Andrea Donovan Pt. 07

The uncompleted coral had now reached the corner of the house, having made its way from the stables and around the driveway; we were more than half-way home now I noticed with great satisfaction. It was good to work on another project with Ricky again as well as Hans. Hans and I had never done anything except build roads together but the elderly man's presence did bring back many memories of our time spent on construction projects together, to which there had been many. Hans seemed to be enjoying the coral work and I sensed that there was also a sense of pride within him for having been asked to help in building the coral. - Everyone needs to be needed.

After the three of us had completed another ten foot section of the coral, I suddenly noticed Andrea standing beside the BMW with a Subway sandwich for me and motioning for me to shut down the noisy welder.

It was now high noon at the Lazy-G ranch.

"Gentlemen, the coral looks amazing! ...Time for you to eat now" Andrea said surveying our morning's work.

"My, where did the morning go?" Hans asked as he removed his safety goggles and began cleaning his hands with a Tough-Towel.

"I'd say that you about worked yourselves out of a morning, Hans" Brenda replied as she set down sandwiches and sodas for everyone onto the car's trunk lid.

"Hans, come get a sandwich and soda, Honey" Andrea said, pointing toward the Beamer's trunk lid.

"Thank you Andrea, I will" Hans replied, walking toward the car now.

"Babe, can we change oil in the Deuce right after lunch? Brenda and I want to head to Tucson with it after we eat" Andrea asked me.

"Sure, Honey, I already have everything ready for it at the Texaco, oil, filter and everything" I said, leaning down for another kiss.

Andrea stood on her toes and kissed me.

"Your kisses taste like horseradish" I said, taking another bite of my sandwich and looking her in the eye.

Andrea rolled her eyes at this statement and replied with "Just eat your sandwich, please."

My phone rang.

"Hello" I answered.

"Hello Tim, this is Indio, could we come over and take some quick measurements on the second floor hoist please? We are almost ready to pour our foundation for the first floor hoist and just want to double check some of the dimensions" Indio explained.

"Sure, Indio, we'll be there in about thirty minutes, you can check out Andrea's thirty four Ford while you're there" I answered.

"Oh, excellent, we will see you there then, in thirty minutes" Indio replied.

"See you then" I answered as we each said good-bye and clicked off.

"Honey, go get your car now and I'll meet you at the Texaco" I said as I began walking within the direction of the station.

"OK Hon', thank you" Andrea said as she began walking in the other direction.

Ten minutes later I had the hood halves of the Deuce coup propped open with the oil draining into a plastic tub below. I spun off the used oil filter and looked up to see Hans fiddling with the dial of the second safe as he sat in a fold up chair in front of it. Ricky and Andrea were seated at the old Army surplus desk and talking while Brenda stood beside the second floor hoist and yakked with someone on her phone. Vic now walked into the bays just as Indio and Billy drove up in one of the yellow Pioneer Construction & Demolition pick-up trucks.

"Oh, my, this automobile that you have is a thing of beauty my friends! May I photograph it for my wife?" Indio asked excitedly.

"It's Tim and Ricky's creation, you need to ask them, Indio" Andrea replied.

"Yes, please do photograph it Indio" I replied as I spread oil on the new filter's rubber gasket.

Indio began filming and photographing the car when suddenly there was a sound of CAH-CHUNK... all conversation now stopped as everyone looked toward Hans.

"Did you ...just open that?" I asked Hans incredulously and noticing the position of the safe's door handle now.

"Well - I - I think I just did, yes" Hans stammered.

"How in the hell could you have possibly guessed the combination, Hans?" I asked with genuine shock.

"All the safes that we ever relinquished during my time in the Army, first had their combinations reset to - all zeros ...apparently this one was no different" Hans replied, obviously within a degree of his own shock.

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More to follow