Arianna stretched, deliberately making sure every muscle felt that pull, before she rolled over to look at the clock. Figures, 04:30. She couldn't even sleep in on her first day of summer vacation or rather the two weeks off she had before summer school started. She allowed herself another stretch before getting moving, she had a lot to do before she went to get the truck from her dad.

Steve finished up his morning swim and toweled himself off. he was acutely aware of his missing workout partner. Ever since that fateful trip to Afghanistan and Cath not returning, his daughter had shown up to exercise with him. She'd begged off this morning saying she needed to get organized and then asked if she could borrow the pickup. Try as he might, he couldn't get her to reveal her plans. He'd settled for the promise of a home cooked meal and caramel brownies as payment for the loan of the vehicle. He checked his watch; he had just enough time to shower, dress and make sure there was fuel in the pickup.

The distinctive rumble of Arianna's motorbike herald her arrival. Steve watched from the front door as she dismounted, hooked her helmet and pulled an overstuffed file folder from her saddle bags. Catching him spying, she waved before grabbing her purse and ball cap from the other side.

"Morning! You planning a siege?" Steve asked, pointing to the file folder.

"Sort of. It's my attack strategy," Arianna replied as she kissed his check.

"Your what?" Steve choked out, pulling back to see her face.

"It's my plan of attack for the day," she explained.

"You've said that twice now but it doesn't exactly clarify the matter," he pointed out trying not to sound like he was interrogating an unwilling suspect.

"If you really must know, I'm going garage selling."

Steve shook his head. "You're what?"

"Going garage selling. You know, going to people's houses where they are getting rid of items they no longer want."

"I know what they are, I just don't get why you're going."

"I'm looking for some lanai furniture, a basketball hoop and maybe some bedroom furniture for the spare room," she expanded.

"What's wrong with going to the store?" Steve asked still trying to wrap his head around the concept.

"Absolutely nothing but I don't want to spend that amount of money for what I'm looking for," Arianna informed him.

"So you're planning on going by yourself?" Steve pouted a little.

"That was the plan but from the look on your face, I'm about to have company," Arianna snarked.

"Let me get my shoes," Steve gushed already heading for the house.

Arianna shook her head. Her dad was too predictable and it's not like his company wouldn't be welcome. She gathered her stuff to set o the front seat the doubled checked the bed box to make sure the tie downs that were in there last week hadn't been replaced by the favorite weapon of the month.

Steve came out of the house carrying his tablet. "What's that for?" Arianna asked. "The GPS on the fritz?"

"I found this new program I want to try," he replied cagily.

"While we're driving?" she questioned warily.

"Yeah, you know I still haven't mastered the art of driving and signing one-handed so Kono, Chin and I did some research and found this voice recognition software. I bought a two week trial," he said, trailing off when he saw she was about to burst into tears. "What? Did I do something wrong?" he continued panicky.

Shaking her head 'no', Arianna wrapped Steve in a bone crushing hug. "Just the opposite," she whispered. They stood there for several minutes before she coughed and said, "We'd better get going or all the good stuff will be gone."

Steve was impressed with his daughter's strategic thinking skills. Their route was meticulously planned by distance, start time and potential items of interest. The first two stops proved fruitless, Arianna waving him on from the road at the second one. The third place yielded potential. Steve stood back to watch the show, glowing with pride as Arianna negotiated with the proprietor. Steve knew the guy didn't have a clue as to what hit him.

Loading the fully adjustable, portable basketball hoop into the back while Arianna stashed the three new basketballs and two extra nets into the back seat, Steve pondered this side of his kid he hadn't see before. "How much did you end up paying for all this, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Thirty," came the simple reply.

"I saw the sticker. He wanted sixty for just the backboard," Steve said.

"Yeah well, he had high expectations," she shrugged.

Steve let the matter drop for the moment. He could tell she was reluctant to talk right then. The next couple of places were a bust. They did get out and walk around but nothing caught Arianna's attention. Steve found himself helping to load an easy access recliner into a van after Arianna negotiated a deal for an elderly woman to get the chair for her husband who'd broken his hip. The pair waved goodbye after receiving a standing offer for Sunday dinner with Beth and Toby.

"Okay, spill! How'd you get so good at this?" Steve pushed as they made their way to their next stop.

"It was a matter of necessity. Can we leave it at that?" Arianna begged.

As the proverbial lightbulb came on, Steve cursed himself under his breath. "You bet," he said out loud. "Remind me to call you when it's time for the next budget review with the governor. Between you and Danny, I'll be able to get that assault vehicle I've had my eye on." He grinned as she visibly relaxed.

Arianna scanned the offerings through the windshield. "Doesn't look promising but do you mind if we get out anyway? I need to stretch my legs."

"Lead the way, my dear," Steve replied.

The pair slowly made their way through the wares scattered across the lawn. Arianna would stop and pick up an item here and there but would put it back down without interest. Steve was ready to suggest they move on when Arianna started to move with purpose towards the corner of the lot and since she had a strong grip on his hand, he had no choice but to follow.

She stopped in front of a large kitchen island looking item. If he had to make a guess, he'd say it was modified drafting table.

"Oh, this is perfect," she sighed.

"What exactly is this perfect for?" Steve asked, confused.

"For a table for my juvenile delinquents to do their homework on. If they're going to hang out at my house, they are going to do something productive; homework, basketball, art, something. I can store extra school and art supplies in the drawers and if I throw a piece of plastic over the top, it'll keep the metal top from getting too hot in the sun. I love the fact that it has drawers on both sides."

"It doesn't have a price sticker," he pointed out.

"Would you mind finding the owner and ask them?"

"Sure. Give me a second."

Arianna continued to inspect her find. She made sure all the drawers worked and all the pieces were firmly attached. She even got down on the ground to check the bottom, which was completely enclosed, a benefit. She got up off the grass just as Steve returned.

"I understand you're interested in this piece," the elderly woman said, barely moving her mouth.

Arianna watched as Steve translate. "I am but it doesn't seem to be priced."

"Call me an old sentimental fool, but I want this piece to go to someone truly interested so I didn't price it on purpose," the woman replied. "It was my late husband's and my worthless son wouldn't take care of it. It needs to go to a good home."

"What was it originally?" Steve asked.

"It was his original custom drafting table. He was an architect. He removed the catch board and changed the hinges so it wouldn't tilt but would still open for storage after arthritis took his hands. I used it as a serving butler but I'm moving to a condo so it won't fit. What would you be doing with it?" the woman asked.

"I want it for a study table for my lanai," Arianna replied, not wanting to share too much.

"You going to school?" the woman pushed.

"No, ma'am, I teach. This would be for the kids I tutor," Arianna said reluctantly.

"Well, in that case, it's twenty bucks."

"I'm all for bargains but I won't rip people off," Arianna stated while Steve smiled with pride.

"I won't take a penny more. You take the extra that you think this is worth and spend it on school supplies for your students," the lady insisted.

Steve stepped in before his obstinate daughter could speak again. "We'll gladly accept your generous offer."

Mark Bronson, the worthless son, and his best friend, Tug Swain, watched the transaction from the tree cove at the property line. Neither man dared to interfere despite the dire consequences the sale would have for them. They weren't going to be able to stop the sale so they needed to get busy figuring out how to get the item back before the new owners could explore all of its compartments.

"What're we gonna do, brah?" Tug growled.

"We got two options. We get them on the road or catch them at their destination," Mark declared.

"What if they don't head straight home? We could be following them all over the damn island," Tug pointed out.

"So then we hit them on the road. No matter which way they go, there's sections of road that has little on it. We take advantage of them."

Tug looked confused. "How we gonna stop them?"

"We'll hafta run them off the road, make 'em stay in the cab and get the stuff and run," Mark explained. "We'll take both cars, take the plates off so they can't id 'em. Mom's got some old Halloween masks in the garage."

"You said the stuff would be safe. Said it was a good hiding place," Tug muttered.

"It was! I never thought Mom would sell the thing. She likes to hold on to Dad's crap. Now we need to get moving or they'll be gone before we're ready," Mark directed, slapping his friend on the shoulder.

The partners in crime actually worked well together despite what one would think by looking at them. They'd been best friends since they were teens and had shared many nefarious acts. Had they been inclined to use their talents for non-criminal acts, they would've been extremely successful, but neither had that ambitious drive so they remained two-bit crooks.

Steve and Arianna enlisted the aid of a fellow bargain hunter to load and secure the table. Steve had, with Arianna's approval, slipped an additional sixty dollars into the woman's cash box.

Double checking the tie downs, Steve said, "I hope anything else on your list fits int he cab because the back's full."

"We need to head home then. My next purchase would be chairs to go with the table and you're right, there's no room," she responded, already crawling into the front seat.

"So home it is then," Steve reiterated. Later he would chastise himself for not seeing the set up but for now he was preoccupied with teasing his daughter about her miserly ways as if he had any room to talk.

When a white Toyota went screaming past them, Steve tried to get the plate number to call it in but the car was going to fast. " He's in a huge hurry."

"Yeah, hope he doesn't cause an accident. Can you call it in?" Arianna asked.

"Unless you got the plate, no," Steve replied.

"It was caked in mud," she answered.

"If he keeps it up, an uni will get him eventually," he assured.

"Good. I'm thinking that the neighborhood boys can…"

Arianna didn't get a chance to finish. The Toyota was suddenly back in front of them, driving erratically. Steve took his foot off the gas and honked the horn as the car crossed the centerline. He didn't want to scare the driver but he had no choice as the driver's recklessness increased. He reached over to flick on his lights and sirens, which is why he only had one hand on the wheel when the driver's side of the bed was clipped by a car from behind.

The Silverado fishtailed despite its driver's best attempts to correct it. The rear wheel hit the gravel on the shoulder and lost traction. Before either occupant could blink, the large truck was tipping on its side and sliding down a short embankment to come to a rest at the 'v' of the ditch, caught between being on its side and being on its roof.

Mark approached the front of the pickup, gun pointed unwavering at the occupants. They appeared to be unconscious but he couldn't be too careful. "Hurry up, Tug, while they're still out of it," he called back to his friend.

Tug had pulled up adjacent to the overturned pickup. The size of his SUV making a fairly effective cover in case a car past by. If the driver didn't stop, the wreckage couldn't be seen from the road. "Man, you should see the shit this guy's got in his box! I didn't need to bring tools," Tug shouted back, awed.

"Great, just hurry up," Mark growled.

"Holy shit! He has grenades in here!"

"Tug! I'm gonna leave your ass!"

"Keep your shit in. I've go it. Let's go."

Mark kept a watchful eye on the pickup until Tug had sped away in the opposite direction. He jumped in his car and peeled away.