Murphy's Garage sat on the wrong side of Coldwater, wedged between a pawn shop and a laundromat that had been closed since I was twelve. The building's red brick had faded to the color of dried blood, and the sign out front buzzed even when it wasn't lit. It wasn't much, but for the past three years, it had been my sanctuary.Now it felt like a trap.I'd arrived at eleven-thirty, too anxious to wait at home in the cramped studio apartment I could barely afford. The garage bay was open, and I'd thrown myself into work, trying to lose myself in the familiar comfort of engines and grease. Old man Patterson's Ford needed a transmission flush, and I'd stripped down to my tank top despite the morning chill, my hands already black with grime.Work was the only thing that quieted my mind. The only thing that made sense in a world that had been chaos since Dad died.My father, Chen Wei, had been the best motorcycle mechanic in three counties. He'd learned his trade in Taiwan before immigrating
Last Updated : 2026-01-30 Read more