"Geez, Uncle Jack, no need to get all chick flick moment. I'm not gonna start bawling," Ary teased, rolling her eyes. Although she could understand his worry; she was a Harper woman afterall and they tended to be overly emotional.

"You've been hanging out with me too much," Jack chuckled. That sounded like something he would have said.

They sat in silence for awhile, watching as cars flew by. Jack still hadn't brought out the radar gun. She doubted her uncle cared too much about cars speeding down the highway. He seemed preoccupied with Luke's accident. Not only did it scare her family, but it freaked out all the residents of Haven. They were terrified that more 'carjackings' were going to happen in their sleepy little town.

"Hey kid, what do ya say we get out of here?" Jack suddenly announced, starting the Blazer.

"Aren't you supposed to be working?" Ary gave him a curious look.

"It's almost quitting time," Jack shrugged, pulling the Blazer out onto the highway and heading back to Riverdale.

"It's barely one o'clock in the afternoon," Ary pointed to the clock on the radio.

"There is a bit of my brother in you, afterall," Jack groaned, shaking his head.

"Well, excuse me if I'm upset that my tax dollars are being used so you can goof off," Ary scoffed, rolling her eyes. She hated being compared to anyone in her family.

"First of all, you don't have a job, therefore you don't pay taxes. Secondly, my pay is crap. And lastly, do you want to sit in a car with your uncle all day or do you want to get an early birthday present?" Jack shot her a grin as he turned into town.

"I choose option number two," Ary said, excitedly.

"You don't like hanging out with me?" Jack gave her a hurt look. "I think I might just cry." He faked a sniffle and dabbed at his dry eyes.

"I think I know where Mads got her drama queen tendencies," Ary said, rolling her eyes.

"You, my dear baby niece, are rude," Jack huffed. He turned down a narrow road on the edge of town. It was the road that led to the junkyard.

"Really, Uncle Jack?" Ary gave her uncle a flat look. "Is this going to be like the time you forgot to buy Christmas gifts and let us kids pick out any food we wanted from your pantry?"

"Hey, you guys didn't seem to mind as you tore into that jumbo bag of marshmallows and my last box of Coacoa Puffs," Jack defended as he drove through the junkyard. It was like driving through a cemetery for old cars and farm machinery.

"You should really have more faith in me," he said, waving a finger at her.

"I would, but unfortunately I know your history. I'm still amazed they let you be Sheriff," she said, shaking her head.

"Is it too late to disown you?" Jack wondered out loud as he put the Blazer in park and got out. Ary did the same. "I know you miss your truck,"

"So you brought me here to try and find that muffler I lost last year?" Ary asked.

"You ruin surprises for everyone," Jack sighed as he led her to the back part of the junkyard. This area at least held vehicles that looked like they were mostly in one piece, but in desperate need of a makeover.

"I hate surprises," Ary said as she looked over all the vehicles that they passed. "Really, Uncle Jack, I don't need another project car. I'm perfectly okay with Scar's old car. It at least has a working air conditioner."

"That toy car was not meant for country living. This baby, however-" Jack grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around.

Parked in front of them was a Jeep Wrangler that looked to be at least ten years old. The hood was a little dented and the hunter green paint was chipping off in some places, but for the most part it looked to be in pretty decent condition. It at least had all four tires and the windshield was void of any cracks.

"Now, I know it doesn't look too pretty, but she runs great and she barely has a hundred thousand miles on her," Jack told her. It sounded like he was bragging about his girlfriend.

"It's awesome!" Ary exclaimed, running over to it. She pride open the driver's side door and was met with a foul smelling odor. "Holy crap," she gasped, stumbling backwards.

"Yeah, there was a dead raccoon in the back. Looked like it had been there a while," Jack came over to stand next to her. "You might want to let it air out for a while," he said, patting her on the back.

"Ya think?" Ary glared at him. Her eyes were watering, the smell was that bad.

"Well, enjoy your present. Keys are in the ignition," Jack said, turning around and walking back towards his Blazer.

"You are truly an evil genius, Jack Harper," Ary muttered to herself as she eased her way back towards the Jeep, making sure not to breath through her nose. "Oh God, I can taste it," she gagged.

Ary didn't know what the future held for her, but at least she wouldn't have to face it while driving the girliest car alive. The Jeep was definitely the perfect vehicle for her, even if it did smell like boiling raccoon death.