Need for Speed Read Online Free PDF Page A

him.
    â€œHi, Tobey,” she said, trying to smile.
    â€œAnita,” Tobey said with a nod, trying to stay cool.
    â€œI was really sorry to hear about your dad,” she said softly. “You got the flowers, didn’t you?”
    Tobey nodded again—this was very uncomfortable. There was a long pause. He stared at the ground, and Anita stared at him. She had stopped trying to smile. The look in her eyes said it all. She should’ve stayed with him . . .
    Anita broke the silence. “Thanks for watching out for Pete,” she said.
    Tobey just shrugged. “Glad to do it. He’s like a little brother to me.”
    Her smile returned briefly.
    â€œHow’s the shop?” she asked, trying to sound cheerful. Truth was, it was harder for her to talk to Tobey than it was for him to talk to her.
    â€œFine,” Tobey lied. “Everything’s going good . . .”
    Anita was a little surprised to hear this. “Really? Well, that’s nice . . .”
    She was trying her best to hide the skepticism in her voice. There was another awkward silence. Now it was Tobey who broke it.
    â€œSo how’s the big city?” he asked her.
    â€œDifferent than I expected, I guess,” she replied. “But it’s not here, that’s for sure.”
    Tobey forced a smile. “You still allergic to Mount Kisco?”
    Anita almost laughed. “You still think you’re funny, huh?” she said. “Well, I’ll tell you. There’s a few things left in Mount Kisco that I really like.”
    Tobey shook his head a little. “Seems like you found what you’re looking for.”
    Anita knew what he was talking about: Dino.
    â€œI’m taking it real slow,” she said, almost like she had to convince herself.
    Tobey looked her right in the eye.
    â€œDino’s not a guy who takes anything slow,” he said, carefully pronouncing every syllable.
    She glared right back at him. “Then you should have moved a little quicker,” she scolded him.
    A third awkward silence—but this time their eyes were locked on each other.
    â€œIs that what you came here to tell me?” he asked her in a harsh whisper.
    She shook her head. “No—it isn’t,” she replied. “In fact, Dino has something he wants to talk to you about. Something important.”
    â€œI doubt that,” Tobey said.
    â€œIt’s true,” she said. “But not until after the race. I don’t want to distract you.”
    Tobey had had enough. He said to her, “Then you should’ve stayed in Manhattan.”
    With that, he walked away.
    * * *
    It was almost midnight.
    Joe Peck was standing under the Mount Kisco overpass, the finish line for the upcoming race. Crews for all of the cars competing in the race were standing nearby.
    Finn was also there, working on his laptop.
    Joe’s cell phone rang. It was Tobey, still back at the drive-in.
    â€œWhat’s your status?” Tobey asked him.
    â€œWe’re in place at the finish line,” Joe replied. “How are you feeling?”
    â€œI’m okay,” Tobey told him. “Do you have the road locked down?”
    â€œWell, Benny is up there,” Joe said. “Or at least I think he is. Hold on . . .”
    Joe Peck pushed a button on his radio handset.
    â€œLiar One?” he called into the mic. “Are you standing by?”
    Benny’s distinctive voice came through the handset’s tiny speaker.
    â€œNot this again,” he moaned. “Why do you have to use that shitty handle?”
    â€œI wouldn’t have to use it,” Joe Peck told him, “if you would just stop telling people you flew Apache helicopters when you were in the army.”
    â€œI was a mechanic in army
aviation
,” Benny replied testily. “And I once took an Apache for a joyride. That’s all I ever said.”
    This
was
an