A Way West

by Peter Westaway

  Chapter Seventeen

  Issy jumps out and tilts the back of her seat forward so the new passengers can get in the back seat. She greets them with a big “Hi!” as they approach.

  The tall black one gets in first and slides over behind Pete, after flashing a big smile to Issy, and saying hi back. The shorter one says, “Hey thanks for stopping,” as she leans in and gets in behind Issy’s seat.

  Issy gets back in and Pete peels out and goes from zero to sixty as fast as his machine is capable. Pete glances back to check out his new passengers. The black girl is gorgeous. Glowing dark black skin and shiny hair in big curls. She could be the daughter of Janet or Latoya Jackson. The shorter white girl has light red hair in a boyish brush cut, lots of freckles, and she could pass for the granddaughter of Howdy Doody. They both have big warm smiles, so that is the most important part. Pete then tells them, “My name is Pete and this is Issy, where are you two heading?”

  The short one speaks up, “Hi Pete, Issy, I am Anna and this here is Laquisha. Our car broke down back there and we were just heading to the next town to get a tow truck.”

  Pete looks at Anna in the rear-view mirror, “I didn’t see your car back there, it must have broke down while we were in the rest area.”

  Anna agrees, “Ya it just happened, and we’ve been walking ever since, we really appreciate the ride though.”

  “This is a real sweet ride you have Pete.” Laquisha says from behind Pete.

  “Thanks, I like it, and you have a real pretty name.”

  Anna agrees again, “Ya my Queesh has a beautiful name, cuz she’s a beautiful girl.” Anna flashes Laquisha a generous smile, Laquisha smiles back demurely. Anna then proclaims, “I sure do like blonde hair though. Hey Queesh wasn’t I just telling you the other day how much I like blonde hair?”

  “Yes, Anna I believe you did.”

  Issy smiles proudly and runs her hand through Pete’s shaggy blonde hair, “I love my Pete’s hair too.”

  “Oh him, ya sure I guess, if ya go for that type. I was talkin’ bout you sweet cheeks. Your hair is just so fine.” Anna fondles a few strands of Issy’s hair as she finishes this unexpected statement.

  Pete and Issy exchange looks; they don’t know quite what to think. There are a few seconds of awkward silence, broken by Anna, “I have me a great idea. How bout you let Queesh here sit up front and stretch her long legs, they are cramped back here. And Issy there can sit back here with me?”

  Pete and Issy exchange a more concerned look this time. Pete glances at Anna in the mirror again, “No, Issy is staying up here, we’re being nice enough to give you this ride. Don’t you think?”

  Anna pauses, and there is a longer, more awkward pause this time. Anna sighs and answers, “I don’t think this is going to work Pete. Why don’t ya pull over here and we all quit while we’re ahead.”

  Pete couldn’t agree more. He immediately puts his signal on and slows down. “Ya okay, I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

  The Mustang comes to a halt once again on the shoulder, while another of those awkward silences is ensuing. Issy jumps out and tilts the seat forward again. Anna climbs out and stands up. As Laquisha is sliding over to follow her out, Anna slams the back of the seat back and jumps in the front seat. She then slams the door, ripping it out of the hand of a startled Issy, now standing alone on the shoulder.

  Pete is beyond startled, “What the hell do you think you are doing?”

  Anna gives him her nastiest look. She reaches under her baggy hoodie and produces a small hand gun. “I’m taking your car Pete, and I suggest you get the fuck out now, because I am in a real bad mood all of a sudden.”

  Pete looks from the gun to Anna’s sneer, and back to the gun. Then he gets the fuck out of his car.

  Anna instantly climbs over the stick shift, flashes Pete, who is standing on the highway, a smart ass smile, slams the door and throws it in gear. The Mustang’s mags squeal loudly as it races off and accelerates away. Pete moves off the highway and joins Issy on the shoulder. They are both speechless. Did that really happen? They are both in complete shock. Issy opens her arms in an offer to comfort her Pete. She knows the poor guy must be devastated. Pete wordlessly accepts the invitation and allows himself to be wrapped in her arms. He says nothing. She says soothingly, “I am so sorry Pete.”

  Pete finally recovers a little and starts looking on the bright side, as is always his way. “I’m just glad that frickin bitch didn’t hurt you pumpkin.” Issy squeezes him tight. Pete fully recovers. He lets go of her and looks back down the interstate towards the rest stop. “Jeff should be here soon.”

  Issy is thinking this would be a good time for Jeff to have a car. All four of them are not going on the bike. But Pete has a plan. “As soon as he gets here I am jumping on the back of the bike and we’re going to chase that crazy bitch down. She’s not keeping my car.”

  Issy doesn’t like this plan. “You’re going to leave me and Monica by ourselves? No Pete, she has a gun. I don’t know what I’d do if you got shot.”

  Pete’s adamant, “We’ll just follow her, she doesn’t know about the motorcycle behind us. You and Monica hitchhike to the next town ahead and wait for us at the police station. You can start the police report and we’ll come find you. If a State cop shop is real close go there, otherwise stay at the local one until we get there. Just be real careful who you take a ride with.” Pete sees Issy isn’t so sure, “Please Issy, it’s our only chance. I’m not giving up my car to that little fucking dyke that easy!”

  Issy goes back to hugging Pete, “Okay dear, but please be careful.”

  “I will be fine pumpkin; this is just God’s way of telling us that he isn’t going to give us everything so easy.”

  Issy lets him go and manages a little smile, “Don’t go finding religion on me now, that’s the last thing I need.”

  Pete has regained his good humour, “Don’t worry about that pumpkin, the four of us are going to start our own religion some day.”

  Issy‘s smile widens, “Ya sure, let’s just survive today please.”

  “I think that’s him coming now. Remember wait at the police station no matter how long we take. Explain it to Monica, we have to be quick about this if we hope to catch them.”

  “Fine but don’t go near them, she has a gun.” Issy had seen the gun through the window.

  Pete starts waving his arms over his head back and forth as the bike races towards them. Jeff is in the fast lane and just realizes who it is waving as he is about to pass them. He moves to the inside lane and onto the shoulder. He almost gets rear ended by a Honda Civic that is blowing its horn. Pete and Issy run as fast as they can to meet them. They cover the quarter mile or so, and are out of breath as they come up to Jeff and Monica who are standing by the bike with looks of confusion.

  Monica expresses that sentiment, “What happened? Where’s the car?”

  Pete tries to catch his breath, “I fucked up and picked up two chicks hitchhiking. They pulled a gun on me and stole it Jeff. She doesn’t know about you, so let’s me and you chase the bitch down and follow her til she stops for gas or something.”

  Jeff is still looking confused. Monica is even more confused, “What about me and Issy?”

  Pete looks at Monica, “Issy will explain.” He looks at Jeff, “Please, we have to hurry!”

  Jeff shrugs his shoulders, “Ya okay let’s go.” Pete grabs Monica’s helmet.

  Monica pleads, “Be careful guys please!”

  Pete is getting on the back of the bike and just gives the girls a thumbs up, and slaps Jeff on his side. Jeff checks to make sure the coast is clear and pops the clutch and guns the engine, and they are off!

  Jeff’s adrenaline is pumping. What the hell is happening? He sure didn’t expect to enter the elusive Rockies like this, that’s for sure. He pushes the bike to ninety miles an hour, he then backs off. He doesn’t want to die! If they get pulled over now by a trooper that w
ould be okay, as long as it was a decent cop. Let Pete go with the cop on the chase and Jeff could go back and be with the girls. But of course, there is no cop around when you need one. He settles for eighty-five miles an hour and weaves around the light traffic keeping his eyes peeled ahead for the Mustang.

  Pete’s on the back trying to calm down. What a frickin disaster! But he has the same thought as Jeff though, it’s not worth dying for. So he is glad when the bike slowed again, it was getting a little scary. The frickin dyke car thieves had about a ten-minute head start. So, assuming they are going about sixty five miles an hour in the Mustang to not attract any attention, that will mean we’re going twenty miles an hour faster...hmmm. Half hour! It would take over a half hour to catch up to them? Ah Shit! This might not work! Pete starts worrying about Issy and Monica, let’s hope I didn’t just fuck up even more with this little chase plan.

  Issy has explained to Monica what is happening. They both reluctantly stick their thumbs out to start hitchhiking. You just have to know that it won’t take long for two young fresh faced babes to get a ride. Sure enough, less than two minutes later an old Dodge Caravan passes them and pulls over, stopping up ahead. But just as the girls start to head there, another car, a Ford Taurus pulls up and stops much closer. The Caravan immediately leaves. The girls approach the Taurus. They look in and see two young guys about their own age, both with big smiles looking out at them. “Hi girls, c’mon in!” The boy in the passenger seat is leaning out the window.

  Monica goes to open the rear door. But Issy motions for her to hold it. Issy checks the two guys out carefully, and then gives her assessment, “No thanks guys. I am sure you are nice enough, but a couple of girls can’t be too careful these days. We’ll pass, thanks.”

  “Well fuck you! Uptight bitches!” Is her reward, and the Taurus takes off angrily.

  Three minutes later a big shiny BMW pulls up. This time Issy like what she sees, a middle-aged couple that looks harmless enough. The girls both get in the back seat.

  Jeff is starting to kind of like the chase. A little adrenaline and excitement is good for the soul! He doesn’t see any cops or Mustang, still though. This just might be futile. They’ve already passed two exits. They have no way of knowing if the Mustang pulled off the interstate already. He wonders how long it will take before Pete decides to call off the chase. But he’s getting more comfortable cooking along at high speed, so he speeds up just a bit.

  They had been going for about fifteen minutes now and the chase is then officially called off by the trooper they just flew by. He is pulling onto the Interstate in a hurry with his sirens screaming.

  “And just what the hell do you think you were doing going so fast!?” The Montana State Trooper was not happy.

  Jeff was standing on the shoulder holding his helmet. “I’m sorry sir but this is an emergency. My friend here just had his car stolen and we were trying to catch up to it.”

  Pete is beside Jeff holding Monica’s helmet, “I asked him to do this officer, my car is up ahead, two girls were hitchhiking and had a gun and kicked me and my girlfriend out. Please sir we have to catch them!”

  The trooper pauses, looking at the two anxious young men standing in front of him, “That is no reason to risk your lives, and the other people on the road. You were going eighty-nine miles an hour.” The trooper pauses again, “I will radio in your car’s description right now, and I am sure we will find it. I am sure as hell not about to go racing down the interstate, with no chance to catch up to it. Then you are getting a ticket for the speeding, you can’t be taking the law into your own hands. You’re lucky I’m not charging you with dangerous driving… Now first give me the plate and description of this stolen car.”

  “There they are!” Pete spots Monica and Issy entering the station. Both boys jump up to greet the girls. They had only been there for twenty minutes themselves, waiting in the lobby until one of the cops came out to write a full report on the carjacking. The couples are both hugging with obvious relief that they are all back together.

  “Did you get your car?” Issy says as she is letting go of Pete.

  “No a trooper pulled us over for speeding and he sent the information out on his radio, but no luck yet.” Pete is quick to update them.

  Jeff pulls his ticket out of his pocket, “Ya and guess what? I now have a much bigger ticket than you got, for my efforts.” He’s looking at Monica.

  Pete looks at Jeff, “I told you I’d pay for it dude, so chill. You still have your bike.”

  They are in the Montana Highway Patrol Station in Butte Montana. And they are finally in The Rockies, but none of them thought they would arrive like this. Issy is rubbing Pete’s back with one hand trying to console him, “So Pete what do you want to do now?”

  “I’ll tell you what I want to do, get stinking blasted drunk!” Pete sits back down and puts his head in his hands. Issy sits beside him and Jeff and Monica hover in front.

  Issy takes control, “Okay this is what we do. We are going to walk around town for a bit trying to relax. If they don’t find your car we will get a motel for the night. Tomorrow we check back here. If your car still hasn’t shown up, we are taking a bus to Seattle.” Issy sees that Pete still has his face buried in his hands. She looks up at Monica and Jeff. “You two can do what you please but I would obviously love it if you stayed with us tonight.”

  Pete peeks up from his hands, “Ya! Let’s all get stinking drunk together!”