Cut and Run 6 - Stars and Stripes

and no interior. The hood scoop had mice nesting in it. The grill was full of straw.
    Ty fell to a knee and put both hands on the grill. “She’s a ’67 fastback, Zane,” he said, his voice a reverent whisper. “Oh my God, she’s beautiful.”
    Zane laughed as he looked over the old heap. “If you say so, doll.”
    Ty ran his hands over the body, as gentle as if he were stroking a baby’s cheek. “A little bit of time and effort, and she would be.” He got back to his feet and disappeared into the darkness of the shed, pulling the tarp off the rest of the car.
    Zane came to stand beside Harrison, smiling and shaking his head.
    “Oh my God, she’s a Shelby!” Ty called from somewhere in the dark.
    Zane began to laugh, smile lines streaking his handsome face. His eyes filled with joy and warmth, and his frame relaxed. Harrison hadn’t seen his son like this since he’d been a boy.
    Harrison peered back into the darkness. “Ty, come on back out here,” he called.
    Ty edged his way out to them, looking chastised and letting his fingers slide along the car’s rough exterior as he moved. “Sorry,” he offered when he reached them. His eyes were still alight, though, and he was gazing at the car with sincere admiration.
    Zane put a hand on Ty’s shoulder. “Ty enjoys bringing old things back to life.”
    Harrison narrowed his eyes. “Ty.”
    Ty ripped his gaze away from the Mustang. “Sir?”
    “I want you to have that car.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “She’s been sitting here for thirty years. A piece of work like that deserves someone who loves it. Someone who sees it as special even when it looks like that.”
    He looked from the car to his son. The expression on Zane’s face was both hopeful and heartbreaking. He was holding his breath. Harrison met Ty’s eyes. Ty was holding his breath too.
    “I can see you’re a man who looks beneath the surface. And if you can do for that car what you did for my son, well . . . it’ll be in good hands.” Harrison glanced from him to the Mustang, and then gave Zane a sly smile. “Consider her a . . . welcome-to-the-family gift.”
    Zane put a hand on Harrison’s shoulder. “Dad? Really?”
    Harrison nodded, and Zane gave him a fierce hug, barely remembering to be careful of his injury.
    “Thank you, sir,” Ty said, clearly stunned.
    Harrison held out a hand to him. “You brought my son back and turned him into a beautiful thing. I expect you’ll take the same care with that ol’ Hoss.”
    “Yes, sir,” Ty choked out as he shook Harrison’s hand.
    “I’ll call this afternoon and arrange for delivery to Baltimore.” Harrison clapped him on the shoulder, then turned and patted Zane on the chest before walking away. “Breakfast is in a few minutes. Annie and Mark are riding out with us.”
    “Ty’s skipping breakfast,” Zane called back. “He’s heading back to the cat place to play with his tiger.”
    “Interview the interns,” Ty corrected.
    “Have fun with your tiger, Ty,” Harrison called.
    Ty’s shoulders slumped. “Thank you, sir.”
    Harrison chuckled. When he looked again, Ty had Zane by the hand and was dragging him toward the old Mustang. Zane only managed to stop Ty’s excited ramblings by grabbing his face and kissing him.
    Harrison had never seen Zane happier or more at home than he was with Ty’s arms wrapped around him. Even when he’d been with Becky, he’d never lit up quite like he did now.
    Harrison nodded and turned away. That was enough for his peace of mind.

    Ty sat on the front steps, waiting for everything to be prepared so they could ride the freaking horses out to where Harrison had been shot.
    He didn’t know anything about horses, and he only had one good hand, so he couldn’t help much. He just sat and observed as he finished the cheroot he’d been smoking before breakfast. It fended off the horse smell.
    Harrison stopped outside the stable to exchange a few words with Zane, something that made Zane smile. Ty blew a ring of smoke into the air, watching it float away and enlarge to frame Zane and his father in the distance. Harrison waved a hand and headed into the barn. Zane turned and walked toward Ty. No, he sauntered . Ty loved what Texas was doing to Zane.
    Zane grinned when he saw Ty watching him, but Ty sneered back. He loved Zane, but he hated horses. He hated smelling horses. He hated looking at horses. He hated riding horses. He hated falling off horses.
    “You sure you don’t want to