A Date With Fate

by Tracy Ellen

  Anna and Mac yelled they’d tell me, too. I turned to the open window and sat on my right knee, angling myself to face backwards. I put my left leg straight out and down, tucking it into the space between the seat and the door, planting myself. I held the gun tightly in my left hand, resting the barrel on the window ledge. I held onto the top of my seat with my right, hugging the head rest.

  Tre slowed down abruptly. The wind had whipped stray strands of my long hair into my face. It was a good thing it was up in a pony tail tonight or I’d be blinded.

  Anna was shouting prayers and giving play action from her lookout seat in the back. “Let her get him, let us be okay, here he comes, let her get him…here he comes! Oh man alive, Junior, HERE HE COMES!”

  Pulse racing, I was excited but amazingly not scared or nervous. I visualized how I was going to shoot back at the van and where I was aiming. Then I was AWOL’ing, wondering whether it was possible a person could use up all the adrenaline in their adrenal glands before the body could produce more. I focused abruptly when I felt the van veer over to the left. Bracing myself, and holding tight onto the head rest to prevent falling over between the front seats, I heard three yells of, “NOW!”

  I leaned out with the gun. Aiming behind us and to the left, I started pulling the trigger with no hesitation. When shooting, my gun makes the expected booming sound. Having no ear protectors the noise was deafening. That was the last thing I heard for awhile.

  The gun jerked in my left hand with the small recoil from each shot, but I knew what to expect. I religiously practiced shooting my weapon on the range at the Dakota County Rifle Club for months. I held on steady as possible with just one hand and fired behind us until the ten shooter clip was empty. I saw tracers from bullets meeting metal, but couldn’t tell where they were hitting in the blinding mix of glaring headlights and black darkness of the night.

  I leaned back in and ejected the empty clip. I snatched the half empty second magazine off the seat under my knee, and prepared to keep shooting.

  That’s when I realized our van had slowed to a stop on the side of the road under one of the infrequent light poles along this lonely stretch of highway, about twenty yards past the curve.

  When first starting to shoot, I’d felt a hand slip down the back of my low riding slacks and firmly clutch a bunch of fabric to hold me steady. I don’t believe I was in danger of falling out of the window, but I now had one hell of a wedgie.

  Feeling a tap on my right arm as I squirmed on the seat, I looked over to see Mac’s relieved and smiling face. She was pointing behind us.

  I read her exaggeratedly enunciating lips. “He’s gone! He turned and left!”

  I nodded, grinning. I thumbed on the safety of my gun, but still kept in it my clenched grip. I wasn’t ready to trust he wouldn’t come back.

  After a few moments, my hearing was returning a little. All of us were exclaiming over what had happened and talking at once.

  I raised my voice. “Did I hit him?”

  Anna replied excitedly, “I saw sparks bouncing off the van, so you hit that. I don’t know if he got hit, but the maniac slammed on the brakes and turned around. He drove off like a bat out of hell right as we came out of the curve.”

  I grinned over at Tre. “Guess who now has to be sober cabbie all the time? You were unbelievable, girl!”

  Tre J blushed while we all extravagantly complimented her driving skills.

  Jazy smacked my right shoulder, laughing. “Speaking of sober; good thing you didn’t drink your tequila tonight or this could have ended much differently.” She shook her head in wonder. “To think we have Candy to thank for stealing your gun in the first place!”

  I swore so fluently, Reggie would be proud. They all burst out in hysterical laughter.

  Tre J calmed down enough to say, “My sister isn’t going to be happy.”

  That set us all off again, and we let out our relief with laughter and jokes about what we’d tell her sister. Seriously, I reassured Tre J that I would take care of her sister’s deductible and rental car if need be. That set off another round of debates, but I held firm. Since I was probably responsible for the man in the van trying to smash us to pieces, I’d pay for any resulting out-of-pocket costs. Tre J was a struggling student without a pot to piss in until she finished her schooling and started work in her field.

  Not knowing when the man in the van had started following us, Mac called and checked in with Stella. She told her an abbreviated version of what happened. Her friend, Eric George was over, and she promised the door was deadbolt locked. She’d put a chair under the knob for insurance.

  We all then climbed out shakily to inspect the damage to the van. I still clutched the Glock tightly in my left hand, but with the barrel pointed down along side my thigh.

  Circling the vehicle, we were pleasantly surprised to see only minor damage; a broken left taillight reflector, a few small dents, and white paint scrapes on the back bumper. It had felt much worse.

  In the silence, we all stared at the white paint scrapes. It brought home how close we came tonight to becoming roadkill. Strangely, no cars had passed us since the semi that almost crushed us, and it was eerie standing out in the cold night on the deserted county road. We were all crammed together, so close our arms were touching.

  Tre asked, “Did anyone call 911?”

  We all looked at each other, nobody saying a word.

  Groaning, I laughed. “Ah, we are SO in trouble!”

  Again, everyone started speaking at once. Mac finally had the loudest, definitive last word. “It happened so fast and we had to save ourselves. It wasn’t safe to try to call the police! What would they have done? Talk us through it?”

  “Good, then you can call Jack and tell him exactly what happened.” I suggested magnanimously. “He might think a call to the police may have nabbed this guy before he could drive away in his killer van and disappear.”

  In the hushed quiet of the night, we stood contemplating our close call and the call we knew we needed to make to Chief Jack. The loud ring tone of a phone made everyone jump. By habit; I’d slung my purse over my shoulder when we exited the van.

  I saw who it was and answered. “Good God, it’s only been two minutes and I swear I was going to call!”

  Jack Banner replied brusquely, “What are you talking about? Never mind, where are you, Anabel? I’m calling to advise you to stay home and locked in tonight, preferably not alone. Make sure your gun is nearby and loaded.”

  He hadn’t heard my news yet, but his did not sound so good, either. “Why, what’s going on?”

  “We think we’ve identified the man from today in the van. I have a mug shot for you to identify. If it’s this man, I don’t want to take any chances you might be a target after seeing you in the parking lot today.” Jack’s voice was deadly quiet, a clear indicator how serious he considered the situation. “He’s a very bad actor, Anabel. He’s a known homicidal-serial rapist.”

  “Holy Crap! Okay Jack, listen to all I have to say before you freak out. First off, we are all fine. I am on the side of Highway 3 a few minutes from Castle Rock’s. I’m with the girls in Tre’s sister’s minivan. We were going out dancing. On the way, this van came out of nowhere and tried to run us off the road. To make a long story short, it was probably this guy.” Jack was no longer calm. He was swearing loud and long under his breath. “Wait, let me finish. I had my gun in the van because Candy had dropped it off over at Mac’s after she …er borrowed it from me, so I shot at him after he rammed us. I shot a full clip. He drove off. We’re alive and the van is okay. What should we do now?”

  “Hold on a minute.” I thought Jack was going to be irate I was in trouble again, but I heard only concern in his voice. This psycho must be really, really bad. I heard the sound of a door closing in the background. Jack spoke again. “It was lucky for you girls that you had the gun tonight. Christ almighty, why did Candy have your gun in the first place? Have you lost your mind? You know what, ne
ver mind. I don’t want to know right now.” I rolled my eyes at Jack’s unflattering assumptions. “Are you out of ammunition? I assume you didn’t kill him?”

  “I have five bullets left, but he seems to be gone. Like I said, he took off, so he probably wasn’t dead.”

  Jack said irritably, “Let me rephrase. Did you hit him?”

  “No way of knowing.” I was feeling equally irritable.

  “Okay, okay, you did right.” He sighed. “Note where you are for my team, and then go to Castle Rock’s. I want you all safe off the road. Stay in the van double parked near the entrance. I’m sure the man is long gone and you’ll be fine, but keep your eyes out and your gun handy. I’ll be there in five minutes or less.”

  “Police are on the way.” I told everyone. They had all silently listened to the phone call from my end. I cleared my throat. “Jack said the man is a majorly bad dude, a killer-rapist.”

  We all scurried into the van and locked the doors.

  Tre started the engine and turned on the heater.

  “Jack’s crime fighters will probably need to do whatever they do to the van. I bet we can’t drive it tonight.”

  Tre groaned at my comment while pulling onto the road and heading north once again. I held my loaded gun in my lap. My gun permit is for Concealed Carry, but I don’t think anyone minded the reassurance of seeing the weapon.

  Mac suggested, “Should we keep a look-out in all directions to be sure he doesn’t sneak back? Until the cops come?”

  “YES!” was the unanimous answer. Everyone was happy to have something to do, even if it was to watch a dark road and the darker fields around us.

  Mac then brought up a good point. “He had to know forcing us off the road while going that fast could kill us all.” She caustically added, “Not that I am complaining he didn’t try to rape us first, but I wonder why he wanted us dead?”

  Anna answered her, her voice loud and angry. “If he’s partners with that Ron Hansen creep, I think he wanted to get Anabel for saving Larissa today.”

  “He’s a fucking insane individual, that’s why.” Jazy stated.

  “In a nutshell!” I agreed wholeheartedly, turning to stare down the black road behind us in case talking about the killer conjured him up again.

  There were no further sightings of the van the last couple of miles to the bar. We followed Jack’s instructions and stayed in the van without parking, although we stopped down a few car lengths from the entrance.

  Mac was on the phone with Diego. Jazy was also talking to someone. Tre J and Anna were staring diligently out their opposite windows, scanning the lot and people around us.

  I kept watch out on my side while I was silently debating if I should call Luke. Jack had said I shouldn’t stay alone, and I sure agreed with him. I was seriously freaked out by all that happened. The idea of being stalked by a killer serial rapist is terrifying, even with a loaded Glock 9mm in my hand.

  As if reading my mind, Jazy ended her call and spoke from the back. “Reggie’s insisting we go to his house after we’re done here. I don’t feel like dancing anymore, even if Jack says we can. What do you think? Reg’s having a poker party tonight.” She grinned. “The idea of being surrounded by lots of men sounds appealing.”

  Tre J chuckled. “When doesn’t it? I’m spooked as all hell right now. I vote for your brother’s house.”

  Mac had ended her call and been listening to us. “Diego is picking me up. He’s offered to have one of his employees drive my car here if they are keeping the van. You girls can have wheels or,” Her big sister gene won out and she went on, “maybe you all should come home with me? It’s too bad our night out is cut short, but I agree with Jazy. I want to feel safe at home with my man.”

  Jazy coughed into her fist. “Your boy.”

  Mac stared her down. “What did you say?”

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “I know you said something.”

  I piped in, helpful middle sister that I am. “She said ‘your boy’.”

  Mac glared at Jazy with slitted eyes.

  Jazy grinned in return. “Oh, don’t give me that look. You call me your baby sister, right? Is Diego not younger than me?” Jazy continued triumphantly, “Ipso Fatso--he is ‘your boy’!”

  I helped again. “Now she’s talking fancy-smack. She’s calling your boy toy a ‘fatty’ in Jazy Latin.”

  Anna burst out laughing while Mac and Jazy turned on me.

  I held up my hands in defense. “Just translatin’…”

  Tre turned in her seat and growled a scary “back off” warning at my sisters.

  We all laughed. It lightened the tense atmosphere in the van. Jazy told Mac she’d love to borrow her car for the night, but was heading for Reg’s. She loves poker. Mac agreed and texted Diego our plans.

  Anna said from the back, “Mac, if you could drop me off, I want to go home.”

  Tre J peered at her worriedly through the rearview mirror. “Anna, what’s up with that? You don’t want to go to Reg’s and be surrounded by seven or eight dudes with bulging muscles?”

  “Not when I can have Aunt Lily and her cane.” Anna deadpanned.

  We were still snorting when Jack pulled up in his SUV, a uniformed cop riding shotgun. I was relieved to see his craggy, grumpy face. With this psycho on the loose and gunning for me, I was more worried about my sisters and friends than I realized. I don’t know why this man was after me, but I’d never forgive myself if they were hurt because of something I did. I unloaded my gun and zipped it away in the duffle.

  Jack opened the side door, leaning in. “Girls, tell your statements to the nice Officer Nelson. I have drawings to show Anabel.”

  Climbing out into the chilled air in the well-lit parking lot, I chuckled seeing the young, dark haired cop swallow manfully. He was trying not to look overwhelmed in front of his chief when four talking women bombarded him before he even got near.

  With my back to the girls, I stopped long enough to say in a low voice only the young rookie could hear. “Tell them oldest first, and all will be well.” I nodded when he gave me a surprised, grateful look of relief. “You can do it.”

  Jack ushered me by the elbow into the passenger seat of his truck. When he climbed in behind the wheel, he shoved a mug shot under my nose. There were six pictures of different men on the piece of paper. I immediately recognized the man in the van from my parking lot this afternoon and tapped that photo. In this picture, his eyes looked deadly malignant staring out at me. I don’t know if it was because I knew what a monster he was, or if he really looked that heinous. I sent up a silent plea to never be close enough again to find out.

  None of us had seen the driver tonight, or gotten the van’s license number. Anna said she tried to see the front plate from her perch in the very back, but had no luck.

  I briefly described to Jack what happened from the beginning. Tentatively, I asked, “Am I in trouble for shooting my gun?”

  Jack squeezed my knee. “Not on my watch, Anabel. You have four eye witnesses stating you were rammed off the road with intent, not once but three times.” His next works erased any reassurance I was feeling. “Listen, I know that’s your only weapon and you have it all legal, right and tight. I really don’t want you without a weapon while this joker is out there, but I have to confiscate your gun as evidence. It may become necessary for ballistic tests.” He squeezed my knee again. “We need to follow the rules so that when we catch this guy it sticks, understand?”

  I gulped and nodded. I don’t know why I wasn’t expecting this and felt a moment of panic. I hit the button to roll down the passenger window halfway. The cold air helped calm the anxiety of being left defenseless. After all, I knew many people with guns. They may not be registered in my name, but if it came to me defending myself or being killed, I guess I’d worry about the fine print later. For tonight, there were seven or eight guys with bulging muscles at my brother’s.

  Or there was Luke across the road.

/>   Jack was watching my face. His lips twisted in a knowing way. “We’ll get you a legal replacement immediately. Until then, what has Uncle Jack always told his little Angel?”

  “How would I know what you’ve told this creepy, little Angel you refer to so often? You’ve always told me to get them coming, not going.” I must be feeling more myself because I was a tiny bit happy to see the smirking look on the Chief’s face replaced with his usual snarl. “Since you are absconding with my gun, are you having us tailed to Reggie’s to make sure we aren’t followed and killed?”

  Jack turned his face upward, contemplating his choices.

  “That’s okay. I can go into that bar, borrow a gun from someone I know, and take care of myself.”

  “I should have horsewhipped some respect into you when you were young.” Jack’s shark grin was a scary, rare sight.

  I smiled sweetly. “Oh, excuse me. Let me rephrase. I can go into the bar and borrow a gun from someone I know and take care of myself, Sir!”

  Jack reached over the center console and patted my cheek. “That’s better, Nancy Sinatra.”

  I suffered the pat and cocked my head. “Nancy Sinatra, hmm?”

  “Aha! Will wonders never cease…I got you! Miss Know-it-all doesn’t know everything!” Chief Jack crowed so loudly that the girls and Officer Nelson heard him and looked over our way in surprise.

  He waved them off in scowling irritation.

  I saw Mac fold her arms and give him a slow stare. I laughed to myself. Jack Banner was in trouble now. Nobody waves off MacKenzie Angelica Axelrod DeVere Dos Santos in irritation. Pain and suffering were sure to follow.

  I got out of the SUV and went over to the van, reaching in to grab the duffle bag with my gun. Walking back to Jack’s driver side, I handed it over with a sad, little shake of my head at his gloating expression and quirking lips.

  Keeping eye contact and backing up, I started humming. Then I started snapping my fingers and shaking my shoulders slowly to a few bars of, “These Boots Are Made for Walkin”.

  I gave him a tiny wave and wheeled around to join the group around Officer Nelson.