Terry Bisson by Greetings

Author:Greetings [Greetings]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2011-12-20T14:33:23+00:00

· · · · ·

Nine

· · · · ·

Pam raced through the town’s single street. “Where are we going?” she cried.

“Tillamook, Tillamook,” Tom said. The word was like a mantra. It was the biggest town around; it would have a hospital with an emergency room.

“Uh oh!” A Ford Expedition sped past them with a blue light flashing. “Wainwright,” said Pam.

“Where’s he going?”

“After us,” said Pam. “That little bitch called the cops, remember? Well, that includes him. He’s got his Homeland Security light on.”

Tom looked back. The Ford’s taillights were bright. “He’s stopping; he saw us.”

“Of course he saw us!” said Pam. “How many yellow Caddies are there around here this time of year? Now what?”

“He thinks we’re going to Tillamook. Step on it till we’re out of sight, then turn right.”

Pam understood perfectly. She topped the hill, then slowed, skidding on the wet asphalt, and turned into a narrow street leading up into the pines.

“Now stop and turn off the lights. Put her in PARK and take your foot off the brake.”

“Why are cars always ‘her’?”

“You should be flattered.”

They watched out the rear window, through the streaming rain, holding their breaths as the Ford Expedition raced past on the highway, heading for Tillamook.

“Dumb shit,” said Pam. “How’s Cliff?”

Cliff was slumped against the door. “He’s breathing. How’s Ara? I’ve seen her drunk, but I’ve never seen her drunk like this.”

“I gave her a tranq,” said Pam. “She must have taken two. They interact with the whiskey, making me the designated driver. Now what?”

“I’m thinking.” Tom shook an American Spirit out of the pack and fished through his pockets for a match.

“Wainwright will figure out we’re not ahead of him,” Pam said. “He’ll turn around and come back. They’ve probably got the state troopers out, too, by now.”

“I know, I know.” Tom found matches in Karin’s slicker, next to a lump that might have been a phone—or another gun.

“You can’t smoke in the car,” said Pam.

“Oh, for Christ’s sake!” Tom shoved the slicker onto the floor. He rolled down his window and lit the cigarette, taking two drags before tossing it out into the rain.

Another car sped by on the highway. A state trooper, blue light flashing, heading down the hill toward the beach and the house.

“Damn that little bitch,” said Pam. “She must have called every cop in the country. What do we do now?”

“We can’t go to Tillamook. We have to stay off the highway. Go to the end of this street and turn left. We’ll go to Azarov’s.”

“That quack?”

“He’ll have to do. Cliff’s breathing, but only about once or twice a minute.”

“Damn that little bitch.” Pam put the car into gear and roared off, spraying gravel—no lights. “This is Bonnie and Clyde time.”

“Clyde?” asked Arabella, sitting up. “Who’s Clyde?”

“Nobody, honey,” said Tom. “Fasten your seat belt.”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.