Truck Stop Trouble

by Peter Presley

  I sit back down. “Heather, you don’t just leave the Kocans, okay?”

  Heather puts her hands on her head, looking more frustrated than before. “They’re going to kill you, aren’t they? They’re going to kill me, too.”

  “No!” I walk over to Heather, grab her hands and kneel in front of her. “I won’t let them hurt you, baby. Okay? You’ve got to trust me.”

  She pulls her hands away from me. “Then what am I supposed to do? I have a job, friends, family. My roommates are probably worried sick about me now. I know my parents and my brother must be totally freaking out.”

  “Yeah, I know. I haven’t called my parents. So they’re probably worried too, even though they know I’m a Kocan.”

  Heather’s eyes get big. “They know you’re a Kocan and they’re okay with it?”

  “I mean, not really. They don’t know exactly what the Kocans do, but they know they’re dirty. But they stopped trying to convince me that I was throwing my life away getting mixed up with them. They knew I wouldn’t listen. But when they find out I’ve left, it will make them very happy. I’m getting out, and I’m going to keep you safe.”

  “Alex, for all you know, they could show up here tomorrow.”

  “They’ll never find us here. But, they’re after us. If we have to, we leave town; I mean really leave town.”

  “And go where?”

  “I’ve got a friend in Germany.”

  “Germany!” Heather’s eyes get big again. “Are you nuts? I’m not going to Germany.”

  I get up. “It’s a worst-case scenario, okay? But it’s there if we need it.”

  “I’m not going to Germany.” Heather gets up and runs to the bedroom.

  I look at my phone. I’ve got another message telling me I’m as good as dead.

  I walk into the bedroom. Heather is on the bed with her face in the pillow. I climb on top of her. “It’s okay. We’ll be okay.”

  She abruptly turns over. “The afternoon news is on. Let’s go watch it. I want to know if anything more is going on with this.” She pushes me aside and runs out of the bedroom to the living room. I follow her.

  She’s sitting on the sofa with the TV on. I don’t know if she’s going to be able to catch any more news about this or not. I already know what’s going on with the cops. But the question is, will the cops crack down on this operation or will the Kocans get us first? No way that’s going to happen. I will not let the Kocans get to Heather. When I said I would protect her, I meant it.

  “Look! That’s me! They’re looking for me.”

  Sure enough, Heather’s face is on the TV.

  “Oh my God!” She looks at me and then back at the TV. “That’s Melanie.”

  I’m watching it all as she screaming at me. It looks like this Melanie person, a fashion designer or something, is asking the public to help find Heather. The reporter isn’t saying anything about the Kocans or the car thefts. So I guess they haven’t made a connection yet.

  “I know the police will protect me,” Heather says. “I just know they will. But what about you? You’ll go to jail, won’t you?”

  “I’ll never survive in jail. The Kocans have people in jail, too. And don’t be so sure about the police protecting you. As long as the Kocans are out for blood, you can’t be protected. That’s why it’s my job to keep you safe.”

  She starts to cry. “What are we going to do?”

  I sit next to her on the couch and wrap my arms around her. She doesn’t resist me. “It’s okay, baby. It’s okay.”

  20

  Heather

  Alex is sprawled out on the bed, on top of the covers, taking a nap. I know he’s asleep, because I’ve checked on him twice now.

  While he’s been sleeping, I’ve come to a decision. I need to get away. After seeing my face on the TV and watching Melanie with that reporter, I can’t do this anymore. My friends and my family are looking for me. The police are looking for me. I can’t hide out here when I know people are wondering where I am and worrying about me.

  Right now, Alex is out to the world, and I’ve found another stroke of luck, as well. The safe where Alex put my cell phone is open. Alex must have forgotten to lock it the last time he went in there. He’s obviously getting comfortable with me. It’s too bad I can’t stay here and go along with his plan. He’s a great guy; he really is, and he’s an awesome lover. But my life is back in Chicago, not out here in the middle of nowhere.

  The first thing I’ll do is go to the police, let them know I’m safe, and explain what happened to me. They’ll know what to do. They’ll have a plan for what I should do next. As far as Alex, well, he’s resourceful. I mean; he’s been with a gang since he was 16. He knows how to survive. He’ll know how to get away from the cops.

  I take my phone, which, fortunately, still has some battery, put it in my purse, and walk out the door. I’m not worried about my stuff in the bedroom. It can stay there. As long as I have my phone and the little bit of money I brought with me, I can escape from here, somehow.

  Now I’m walking down the dirt road that leads to a main road, and that’s how I can get out of here. I probably should have left Alex a note, but I didn’t want to risk taking the time to do that. Alex will just have to understand why I had to go.

  I’m away from the home now, still on the dirt road. I’m not running, but I’m walking as fast as I can. I tried to call Amber, my librarian roommate, but my call went straight to voicemail. I’m not surprised. Her job won’t let her get calls at work anymore.

  Now, I’m calling Melanie. I don’t want to talk to my parents, not right now, not unless I can’t get Melanie. And I definitely don’t want to talk to my brother. The Kocans are after Alex, but my overprotective brother would be after him too if he knew how to get to him.

  “Heather, is that you?”

  “Yes!”

  “Oh, my God! Hold on a minute. Ladies, I need to take this call. It’s Heather.”

  Melanie must be in a meeting. I can hear some of the women in the room with her surprised that she’s got me on the phone and that she finally connected with me. She must have told them everything, and plus, she was on the news being interviewed about me. I feel even worse for agreeing to go with Alex.

  “What in the fuck is wrong with you!” screams Melanie. “We’re worried sick about you. Have you talked to your parents?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “They’re fucking going ballistic, Heather!”

  “I know. I know, I’m so sorry, but . . . ”

  “Where are you?” Melanie doesn’t let me finish.

  “I don’t know where I am.”

  “What? What do you mean you don’t know where you are?”

  “I’m in some small town in Wisconsin, I think . . . I think the nearest expressway is 43 or 294. I don’t know. I’m trying to find out.”

  “Jesus! Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

  “No, I’m not hurt.”

  “Do you know I was talking to reporters about you? Do you know that?”

  I’ve never heard Melanie sound so concerned and so angry. “Actually, yes. I saw you on TV. Calm down, okay? Let me explain.”

  “Did someone hurt you?”

  “Melanie! Please. Let me explain.”

  I hear Melanie take a deep breath. “Okay, explain.”

  “Do you remember that guy I saw in the parking garage?”

  “What, the blond guy? What about him? Did you go off with him?”

  “He’s protecting me. There’s a gang of thugs after him and they’re after me too.”

  “Wait . . . what? There’s a gang after you? The Kocans? That gang that they say is ripping off cars from hotels?”

  “So you know about them?”

  “Yes, I fucking know about them.”

  “Well, Alex is involved in that car ring too . . .”

  “His name is Alex?”

  “Yeah, and the gangsters know that I saw him.”

  “It’s all over the new
s, Heather. You mean to tell me that guy is all mixed up in that shit?”

  “Yeah, but he wanted to protect me from getting hurt. That’s why I went off with him.”

  “Get away from him and get home. Where are you?”

  “Melanie, I told you. I don’t know. I’m out here in the middle of nowhere. I need to keep walking so that I can try to identify where I am. It’s just a dirt road and trees and stuff so far. There’s no street signs or anything yet.”

  “Jesus! I’m staying on the phone with you, got it? As soon as you think you know where you are, I’m coming to get you and we’re going to the police.”

  “I just want to go home, but I don’t want Alex to get hurt.”

  “Forget about him.”

  “Melanie, it’s not that simple.”

  “Wait a minute . . . Did you fucking sleep with the guy?”

  I don’t answer.

  “Oh my God. You have got to be one of the dumbest women I’ve ever met.”

  Her words cut to the core, and that’s only because they’re true. But they still hurt. “Well thank you for telling me how you feel.”

  “Listen, you just keep walking until you find out where the fuck you are. Wait a minute . . . Where is Alex, anyway?”

  “He’s back at the house asleep . . .”

  “What house? Where?”

  “Melanie, I don’t . . . I look back and there’s Alex’s car coming toward me. I could start running, but what’s the point.

  The car pulls up to the side of me. Alex rolls down the window. “Heather, please get in.”

  “Wait, is that him?” says Melanie. “Let me talk to him.”

  That’s the last thing I want. “Melanie, I’ll call you back.” I hang up before Melanie can say anything more.

  “If you go back to Chicago,” says Alex, “they’ll find you and they’ll kill you. And then they’ll kill me. The Kocans will do whatever they can to protect themselves.”

  “I have to go!” The tears are streaming down my eyes.

  “Come in the car and let’s go back. You know I’m not going to hurt you.”

  “No! I’ve made my decision.”

  Alex stops the car. He doesn’t follow me. He just watches me walk away.

  What am I doing? I know Alex is right. We have to figure out a way to handle this together. And, I care about Alex, because, even if the police protect me, what about him? What if those Kocan people kill him? I don’t want that. I would never want that.

  I turn to look at Alex. He’s still sitting in the car, staring at me. He doesn’t look mad. He’s never looked mad at me. He just looks sad, sad that I won’t trust him, I guess.

  I walk back toward the car. Now Alex pulls up to meet me. “Are you coming inside?” he says looking through the passenger window.

  I nod my head and Alex leans over and opens the door. I climb in, but I look straight in front of me. I don’t look at Alex, even though he’s looking super sexy in just jeans with no shirt. He turns the car around and we head back to the house.

  “I’m glad you came to me. I can’t protect you if you leave me.”

  Tears are streaming down my face again. “I spoke to Melanie. Everyone is worried sick about me.”

  “Text her and tell her that everything is okay and that you’re safe.”

  I look at Alex.

  “Do it. Let them know you’re okay.”

  I text Melanie and tell her not to worry about me and that I’m fine and that I’ll see her again, just not right now.

  “Okay, are you done?” asks Alex.

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay, turn off your phone and give it to me.”

  I hand my phone over to Alex, willingly. “They’ll track our phones one way or another, you know. I watch enough of those true crime shows. They’ll find us.”

  “I’ll have a plan before then. I promise.”

  21

  Heather

  I felt guilty about Alex doing all the cooking, so I did it this time. I’ve made us a simple dinner of spaghetti and meat sauce, just using bottled marinara. I’m trying my hardest to make the best of our situation, and I don’t feel as spastic as I did when I tried to escape from here earlier today.

  “This tastes good,” says Alex. He seems pleased with my attempts at cooking.

  “I’m glad you like it.” I put my fork down. “You don’t want to be a gangster anymore. So what are you going to do with your life, exactly? I’d like to know.”

  Alex seriously looks at me. While I’ve been trying to calm myself down, Alex has been thinking, a lot. I know he’s been trying to figure out what we’re supposed to do and how we can move on from all this. “I’m going to learn a trade. I just have to figure out what. I have enough money to last me a few years.”

  “I don’t want to work in a hotel anymore.”

  “No?”

  I shake my head. “Nope. I wish I could do what my mom did.”

  “What was that?”

  “Be a wife and a mother. She stayed home to take care of my brother and me. That’s the kind of mom I want to be if I ever have kids someday.”

  “I bet you’d make a great mom.”

  I laugh. “Sure. I can barely cook spaghetti. How would I handle being a housewife?”

  Alex smiles. “Well, I could do the cooking. How’s that?”

  “You? You’re going to marry me? Is that your plan? And then you’re going to ship us off to Germany, or something?”

  Alex laughs. “Relax about Germany, okay?”

  “I know.” I take another bite of my spaghetti, but when I look at Alex, he’s staring into space.

  “I said I would never get married unless the girl was perfect for me,” says Alex. “So, that’s what will make me do it.” He stops staring into space and goes back to eating his spaghetti. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look so serious.

  “Why did you do it?”

  “Do what?” he says, looking at me.

  “Get involved in all this stuff. You seem like such a nice guy.”

  “I saw it as the only way for me to make any real money. Nobody had it in my neighborhood. I wanted the nice car and the nice home . . . I wanted the right woman, too.”

  “But . . . you never found her.”

  Alex is still looking at me. “I did find her.”

  “Me? I’m that woman?” I shake my head. “How can I be that woman, Alex? We don’t even know each other.”

  Alex leans back in his chair, still staring me in the face. “When I saw you in that parking garage, I knew, right then and there, that I wanted to spend my life with you.”

  I look at my plate of spaghetti. A mix of emotions is spreading over me and tears are coming to my eyes again. So much has happened, and I don’t know how to process all of this. I’ve never had someone say to me what he’s saying to me. It sure would be easy if it all sounded like a bunch of BS, but it doesn’t. He means it. I know he does.

  I look at him. “After I saw you that first time, I went home and told my roommates about you because I thought you were hot.”

  “I love you. Do you love me?”

  “Alex!”

  Alex puts his fork down. “Look me in the face and tell me you don’t love me.”

  I look him in the face, but I don’t say anything. It’s like I can’t speak. Yeah, the sex is good, but I know it’s more than that. I can fall for a guy fast, just like I did with Doug. But Alex isn’t a Doug, not at all. He’s caught up in some serious shit, but he’s not my ex.

  Alex stops looking at me and slowly takes a drink of his water. Neither of us speaks. He knows I’m falling for him whether I want to admit it to him or not.

  22

  Alex

  What happened after the awkward silence in the kitchen where Heather couldn’t tell me if she loved me or not? We ate our dinner, and then we had sex again. She was even more into it with me than she was before.

  She’s asleep in the bedroom, probably for the rest of the night. Sh
e seems to have calmed down about everything, but now I’m the one going postal about all this shit.

  I’m still getting texts from J, letting me know I’m dead. But it’s more than that. Something tells me Heather is right. Something tells me the Kocans will find us here, long before the cops do. I don’t know why I feel that way, but I do. Maybe it’s because J won’t let up, and maybe it’s because he’s got the whole organization after us now.

  So I’ve decided we’re gonna face this thing head on. Heather and I have to go back to Chicago. I’ll tell them what I know about the Kocans but only if they agree to protect her. It will mean jail for me, and that means dealing with whatever I face on the inside. Maybe this is a death sentence for me either way, but I’ve got to keep Heather safe. That’s my goal.

  It’s Friday morning, and I’ve been lying here awake. Heather’s awake; she’s lying here too. I have to tell her what I’ve needed to tell her ever since midnight when I decided our next move.

  ”We’re heading back to Chicago,” I say.

  She looks at me. “We are?”

  “Yeah, I’ll tell the cops what I know, but only if they promise to keep you safe.”

  Heather turns her face away from me and looks up at the ceiling. After a long silence, she speaks. “I don’t want to be without you.” She looks at me again. “They could put you away for 20 or 30 years for all we know. Take me to Germany. Take me to that guy’s house you were talking about. Let’s just get out of here.”

  “We can’t do it, baby. I can’t take you away from your world. I need to put you back in your world.”

  She hugs me tight. “But that’s all changed, Alex. My world is with you now. I love you!”

  She said it. She said what she wouldn’t say last night. “And I love you, and that’s why I have to do right by you.”

  Heather sits up. The sheets fall from her perky breasts. “I can think for myself, you know? I don’t want to lose you!” Heather lies back down. “Anyway, won’t they be waiting for us there, your Kocan people?”