We looked for loose wires and damaged connectors.”
Emma didn’t challenge him.
Instead, she asked:
“Was the connector wet when you checked it?”
The mechanic looked at her.
“Of course it was dry.”
“That’s what I was wondering.”
A few of the men exchanged glances.
The senior mechanic stepped closer.
“You think there’s water trapped inside?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Then why are you looking there?”
“Because the wiring runs through here, and that’s an area where water could collect or follow the harness.”
He studied the space beneath the seat.
Emma moved the flashlight again.
She found nothing obviously damaged.
The protective covering appeared intact.
The visible wires remained properly routed.
Even the connectors looked ordinary.
To someone already convinced the wiring had been checked, there was little reason to continue.
But Emma wasn’t convinced the absence of visible damage meant the absence of a problem.
She was looking for a fault that might only exist under the right conditions.
Ace crouched beside her.
“Let me ask you something.”
Emma lowered the flashlight slightly.
“If water got inside something, wouldn’t it have dried out by now?”
“Depends where it went.”
Ace considered that.
Emma pointed toward the connector she’d been examining.
“Those seals are supposed to keep moisture away from the contacts.
But if a seal doesn’t work properly, water can get inside and stay there longer than you’d expect.”
The senior mechanic nodded reluctantly.
“That much is true.”
Emma continued.
“And if the contact is affected only when moisture is present, you might not see the problem when everything is dry.”
Ace looked toward the diagnostic equipment.
“So the computer could report something wrong with the electrical system even if the part itself still works?”