Flip Side: Chocolate Truth

adjustment, but you don't know that, do you?"

"No," said Mum. "Anything else?"

"I was going to see how you reacted to the bill, and if it didn't bother you too much, I would have added a few more. Such as a change of oil filter. I like to do oil filter changes because they look important, and women are really impressed when they see me with engine parts in my hand and oil dripping. I also like to add a few litres of top quality oil. We keep the old oil we take from your car and put it into another car at top price. That way we get paid for the same oil twice."

"I see," said Mum. "I appreciate you telling me all this."

"I'm trying not to tell you!" said the man, staggering backwards. "I can't stop myself!"

He backed fearfully into the gloom of the garage and disappeared through a door.

"I think he's gone?" said Gena.

We stood beside the car for a few minutes, wondering what to do. Nobody came to see us. The other mechanics quietly ignored us, or went to see what was wrong with the honest one.

"We might as well go," said Mum at last. "It looks like we've scared everyone away!"

"Weird!" I said, getting into the car.

"Really weird!" said Gena.

We drove home.

When we got there, a white van was parked outside the gate. It had Leggpul Plumbers Ltd. written along the side.

"I forgot he was coming," said Mum. "Good thing we got here early.

The plumber was just walking back to his van. He looked annoyed.

"Sorry we weren't home," called Mum as she drove into the garage. "I'll be with you in a minute!"

The plumber stood impatiently by his van and waited.

Gena and I carried Mum's bags into the house while Mum showed the man to her washhouse. Gena giggled.

"Another victim?" she said quietly to me with a smirk.