by Marla Monroe
He had taken one look at her still-bruised face and backpack and told her to hop in. Then he’d driven her all the way into Arkansas. Unfortunately he was heading in a different direction than she planned to go. As soon as they reached a town large enough for a bus station, Jessie had the kind man drop her off to buy a ticket into Springdale. When Uncle Hue found out she’d taken the money Tussler had given him to watch out for her, he’d be livid.
She stepped inside the bus station that doubled as a convenience store and walked over to the counter. The bored-looking woman looked up and waited for her to say something.
“I want to see about a ticket to Springdale.”
“Well, the next bus out of here don’t leave till seven in the morning. It will go through Springdale but it’s not a normal stop. You might be able to get the driver to stop and let you out though.”
“I’ll take the ticket and be back in the morning.” Jessie pulled out some money.
“Let’s see. I’ll have to figure out what to charge you since you’re not going to one of the regular stops.”
Jessie waited impatiently on the woman to decide what she owed. She kept looking around, afraid that Hue or even Tussler and Ray might show up. When the woman had finally made up her mind, she gave her the money and took the ticket. Then she slipped out the door and looked around to find somewhere to spend the night. It was going to be dark soon, and she didn’t want to be on the street in a strange town after dark.
Her stomach growled as she crossed the road. Maybe she should have gotten something to eat back at the store before she left. Too late now, she wasn’t going to turn around. After walking several blocks, Jessie saw the sign for a run-down-looking motel. It wasn’t her first choice, but it was probably the best she could afford after having bought the bus ticket.
She stepped into the office and all but cringed at the dirt and decay. The man at the desk looked to be nearly one hundred. He took her money and had her sign a card before handing her a key to a room. She printed a fake name on the card and made up an address before sliding it across the desk and taking the key.
She walked down the sidewalk until she found her room. It was close to the back. The street light illuminated the door like a beacon. She slipped the key into the lock and turned it. When the door creaked open, Jessie prepared herself for almost anything.
Much to her surprise, it wasn’t nearly as bad as the condition of the office led her to fear. Though old and worn out, the furniture and covers looked clean. She tested the bed and found the mattress to be bearable. When she checked the bathroom, it was to find it was clean and the hot water worked. Relieved, Jessie quickly took a shower and climbed into bed. She needed to get some rest and be sure she woke up early the next morning. Her stomach reminded her she hadn’t had anything to eat since the snack crackers the old man had given her earlier. There was nothing for it. She would have to grab something to eat in the morning. She wouldn’t starve overnight.
Despite the unfamiliar surroundings and her fear of being found, Jessie soon settled down and fell asleep. Her last thought was to wonder if Vernon and Rhodes had even thought about her since she’d been hauled out of Reo.
* * * *
Jessie woke early the next morning. She felt much better, more relaxed knowing that she was close to her goal. Tightness filled her chest as she realized it meant that Vernon and Rhodes wouldn’t find her there either. She sighed. They wouldn’t be looking for her anyway. She was just another biker bitch to them, a distraction that had almost gotten Rhodes thrown in jail. No, they wouldn’t be thinking about her at all.
The clock on the nightstand showed five thirty. She had plenty of time to find something to eat and get to the bus station by seven. Grabbing her backpack, Jessie returned the key to the office where the same ancient-looking man stood behind the counter. Did he even sleep? With a shrug, she headed back down the street toward a fast-food restaurant she’d seen the night before and ordered breakfast.
Since she had plenty of time to waste, Jessie watched as the town woke up and people began moving around. Soon the roads were busy with people heading to work. The drive-thru of the joint she was in stayed full. It reminded her that she still needed to get to Springdale, and then she would need a job. She didn’t mind working. It gave her a sense of purpose. Tussler hadn’t wanted her to work though. He liked being able to control her.
She cleaned up her mess and strolled out the door and back toward the bus station. Time was slipping by. She didn’t want to take a chance that they might leave early. When she arrived, the bus was just pulling up to drop off its passengers and fuel up. She bought a few snacks to stuff in her backpack and waited on the driver to call for passengers.
“I need to get off at Springdale, Arkansas. The lady at the counter said you might stop and drop me off along the way.” Jessie held her breath in hopes the harried-looking man would have pity on her.
“Sure, why not. I’ll drop you off on the edge of town where we go by. I’m not making a detour though.” He frowned at her.
“No problem. I can walk into town. I really appreciate it.” She handed him her ticket, and he gave her back a stub.
Jessie took the first open seat that happened to be two down from the door. She settled in and hoped no one would sit next to her. She hated being crowded. Fortunately, there were only four others on the bus when it pulled out. She positioned her pack on the empty seat next to her and gazed out the window as they pulled out.
She let her mind roam as the miles passed. She missed her mom. She had no idea who her dad was, but she prayed it wasn’t the same one that Tussler had. She’d like to think that they weren’t that much alike. Their mom had raised them both on her own. Though Tussler was four years older than her, she sometimes felt as if she was the more mature one.
Her mom did her best by both of them, but Tussler had been born bad as far as she was concerned. He’d been in trouble all his life, and nothing either she or their mom did could prevent the mess he had made of his life. When their mom had gotten sick, it was left up to Jessie to take care of her until she died. Tussler hadn’t lifted a finger. Jessie almost hated him for the way he’d abandoned her while she was dying. The fact that he was her brother didn’t mean much to her anymore.
She sighed and put it behind her. She was out of all his crap now. She would start a new life. Pain took away her breath at the memory of Rhodes and Vernon. She hadn’t realized that loving them could hurt so much. She couldn’t help that they had stolen her heart. But they weren’t there, and even if they were, she wasn’t sure she could be with them. They were still a part of the life she hated and wanted to escape from.
“What’s your name?” A tiny voice jerked her from her thoughts.
Turning, she noticed the little old woman sitting across from her. She had on a pair of blue slacks and a pink button-down blouse. Her gray hair was pulled back in a bun. Jessie smiled at the curious expression on the wrinkled face.
“Jessie.”
“I’m Alma Forbes. Going to live with my daughter and her family. Where are you going?”
“I’m going to visit a friend from school. I haven’t seen her in about eight years.”
“Sounds like a good vacation.” She frowned and leaned closer. “What happened to your face?”
“Oh.” Jessie’s hand went to the bruising she knew was still there. “I was in an accident. That’s one of the reasons I’m going to visit my friend. I needed to get away for a while.”
“Um-hm.” The older woman didn’t look like she believed her. “Well, I hope you figure out what you’re going to do while you’re there. Accidents can kill you, you know.”
Jessie just nodded her head. She really didn’t know what to say to that. The woman was right. Staying anywhere near her brother or Ray was dangerous to her health. That was why she was heading to her friend’s house. She just hoped that Ginger would let her stay with her for a little while. Just long enough she could earn enough money to get her
own place.
Jessie leaned back and closed her eyes in hopes the woman would take the hint and leave her alone. She didn’t feel like small talk, and it was obvious that Alma was very observant for an older woman.
Two hours later, the bus driver pulled off to the side of the road and called back to her that this was her stop.
“Just follow that road over there and you’ll be in town in about three or four miles.”
She thanked him and waved bye to Alma. Slipping her arms into her backpack, Jessie waited for the bus to drive off before crossing the highway and starting her long trek down the road to Springdale.
* * * *
As soon as they pulled into Springdale, Rhodes found a convenience store and pulled in. Vernon pulled up beside him.
“What are we doing here?” Vernon asked.
“We need a phone book. Figured they would have one we could borrow.” Rhodes climbed off his bike and pulled off his gloves.
“Think we could be so lucky that she’d have her name listed?”
“Have to hope. It’s the only thing we have right now. Somehow I don’t think asking around for a Ginger is going to get us anywhere.”
Vernon nodded and followed him inside. He hoped Rhodes’s idea would turn out to work. They needed a break. He didn’t like to think of Jessie traveling here all alone. At least she had a friend who would take her in. At least he hoped she would take her in.
He concentrated on what Rhodes was telling the clerk. The woman didn’t look too happy to see them.
“Just want to borrow it. We won’t even go out of the store with it.” Rhodes seemed to be having trouble convincing the woman to let them borrow it.
“You can sit over there in the booth with it. Don’t tear any pages out!” She handed over the small book and glared at them.
Rhodes took it and walked over to the booth. They slid in and Rhodes started paging through the phone book looking for a first name of Ginger. Vernon figured it would take a while. Too bad they couldn’t tear the book in half and he could start from the back. This way was going to take a long time, especially if her last name ended up beginning with one of the last letters in the alphabet.
He waited and watched as his partner ran down page after page looking for Ginger. It was slow going, and he didn’t have a lot of patience. The longer it took, the greater the chance was that they could somehow miss her.
“Stop drumming your fingers, Vernon. You’re driving me crazy. I’m going as fast as I can without skipping around.” Rhodes’s voice held a good bit of aggravation in it. He didn’t blame him.
“Sorry. I’m going to grab a couple of beers and some chips.”
Rhodes just nodded and continued scanning the page. Vernon scooted out of the booth and walked to the back of the store where the coolers were. He grabbed two bottles of beer and a large bag of chips. When he took it to the counter to pay for it, the clerk glared at him.
“What?” he asked with a scowl.
“You can’t open those in here. You’ll have to go outside, and you’re not taking my phone book outside”
He drew in a deep breath and grabbed the two bottles of beer before stomping back to the cooler to replace them. Then he found a couple of pops and returned to the counter. He glared at the woman, but she didn’t back down. Good for her. He relaxed as she rang up his snacks.
“Don’t make a mess over there for me to have to clean up.” She shoved the chips and drinks across the counter toward him.
“We’ll clean up after ourselves.” He carried everything over to the booth and slid back in across from Rhodes.
“No beer, huh?” Rhodes chuckled at him.
“Shut up and keep looking.” He opened the bag of chips and grabbed a handful before sliding them across to his buddy. “No luck yet?”
“Nope.” Rhodes snagged the bag and pulled out some chips. “I’m at the F’s now.”
“Fuck, this is going to take forever.”
Rhodes turned up his drink then returned to the phone book. They snacked in silence. Vernon watched the customers come and go as he grazed on the chips. He felt like they were wasting time, and it didn’t sit well with him.
“Who are y’all looking for?” The clerk had walked over and was standing by the booth with her hands on her hips.
“All we know is her first name is Ginger. She’s a friend of our friend.” Rhodes didn’t look up as he looked through the names.
“What do you want with her?” the woman asked.
“Our friend, Jessie came out here to visit her. We’re trying to find Jessie to give her a ride back home, but her cell phone died and we don’t know the friend’s last name. We just know she lives here.”
The clerk cocked her head and frowned. “I know a Ginger, but it might not be the same one. Course, Ginger isn’t all that common a name. Why don’t I give her a call and we can see if your Jessie is there?”
Rhodes’s head jerked up. “Hey, that would sure save us a lot of time.”
“What’s your friend’s full name?” the clerk asked.
“Jessie Ledford. She has dark brown hair that’s about shoulder length with honey-colored eyes.” Vernon spoke up before he even thought about it.
Rhodes flashed a grin across at him.
“What’re your names? She needs to know who’s looking for this Jessie.”
“Tell her Rhodes and Vernon are here to give her a safe ride home. Tell her that she doesn’t have to worry about her brother or Ray,” Rhodes said.
“Stay right here, and I’ll call her.” The clerk walked back behind the counter and pulled out her cell phone.
They stayed where they were and waited as the woman talked to someone for what seemed like forever before she hung up and walked back over to where they waited.
“Well, my Ginger knows your Jessie all right. Said Jessie wasn’t there right then. She would talk to her and see if she wanted to see you before she’d let you know where she lived.”
“Did she say how long that might be?” Vernon couldn’t help being impatient where Jessie was concerned.
“Doesn’t expect her back until around three.” The woman crossed her arms and stared at them.
“Can we give you our phone numbers so that either she or Jessie can call us? Will you still be here at three?” Rhodes asked.
“I’m here till six. Give me your numbers, and I’ll pass them on if they call back before then. Are you going to be back at three?”
“We’ll be back by three.” Vernon stood up and glared down at her. “Don’t screw us up. We’re really worried about Jessie. She’s had a rough time, and we want to make sure she doesn’t have to worry about that anymore.”
The woman didn’t back down, but she seemed to understand that Vernon was serious. She nodded and walked back around the counter.
“Clean up that mess and hand me my phone book back.”
Rhodes snickered at Vernon as they gathered up the trash and tossed it in the garbage can before handing the phone book back to the clerk.
“Thanks.” Rhodes turned and headed for the door.
Vernon stared at the woman for a few seconds before following his friend back to their bikes. He wondered what Rhodes was planning to do for the next three hours. He didn’t relish riding around town in circles for three hours.
Rhodes climbed on the back of his bike and pulled on his gloves before grabbing the helmet. Vernon just looked at him without getting on his bike.
“What?” Rhodes asked.
“What are we going to do now?”
“I’m hungry for something other than chips and pop. I want a cold beer and a steak. Let’s find somewhere to eat.”
Vernon looked at his watch. It was a little after eleven. By the time they found somewhere to eat, it would be closing in on noon. He shrugged and figured it was as good an idea as any. Pulling on his gloves, he fastened his helmet and climbed on the bike. They pulled out into traffic and started cruising for a place to eat. He wondered what Jessie was
doing until three? It bothered him, but there was nothing he could do until then. He’d just have to hope that she was safe until they could get to her.
Chapter Four
Jessie carried the tray with three plates of food to one of her tables and served the three women their meals. She was so happy to have found this job so soon after she’d arrived that she hadn’t even complained when they wanted her to start work right away. She’d called Ginger and told her that she had gotten the job and was going to be working immediately. Ginger had been thrilled for her.
Ginger worked nights at the local hospital as a nurse’s aide and was off on Monday and Tuesday. She had been thrilled to have Jessie stay with her while she got on her feet. She hadn’t asked questions, just opened her home and helped her find this job. She couldn’t wait until they had time to catch up. It had been a long time since Ginger had moved away from Reo.
So far the lunch crowd hadn’t been too hard to deal with. She’d been nervous at starting off during rush hour, but her old skills came back to her, and she was able to catch on fairly quickly. There wasn’t anything too difficult to deal with. She took orders from the menu and gave them to the cooks in the back. Then she kept the customer’s drinks filled and delivered their orders. There was a busboy to clean up after they finished.
“How are you holding up?” Kelly, one of the other waitresses, asked when she walked up to the drink station to refill some glasses.
“Doing fine so far. Thanks. I hope I’m doing everything right so far.”
“You’re doing fine, honey. I’m so glad to see you I could kiss you if I was that way. We’ve been working short staffed for over a month. It’s about run me ragged.” The other woman grinned at her and headed out to the front again.
Jessie smiled to herself and arranged the refilled glasses of iced tea on the tray before carrying it out to her tables. She’d just turned from the table when she saw two people she hadn’t thought she would ever see again following behind the hostess to one of her tables. She quickly turned around to hide who she was and hurried over to the drink station again.
