In the Crosshairs by M. S. Spencer

Author:M. S. Spencer [Spencer, M. S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC022070 FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / General
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2023-12-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

Way down upon the Suwannee River,

Far, far away,

There’s where my heart is turning ever,

There’s where the old folks stay.

White Springs, Thursday, June 1

“Where are we?”

“Let me check the map.” Palmer clicked the roof light on and consulted her phone. “Oops. Looks like we missed the exit to Route 10.”

“We were supposed to take it to New Orleans?”

“Yes. We’re only about a mile past it.”

“Well, we’re hardly in a condition to backtrack now. What’s the closest town? One big enough to have a service station.”

“There’s nothing showing on the map.” She looked out the window. Only two or three lights twinkled in the inky darkness. “Wait a minute. Up there. Isn’t that a sign advertising a Motel Five? It doesn’t look too far. Let’s see if they have a room.”

“Okay. I’ll put the spare tire on, and we’ll head there.”

“Why don’t we take the bike?”

“We can’t leave the camper on the highway.”

Once back on the road, they used the neon light to guide them to the motel. They rousted up the clerk and soon found themselves in a grey-carpeted, grey-walled room with a small double bed and a big TV. Palmer felt the mattress. “This is nice.” She tittered. “At least it doesn’t jiggle like yours.”

Carson’s response was to make it jiggle.

A panting Palmer came up for air half an hour later. “I spoke too soon.”

Carson slipped on his jeans and shirt and held up a bucket. “I’m going to fill this with ice and scout out a snack machine.”

“Isn’t there any food in the Airstream?”

“I didn’t have time to stock it.” A few minutes later Carson returned with ice and candy bars. “It’s all they had.”

She plucked one of the bars from his hand and munched on it while he filled two plastic glasses the size of medicine cups with bourbon. He held his up. “To the open road.”

“May it not rise to meet us.” She drained the cup and picked up her toiletry bag. “I’m going to freshen up.” She sidled into the minuscule bathroom. Once the door was shut, Palmer stared at her face in the cloudy mirror. It hadn’t crossed her mind when she insisted on accompanying Carson in his flight that there would be extracurricular activities involved. She’d been consumed by the need to protect him and hadn’t really thought it through. She winked at the mirror. The extracurricular part’s not the real problem, though, is it?

She sighed. It was the whole escaping-the-police bit she was unsure of. To be on the lam with a fugitive from the law was a new experience for her. And these things rarely ended well. Am I prepared for this? Is he just using me? No—he hadn’t wanted her to come at all. The tune to “Me and Bobby McGee” ran through her head. The only words she could remember were “took us all the way to New Orleans.” If we do get to New Orleans, will he leave me there and disappear? Will I want him to?

Carson knocked softly on the door.

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