Chapter 31: Adrian

I slam my right foot down onto the brake pedal. The rubber pad is worn flat in the center, and the sole of my shoe slips to the right before catching the edge. My right hand grips the plastic gear lever. I press the thumb button on the side of the handle and pull the stick backward, passing the neutral notch until it clicks into Reverse.

The transmission makes a sharp thud beneath the floorboards. On the dashboard, the digital screen switches from the radio display to the low-resolution backup camera feed. The screen shows the concrete wash bay opening behind me, framed by two rows of...