Parker 01 - The Mark by Pinter Jason

Author:Pinter, Jason [Pinter, Jason]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780778324898
Google: VIhKnnufiloC
Amazon: 0778324893
Publisher: Mira
Published: 2007-06-26T04:00:00+00:00

22

I don’t know how long we were in the back of the truck. Every second was gut-wrenching, the tension a suffocating blanket. Add to that potent mix the girl whose life I’d endangered, who would no doubt beat the living shit out of me as soon as we were safe, and the ride in the back of the flatbed felt similar to bodysurfing the seventh circle of hell. Country music notwithstanding, it was the worst two—or was it three, or four, or five?—hours of my life.

We made a few brief stops—traffic lights I assumed, since we always were moving within minutes. I thought about my backpack, still containing the tape recording from the Luis Guzman interview, that I’d left at Amanda’s house. When the driver, David Morris, according to the sloppily scrawled name on his toolbox, finally came to a complete stop, we waited what seemed like eons before daring to poke our heads out.

I eased the tarp up and saw a white neon sign hovering above us that read Ken’s Coffee Den. The C in Coffee had blown its bulb. Ken’s offee Den was good enough for me.

We had stopped at a rest area—who really knew where-but we were out of St. Louis. There was a small diner and a Mobil station. A busy highway ran parallel. The black night was slowly easing into the gray of early morning. Where were we?

“We’re clear,” I said to Amanda. “Let’s go.”

They were the first words I’d said to her in hours. She barely acknowledged me, but before I could move she’d leapt out of the truck and started walking across the parking lot. I jogged up to Amanda, praying she wouldn’t scream bloody murder before I could explain.

The first rays of sun began to peek out of the horizon, streaks of beautiful orange and gold melting the gray. I checked my watch. Another day had passed. It had been almost thirty-six hours since John Fredrickson had died. Thirty-six hours since my life had irrevocably changed. For a moment, I forgot everything. Forgot John Fredrickson, forgot that three people wanted me dead, forgot that I once had a life, a good life, which I might never see again. The beauty of the morning sky, the whispers of cool air, they took me far away. All I could think about was Amanda, the look in her eyes when I told her my real name and revealed my betrayal. This was my life now. And there was no turning back.

“Amanda, please.” I tried to grab her sleeve. She pulled away and kept walking. “Just let me explain.”

Suddenly she whipped around, her gaze cold as stone.

“Who are you?” she said. “Right now, tell me the truth. And if I even think you’re lying, I’m marching right into that restaurant and calling the cops.”

I closed my eyes. It was time to come clean.

“I’m wanted for the murder of a New York City police officer named John Fredrickson.” The breath seemed to be forced from Amanda’s lungs as she took a step back.

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