by Nancy Cupp
He’d gone through quite a few partners before the company told him he either had to drive solo or they’d let him go. He tried several different companies as a solo driver.
The trucking companies wanted him to work up to the maximum hours allowed by law. Arnold preferred to spend more time getting to know the best areas for setting up his business. He sampled the hookers, learned how they were managed, and where they came from.
One of his loads brought him to a small Colorado town, Aroya. He had picked up a load from a huge quonset building that had once been an airplane hangar. The building was being used as a warehouse, but the company was moving out and the building would be empty until it was rented again.
Arnold walked around the building while his truck was being loaded. The place had possibilities. It was large enough to park several tractor-trailer rigs inside, completely out of sight. The near-by town was almost a ghost town, it’s hey-day long past. It was unlikely that anyone ever thought about the grown over runway and old hangar.
…
He was coming back from a trip to buy his custom made truck when he saw her. She was young and shapely and looked like she was in trouble. Arnold pulled the motorhome off the side of the highway and opened the hood. He made sure to accentuate his limp as he tinkered with the motor.
Through the crack between the open hood and the windshield he watched her approach. She was cautious, trying to check him out. She looked like she’d had a rough night and needed a ride.
“Hi, sorry to bother you,” she said. “But do you know which way it is to Lafayette?”
Arnold jumped back from the RV pretending he hadn’t known she was there, as if she had startled him. He smiled broadly, and held a hand over his fluttering heart.
“Didn’t mean to sneak up on ya.” The pretty black teenager shyly stood in the tall grass, gesturing to indicate her path. “I just been walkin’ in the ditch.”
Arnold tried to act friendly. “Oh, Lafayette? It’s that way. What’s in Lafayette? Do you live there?”
“No, I’m from Franklin, but I know Lafayette’s on the way,” said the girl.
“That’s a long way to walk.”
“I know, but I got time.” She seemed to sway as she stood in the hot sun. She put her hand on her forehead.
“Do you need a ride?”
“No thanks, I better…” The girl went limp as her legs started to buckle, but Arnold caught her before she hit the pavement.
Arnold couldn’t believe his luck. Getting women for his business was going to be easier than he thought. Arnold scooped her into his arms and carried her inside the motor home. He laid her on the bed and got a cold wet cloth to cool her off.
It wasn’t long before she began to stir. When she woke fully, she tried to get up, her eyes wide, flailing in a panic to get away.
“Hold on, I won’t hurt you. You fainted.” Arnold held his hands up, palms toward her with fingers spread wide. He smiled and spoke as gently as he could. “I thought you needed to get out of the sun. I’m Arnold.”
“Oh—thanks Mr. Arnold. I’ll go now.” She tried to get up, but her legs were still weak.
Arnold had to think fast, he wasn’t about to let this money maker go. “Are you hungry? When’s the last time you ate?”
“I don’t know, yesterday?”
“I’ll make you a sandwich. I’ve got food in here,” said Arnold. He moved away giving her room, allowing her to feel safe.
“You still want to go to Franklin?”
“Not really,” she said between bites of her sandwich, “but I can’t stay here.”
“I’m on the way to Colorado. I was out here lookin’ at a new truck.”
“You a truck driver?” The teen seemed to be uneasy about it.
“More like an owner, I’m a business man. I don’t do much driving anymore,” said Arnold. “I’ve found other ways to make money with my truck.”
“Well, thanks Mr. Arnold. I feelin’ better now. I’ll let you get going.”
The young woman stood up to leave, but nausea overtook her and she clamped her hand over her mouth. She pushed past Arnold, running for the door. When she was done, she weakly leaned against the doorframe.
Arnold approached her gently, not wanting to risk her running. This part was going to get tricky.
“Why don’t you ride with me as far as Lafayette?” Arnold resisted reaching out for her. He groped for something to say that would keep her from bolting.
“I shouldn’t—I…”
“Look, if I was going to do something I could have already done it. You’re in no shape to be walking in the hot sun all day.”
She looked at him for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, that helps. Thanks.” She climbed into the passenger seat.
Arnold knew he had won a battle. He handed her another bottle of water. “Drink it slow this time,” he said with a smile.
They rode in silence the short distance to the turn off for Lafayette. Arnold’s mind was racing. How would he keep her from panicking? He put on the signal and slowed for the exit, he could knock her out when she went to get out if he had to. He’d make sure to stop in an isolated area.
The girl seemed to be trying to make a decision. “They got jobs in Colorado?”
“Sure, there’s a couple of packing plants, and some retail stores in town.”
She took a deep breath. “Could you take me there Mr. Arnold?”
Arnold turned off the blinker and smiled. “I didn’t think you really wanted to go to Franklin. What’s your name, honey?”
“Blaize.”
THANKS FOR READING!
I hope you enjoyed learning how Arnold got to be such a bad boy. You may also want to read Blaize, the flip side of Arnold’s story (Also a free novella). The story is continued in Driving in Traffick.
This book is a prequel to Driving in Traffick, book two of the Margret Malone series. Book one is Hold On, a murder mystery that takes place in Yosemite National Park.
The next book in the series will feature Blaize. It should be out in 2018. If you’d like advance notice when the book will be released and/or to be on the launch team please visit my webpage to sign up. (No spam ever)
http://www.nancycupp.wordpress.com.
I’d love to know what you thought about Arnold. Please drop me a note at [email protected]. Questions are welcome, I answer my own e-mails and I’ll write back.
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MORE BY NANCY CUPP
Hold On (Margret Malone Book 1)
Blaize
Driving in Traffick: The Victim’s Story (Margret Malone Book 2)
See more at Nancy Cupp’s Author Page