by Dave Daren
I threw the car into reverse and yanked the wheel in the opposite direction. My ears rang with the sound of screeching metal, and then we were free of the Chevy’s grip. We sped backwards through the cones, and I saw an orange blur as one of the cones sailed through the night sky. I realized the road workers were yelling at us now, all except the man with the jackhammer who continued on, oblivious to the chaos around him.
The Chevy had sideswiped a light pole, and I used that break to shoot forward and back to the cross street. Miraculously, there were no cars at the moment, and I made a left turn, determined to get on the interstate. My Honda was starting to pull, so the turn was more of a sideways slide, but we made it around the corner, and I was just holding the car on a straight line.
Anna kept watch behind us, and as I swerved around a slow moving Jaguar, she called out, “He’s still there.”
“We’re coming up on the ramp.” I replied. I dodged around a delivery truck, took a hard right, and nearly whooped when I saw the ramp up ahead. That joy was short lived when I saw cars stopped on the ramp and the spinning lights of a police car further along the interstate.
“Crap,” I muttered. Decision time. There was no way we were getting up the ramp, so I drove past the entrance and made a run for the next intersection.
“Where are we going?” Anna finally asked.
“Not sure yet,” I replied.
There was a stuttering sound in the engine, and I glanced at the gauge. The engine temperature was nearing the red zone.
“Must have done more damage than I realized,” I muttered. “We need somewhere to pull over.”
“There’s a twenty-four-hour Wal-Mart just past the rec center. The parking lot is always full.”
“That’ll work,” I replied.
I stomped on the gas and felt the car shudder in response, but then it picked up its pace, and we were cruising towards the Wal-Mart. The beige Chevy looked like it was struggling as well, but it kept pace.
“Take a right up here,” Anna instructed.
We made another sliding turn, the Chevy right behind us. Steam trailed out from the hood of my car, and I felt the Honda shimmy. I could see the rec center up ahead and the lights of the Wal-Mart just beyond. Even this late, I could see that the Wal-Mart was busy.
The garbage truck came out of nowhere. One moment we were tearing down the street, zipping past the few cars in our way, and then out of a small side street came this behemoth. It rumbled slowly forward, apparently unconcerned about any cars that might be on the street. Anna had a death grip on the center console as I tried to pull the Honda into one last maneuver.
The truck driver must have finally seen us because the truck came to a halt in the middle of our lane. The Honda squealed as we shot into the opposite lane and narrowly missed side-swiping another car. The Chevy wasn’t so lucky. The driver lost control and the car slid into the side of the truck. The sound of the impact was deafening.
I kept my eyes dead ahead but Anna had turned around again. After a moment, I heard a soft “oh” escape her lips. I checked the rearview mirror and saw flames dancing along the far side of the truck.
“The truck driver?” I asked. I didn’t care about the guy who had been chasing us, but I didn’t want anyone else hurt by the night’s activities either.
“He got out,” Anna replied. “Some other cars stopped as well. I think they were trying to help the person who was chasing us but I don’t think they got him out.”
“We’re supposed to stop,” I noted as I slowed the car and moved onto a less busy street.
“Mmm. Would the police really believe we were being chased?” Anna asked.
“We do have your report,” I reminded her.
We were quiet for a few more moments, and then I pulled into a gas station. I left the engine running as we sat there. A firetruck went speeding by, lights and sirens on, heading for the disaster we had just left.
“I said we were supposed to, but I’m not sure that’s a good move here,” I finally said. “We broke a lot of laws back there, and even if that guy survived and admitted he was after us, we’d still be under arrest and in jail. We’d get out tomorrow probably, but maybe not.”
An ambulance went by. It was moving fast but without its siren. A sure sign that there were no survivors.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Anna said quietly. “It’s just too bizarre for words.”
“You’ve certainly stirred up a hornet’s nest,” I remarked.
“What the hell are they doing?” Anna demanded angrily. “This can’t just be about controlling the company.”
“Until we know what’s going on, you should find somewhere to hide,” I suggested.
“Hide?” Anna asked incredulously. “I’m not going to hide.”
“Hide maybe isn’t the best word. Lie low?” I suggested. “Just a place where you can at least sleep at night and not have to worry about who might be waiting outside.”
“My apartment…” Anna began.
“Is being watched,” I cut her off.
Anna went silent, and I turned my attention back to the temperature gauge. The engine wasn’t quite as close to the red zone, but it was still running hot.
“I know a place,” Anna finally said.
“Does anyone else know about it?” I asked.
Anna shook her head. Most of her curls had come loose during the chase and the move sent the rest cascading around her shoulders. It was a breathtaking sight.
“No,” she assured me. “My friend Denise left for Paris this morning. She’ll be there for the next month. I offered to check on her cat and take care of the plants. I could stay there. Heath would probably appreciate it.”
“Heath?” I couldn’t help asking.
“The cat,” she assured me. “Heath Ledger.”
“Of course,” I replied.
“Do you think this car will make it another twenty minutes or so?” Anna asked. I realized she was watching the thin trail of steam that was still seeping out from the hood.
“It’ll be okay as long as we don’t end up in any more chases tonight,” I replied as I put the car into reverse and backed out the spot.
“Amen to that,” Anna muttered.
Anna directed me to an old bungalow, hidden away in a small neighborhood tucked behind a collection of strip malls. The neighborhood, and the bungalow, had probably been there since the 1950s, and I was amazed that the whole thing hadn’t been bulldozed over and turned into another strip mall. Or a parking lot.
There was even an off-street parking space, currently occupied by a Ford Explorer, but I was able to tuck the Honda behind it. We stepped out of the car at the same time, and I tried to gauge how much damage the car had suffered. The street wasn’t well-lit, but I could see enough to know that I was going to be out a good chunk of change on the repair bill.
“Wait here,” Anna said quietly. She moved to the front door, and I heard a set of keys jangle. A moment later, she slipped inside, and I saw a light come on near the front door. She was back a moment later and she handed me what felt like a heavy tarp.
“It’s for the Explorer,” she explained. “But Denise never bothers to put it on.”
“Good thinking,” I said.
We covered my poor car with the oversized tarp. It looked like a little kid trying to wear dad’s favorite t-shirt but at least it wasn’t obvious to every passerby that the Honda had been involved in a few hit-and-runs tonight.
“Come in,” Anna said quietly.
“I should leave,” I replied.
Anna took my hand in hers. “Stay on the couch tonight. You can’t drive that home, and I’d feel safer with someone else in the house.”
I was torn. Professionally, I shouldn’t be risking this, but I also knew that I couldn’t leave her alone tonight. I didn’t think anyone else had been following us but there were plenty of ways to track someone besides following their car.
Anna was pulling me towards the front door
, and I followed her inside. She locked the door behind us, then led me towards what was probably the formal living room when the house was built. The room was now occupied by one overstuffed couch along one wall and a large TV strategically placed on the opposite wall.
“There’s a bathroom through there,” she said, pointing down the small hallway. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
She disappeared down the hallway, and I heard the quiet snick of a door closing. With nothing else to do, I flopped onto the couch and found the remote. I was still too high on adrenalin to go to sleep yet but had no idea what to do with all the energy that was coursing through me.
I was soon joined by a gray tabby, presumably Heath. The tomcat eyed me for several minutes, and when I made no aggressive moves, he plunked down next to me. After another brief staring competition, I offered to scratch his chin. We stayed that way through the late-night news broadcasts. The dramatic crash had earned some airtime and even mention that another car might have been involved, but no one seemed to have much information about the other car. I hoped that was a sign that the police didn’t have anything to go on either.
Chapter 3
At some point, I fell asleep. I thought it was during one of the late-night talk shows, but I couldn’t swear to that. Heath was nice enough to stay with me through the night, and it was only when he decided to use my stomach as a springboard for his leap to the floor that I finally woke up. It took my brain a full two seconds to realize that I was still mostly upright and that I wasn’t in my bed.
Right. The car chase.
I liked my little Honda. It was sturdy, reliable, and used very little gas. I dreaded the idea of looking at the car in daylight. I suspected Sofia would accuse me of using it in a demolition derby.
“You’re awake,” Anna’s voice called out sweetly.
I scrubbed the muck from my eyes and turned towards her. She was standing in the doorway, a large grin plastered on her face. Her hair was tousled, her face free of make-up, and she was still one of the most stunning women I had ever seen.
More importantly, she held a large mug of coffee in each hand. I breathed in the wonderful aroma of fresh-brewed coffee and felt my brain start to come back on.
“Here,” Anna said as she handed me a red mug embossed with pink hearts.
I took a deep swig and leaned back into the couch in satisfaction.
“Is it all right?” she asked shyly. “I wasn’t sure if you added anything.”
“It’s perfect,” I assured her as I took a long swig. “This is what got me through law school.”
“You and Heath seem to get along,” Anna noted with a laugh.
The tabby had followed Anna into the room and sat down in the exact center of the floor. His green eyes were fastened on me as I stretched my limbs.
“We have an understanding,” I said as I winked at the cat.
Heath meowed and left the room.
“So I see,” Anna agreed. “I’ve set up an Uber to take me back to my car in a couple of hours.”
“Yeah, I don’t think the Honda’s up for that,” I noted. I grimaced as I thought about the damage that I had been able to see last night. “Do you have somewhere other than here where you can keep your car?”
Anna started to protest, but then she went quiet for a moment. “I don’t suppose they’ll give up that easily, whoever they are,” she sighed.
“No. And clearly they know your car,” I pointed out.
“I’ll leave it at my father’s place,” she decided. “I’ve done it before so it won’t draw any attention. Plus, there’s a garage where it’ll be out of view.”
“That’s good,” I said as I pulled myself off the couch.
“What about your car?” she asked.
“I’ll have it towed. But first, I should check in with Sofia,” I replied.
“How about breakfast then? You should eat before you start your day,” she pointed out. “There’s some cereal and Pop Tarts left in the kitchen. Do you have a preference?”
“Pop Tarts? Really?”
“Strawberry, Oreo and something called Ice-Cream Shoppe,” she replied. She may have kept a straight face but I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was smirking.
“And the cereal options?” I asked, just so I had the complete picture.
“Lucky Charms,” Anna replied.
“How old is Denise?” I demanded.
Anna’s laugh rippled through the room again. “She’s my age and she can bench press one fifty. So, Lucky Charms or Pop Tarts?”
“Lucky Charms,” I sighed.
“There are clean towels in the bathroom if you want to get cleaned up. Can’t help you with the clothes though.”
I glanced at the suit I’d been wearing for over twenty-four hours. “There doesn’t seem to be any point in cleaning up if I have to put this back on. I’ll just have my cereal and go.”
Anna swaggered down the hallway, and I followed in her wake. Heath was already in the kitchen, his gaze fixed on the pantry. Anna cooed at him, then pulled a small can and a bag of dry cat food from the top shelf. Heath joined her at the counter, and he watched her dole the food out into the appropriate bowls. He meowed to show his approval and Anna gave him a kiss on his head as she set the bowls on the floor.
Anna turned her attention to me and pulled a box of Lucky Charms from the pantry along with a pair of bowls from one of the cabinets. She opened the refrigerator and said, “You’re in luck.”
“Milk?” I asked hopefully as I poked at the dry things in my bowl.
“Almond milk,” she replied. She held the bottle up for my inspection, and I nodded.
There wasn’t much in the way of conversation, but it was a rather noisy breakfast between the cereal and the dry cat food. Heath finished first, gave us a short half-meow, and disappeared somewhere into the house.
“He’s a good guy,” I said approvingly.
“I thought you’d like him,” Anna replied.
We finished breakfast and tidied the kitchen. Anna ventured into a small office at the back of the bungalow to use the computer, and I went in search of my jacket. I found it tossed over the back of the sofa, and the high concentration of gray cat hairs was a good indication of where Heath had spent the night. I dug my cell phone out of the pocket and was surprised to find that there was still a charge left.
I called Sofia’s cell phone number, and she picked up after one ring. “Vince,” she stated.
“Sofia,” I said, “I know you’re not going into the office until later, but I could use some of your phone skills.”
“What did you get yourself into now?” she asked suspiciously.
“Well, we made the late news last night,” I replied.
Sofia didn’t say anything immediately, and I knew she was trying to decide which question was more important: what had happened or who were we?
“Anna and I met for dinner,” I began. “Anna was followed by the same car that I saw at the office. There was a small car chase, but we managed to elude the guy. My car’s a bit under the weather though.”
“A small car chase,” Sofia repeated. I could hear a TV now in the background, and after a moment, I detected the ‘serious voice’ of a reporter delivering urgent news.
“Vince!” Sofia exclaimed. “Was this you? A man was killed when he hit a garbage truck? Police think there might have been another car involved.”
“The man was the thug following Anna,” I replied.
“Still,” Sofia said more calmly. “You fled the scene of an accident. And someone died.”
“I know. It’s bad.”
Sofia made a small clucking sound. She didn’t say anything right away, and I realized from the changing voices in the background that she was checking the other local news shows.
“The police don’t seem to have much,” she finally reported. “A dark-colored Honda. No images or anything. You just may have lucked out.”
“I’m surprised that road crew didn’
t record something,” I replied.
“Road crew?” she repeated.
“We took a turn and there was a road crew right there. The Chevy tried to pin us against a building,” I explained.
Sofia muttered something in Spanish that sounded suspiciously like a swear word, but then she said, “You can’t take your car to a shop. They’ll be looking for it.”
“Well, that’s why I was calling. I need to move my car and I need to get a rental. I’m hoping you know someone.”
“Let me put you on hold,” she said. “I need to call someone.”
“Call me back,” I replied. “I don’t have much juice left on the phone.”
“Right,” she muttered and then hung up.
Heath deigned to rejoin me while I waited for Sofia’s call. This time, he took a seat on the far end of the couch. After a few trial sniffs and some circling, he sat down and folded himself into a furry little ball. I slid closer and offered my hand. He sniffed and then lifted his chin. When Sofia finally called, both Heath and I had reached our happy zen place.
“Okay,” Sofia began without introduction. “My brother Theo will be over with a tow truck to get the Honda. He has a friend who does a lot of work on cars off the books.”
“Right,” I said. I pictured a chop shop in a questionable part of town, but then my Honda was so beat up at this point that it was unlikely to become the victim of car thieves.
“I’m going to let you borrow my cousin Roberto’s car. But you have to swear to take care of it,” she continued, ignoring my comment.
“I promise to take care of it,” I replied, though I began to have second thoughts about that promise as soon as I said it.
“Good. He’s been looking for someone to drive it for him,” she sighed. “If I tell him that I’ve found a gringo lawyer to drive it around, I think he’ll be okay with that.”
“This isn’t very reassuring,” I muttered. “What kind of car is it?”
“It’s a 1975 Cadillac DeVille,” she replied, “and it’s his baby.”
“Then why--” I started to ask.
“He’s a guest of the state for the next eighteen months,” she said. “Look, it’s the best I can do on short notice. If you’d rather have a rental car, I can try to find something cheap, but it’s going to be tough with the arts festival and the parade this weekend. Not to mention the Yankees are in town, and that means hordes of Yankee fans trying to drive everywhere.”
