by Keith Trimm
“Now and then.”
Hours passed and the girls stopped at a gas station for gas and snacks. Cassidy headed to the bathroom while the other two looked for something to eat. In the bathroom, Cassidy noticed a text on her phone, it was from Dennis. It read, “Sorry about what went down, I’m here for you if you need me, just let me know.” The message made Cassidy feel much better as she posed and modeled in front of the bathroom mirror.
Missy and Rhonda walked back out to the car and waited for Cassidy to get back from the bathroom when they heard a news report on the radio about a woman who escaped from the Kansas state prison. Seems this woman somehow faked her execution and was on the run. A group of employees were rounded up and jailed for conspiracy to defraud the government by helping her escape.
“That’s fucked up,” Missy said chewing on some beef jerky.
“Wonder if Cassidy is the woman they are looking for?” Rhonda asked. “Did they say the woman’s name on the radio?”
“Yeah, Linda Miller,” Missy replied.
“Could be an alias, is there a reward?”
“Not that I heard of, just said to call crime stoppers.”
“Crime stoppers pays rewards.”
“Yes, but they didn’t mention a reward.”
“Did they give a number to call?”
“Yes, but I didn’t write it down, I didn’t think Cassidy was a suspect till now.”
“I’ll Google it on my phone, you keep her talking and I’ll see what I can do. Maybe we can pick up some extra cash.”
Cassidy left the gas station and walked back to the car. “I had to pee so bad,” she said pushing on her bladder making a joke.
The three women got back in the car and headed down the highway. It was a hot June afternoon and the air-conditioning hardly made a dent in the temperature. The radio was tuned to an F.M. country station that bored the shit out of Cassidy, but being a good passenger she didn’t say anything. She longed for some dance music. The backseat was a great place to lie back and rest. It was a bench seat and very comfortable. All she needed now was a good book to pass the time, maybe at the next gas station she’d see if she could find one.
“How’s it going back there?” Rhonda asked from the driver’s seat.
“Fine,” Cassidy replied. “This seat is way too comfortable,” she joked.
“So where did you come from? I mean before we picked you up?”
Cassidy had to scramble for a believable reply. “I was evicted from my apartment, I lost my job at the factory and had to move out.”
“Why didn’t you contact your husband? Why not move back home?”
“There are some issues I’d rather not discuss, personal stuff.”
“Oh I understand, men can be real pricks,” Rhonda replied.
“No, it’s not that, but I can’t go into the details.”
“I won’t ask again, no problem,” Rhonda asked.
Just then Missy piped in, “Have you ever been in jail?”
Shocked at the brashness of her question, Cassidy paused for a moment to think of a good answer. She didn’t want to say the first stupid thing that came to mind. But then she didn’t want to pause too long and make the women suspicious that she was making shit up. “Yes, twice actually,” Cassidy replied.
“For what?” Missy asked.
“Shoplifting when I was nineteen, and assault.”
“Who did you assault?”
“The girl my husband was seeing before we were married. We were engaged and he was cheating on me.”
“Holy shit, he was cheating on you? He must have balls.”
“Oh, he’s not a bad looking man, he gets hit on all the time.”
“So why aren’t you home now defending him?”
“Defending him?”
“From the bitches who want to take him from you.”
“I decided a long time ago that if he really wants to fuck other women, so be it, I can’t control that. If he loves me, he will be faithful, if not, fuck it.”
“No one is faithful honey, no man or woman. Everyone wants to fuck who they aren’t supposed to fuck. It’s human nature. Marriage is a joke and a waste of time.”
“Is that why you’re divorced?” Cassidy asked.
“Yes, he fucked around on me too many times. Couldn’t take that shit anymore. If I wasn’t good enough for him then fuck it, he could find someone else. I’m worth more than that.”
“Yes you are, nobody should have to put up with that kind of abuse,” Cassidy replied. “How bad was he?”
“Let’s put it this way, the last time he got caught he was fucking his sons boy scout masters wife in their hot tub while the kids were in the other room.”
“What kind of sick fuck does that?” Cassidy asked.
“Yeah, he’s a fucking dog. Can’t stay out of other women’s pussies.”
“I feel sorry for you.”
“Don’t, I don’t feel sorry for me anymore, I got the fuck out.”
Feeling uncomfortable with the conversation, Cassidy tried to change the subject. “How much further to Oklahoma City?” she asked.
“Three hours,” Rhonda replied. “Where are you going to stay once we get there?”
“I haven’t thought that far ahead,” Cassidy replied.
“How can you live your life like that? Not knowing where you’re going to sleep, or how you’re going to eat? Are you rich or something?”
“If I were rich I wouldn’t be hitchhiking,” Cassidy replied with a chuckle.
“I can hook you up with a place to stay overnight, then you can look for a job in the morning. How do you plan to get around?”
“I have two feet,” Cassidy replied. “And my cell phone.”
“I tell you what, in the morning I’ll take you two a couple places I used to work at. You look like the kind of girl they’d hire on the spot. You could be earning five hundred by tomorrow night.’
“That would be perfect, I really appreciate the help,” Cassidy replied.
Then everyone heard a siren and automatically looked out the rear window.
“Fuck, are you speeding?” Missy asked.
“Rhonda looked at her speedometer and freaked, “Son of a bitch! I’m doing seventy five. Why didn’t you tell me I was speeding?” She then let off on the gas, applied the brake and moved the car from the highway to the shoulder and stopped. She then rolled down her window and started searching her purse for her driver’s license. The police car pulled up behind her and for a long time set motionless. A few minutes later an Oklahoma State Patrol officer exited his vehicle and approached the Grand Am on the driver’s side. Rhonda sat nervous and quiet license in hand.
“Hello ma’am,” the officer said politely.
“Hello officer,” Rhonda replied.
“The reason I pulled you over was for excessive speed. This highway is posted sixty five and I clocked you at ten miles an hour over that.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t even realize I was speeding.”
“That can happen on long drives, do you have cruise control?” the officer asked. “Yes, but I don’t know how to use it, this isn’t my car, I borrowed it from a friend.”
“May I see your driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance?”
Rhonda knew her driver’s license was expired and she knew she was fucked. She had to think fast if she was going to avoid jail, so she nervously slid her license down the front of her shorts in full view of the male officer.
“What are you doing ma’am?” the officer asked.
“If you want my license, you have to get it yourself,” Rhonda said with a smile.
“No, you need to hand me the license, you do realize that my dash camera is recording as well as my microphone. This can all be used in court, so please hand me your driver’s license.”
“I’m not stopping you from getting my license, I showed you where it is, if you choose not to get it, that’s not my problem.”
“If you do
not produce your license in the next few seconds, I will place you under arrest for driving without a license.”
“Bullshit, I showed you my license.”
“You showed me a license, I have no idea who it belongs to. I’m losing my patients.”
Knowing the officer was right, Rhonda scrambled to come up with a new idea. With the dash camera and his microphone recording, she had to find a way to make the officer look bad. “I would appreciate it if you would stop looking at my tits,” Rhonda said loud enough for everyone to hear. She was lying but wanted to get it on tape.
“What are you talking about?” the officer asked.
“I don’t like the way you are staring at my breasts, please get away from me you pervert.”
“I’m not looking at your breasts,” the officer replied. “If this is some attempt to get out of a ticket, it will fail.”
“Look girls, he has a boner, look at his pants!” Rhonda said louder. “I think he wants to rape us!”
The officer stepped away from the car and clicked his shoulder microphone calling the dispatcher. He then came back to the car. “I have back up coming, including a female officer. I will wait until she arrives to finish this stop. Until then, turn off the car and wait.”
Knowing she was in deeper shit, Rhonda began to panic. “Wait a second,” she said and motioned for the officer to come back. “I’ll make you a deal, you call off the backup, and I’ll give you the best blow job you ever had.”
The officer said nothing, just looked at Rhonda like she was nuts.
“Give me ten minutes and it will be the best ten minutes of your day. I bet your wife doesn’t even suck dick does she?” Rhonda asked.
The officer stood still, no response.
Rhonda was starting to feel sick from her nerves and got a knot in her stomach. She felt like she might throw up any time.
“What are you doing?” Missy asked in a whisper.
“My license is expired, and this car has drugs hidden all over inside.”
“Drugs?” Cassidy asked from the back seat. “What kind of drugs?”
“Pot, meth, coke, you name it. Hidden in the wheel wells, the dashboard, in the seats, all over.”
“Whose car is this?”
“It’s my boyfriend’s car, he let me borrow it.”
“Why the fuck would he let you drive his car knowing all those drugs were hidden inside?” Cassidy asked.
“Keep it down!” Rhonda snapped back. “He is recording.”
The car went silent for a while as the three women contemplated how fucked they really were. The officer continued to stand guard next to the Grand Am and wait for his backup to arrive. It was late afternoon and the sun was starting to head to the West and everyone was getting agitated and hungry. Then backup arrived.
Another Oklahoma State Patrol car pulled up in front of the Grand Am and parked with its lights on. Out stepped a very large black female officer with a tight short haircut and black sunglasses. She approached the Grand Am and stood next to the male officer and chatted with him for a moment. Then she walked over to the driver’s door and looked down at Rhonda. “License, registration and proof of insurance please?” she asked.
Rhonda pulled her license out from down her shorts and handed it to the officer. The officer took a look and said, “This is expired.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” Rhonda said.
“I’m not your momma, tell it to the judge, get out of the car,” the female officer commanded. “You two as well,” she said to Missy and Cassidy.
The three women exited the Grand Am and were directed to face the car. “Spread your legs,” she said and patted them down one by one. She then proceeded to cuff Rhonda and direct the male officer to place her in her patrol car. “What are you two ladies doing with her?” the female officer asked.
“She’s a friend,” Missy replied. Cassidy didn’t say a word.
“How about you?” the officer asked Cassidy.
“I’m just along for the ride,” Cassidy replied.
“You some sort of nomad or something?” the officer asked. “What do you mean you’re along for the ride?”
“Am I under arrest?” Cassidy asked.
“No.”
“Then I’d rather not answer your questions.”
Taken aback, the female officer replied, “So be that way, I don’t care.”
“Can we go now?” Cassidy asked, trying to be polite.
“Yes you can, do you have a driver’s license?” the officer asked. Neither women answered. “If you don’t have a valid driver’s license, you best not be getting in that car and driving. You hear me?”
“Yes, we hear you,” Cassidy snapped back.
“It’s thirty miles to the next town, fifteen to the next gas station. If you need a ride I can take you to the gas station.”
“That would be great,” Cassidy said.
“You’ll have to sit in the back with your friend. I can’t have anyone sitting up front with me.”
Cassidy nodded and got in the back seat next to Rhonda, Missy got in as well and shut the door. They had to leave the Grand Am behind, but Cassidy didn’t care, it wasn’t her car. She was only pissed that she wasn’t going to get introduced to the club owners for dancing jobs. She was down to her last six hundred dollars and needed to find work soon. As for now, she was just hoping no one would find the drugs in car, all she wanted to do was get to the gas station and hook up another ride to Oklahoma City.
Chapter 13
Pay at the Pump
Cassidy and Missy were dropped off at the gas station by the officer who took Rhonda back to Oklahoma City to be booked. It seemed stupid that the officer couldn’t take them all, but then the officer said she wasn’t a taxi and the gas station was all she was willing to do. At the gas station, Cassidy picked out a hot dog from the hot dog rack and a slice of greasy pepperoni pizza. Missy grabbed some chips and a diet soda. Then they heard something right out of an episode of COPS.
“Give me the money,” they heard from near the cash register. They couldn’t believe what they were hearing, a real life convenience store robbery. Both women ducked behind the donut bin and watched what was going on. The cashier pushed a few buttons and out popped her cash drawer, she pulled out all the bills and handed them to the robber who jammed them into his pocket and ran out the door.
Disappointed, the two women walked over to the cashier and asked what just happened.
The clerk replied, “He said he had a gun and wanted money, so I gave it to him.”
“You better call the cops,” Missy said.
“I pressed the silent alarm, they should be here in fifteen minutes.”
“How about the license plate? Did you get that?”
“The whole lot is on camera, so is his face.”
“You seem awfully calm for someone who just got robbed,” Cassidy said.
“I get robbed all the time, I actually go to training on how to handle it,” the clerk replied.
“Why do you stay in a job like that? You could get killed.”
The clerk smiled and said, “I get shot all the time.”
“Are you some sort of ghost or something? What do you mean you get shot all the time?” Cassidy asked.
“I’ve worked here since 1968, been shot at least ten times.”
“1968? You look like you’re in your mid-twenties, how old are you?” Cassidy asked.
“Twenty nine, the clerk replied.
“What year were you born?
“1943, why do you ask?” the clerk asked.
“There is something seriously wrong here,” Cassidy said. “If you were born in forty three, you would be in your seventies by now. “
“No, I’m twenty nine.”
“Then you are some sort of ghost then, what year do you think this is?”
“1974,” the clerk replied.
“Ok, for one thing, this isn’t no 1974, and for another, nobody gets shot ten times in six years. That’s i
nsane.”
“What year do you think this is?” the clerk asked.
“2006,” Cassidy replied bluntly.
“What? No way, I’d be filling up flying cars if it were 2006, you are crazy. Are you playing a trick on me?”
Cassidy looked to Missy and shook her head. She looked back at the clerk and asked, “Are you schizophrenic or something?”
“No, do I seem crazy? I’m trying to be nice here, but you’re starting to push my buttons a bit.”
“Mister, I think you need a reality check, or stop using so many drugs.”
“I don’t use drugs, and I really take offense to you insinuating I’m crazy.”
“Well, if you’re happy, I’m happy, I just need to pay for my hotdog and pizza.”
The clerk rang up the bill for the food and took Cassidy’s money. Then he realized he had no change in his drawer. “Sorry Miss, but he took all my change.”
“Not your fault, is there any way we can get to Oklahoma City from here, I mean a ride?”
“There is no bus if that’s what you mean, and the taxi only drives in the city limits, you might be able to get a ride from a trucker.”
Frustrated, Cassidy thanked the clerk and walked outside. “What the fuck just happened in there?” she asked.
“I don’t know, I think he was fucking with us. His job must be as boring as shit. Wait a second, I forgot something, and I’ll be right back.” With that said, Cassidy walked back into the gas station and walked over to the gum aisle, it was then she noticed an old man behind the cash register and stopped flat in her tracks. Without getting the gum, she walked over to the man and asked, “Where’s that guy that was here a few minutes ago?”
The clerk looked at Cassidy and replied, “I’m the only clerk on duty, I own this place.”
Cassidy stood dumbfounded and tried to remember what the other guy looked like. She was sure someone was playing a trick on her. “No, I was talking to a guy a few minutes ago.”
“That was me honey,” the clerk said.
“No, he was much younger,” Cassidy replied.
“Thanks for the compliment, but I can assure you, it was me you were talking to, you and your friend.”
Thinking that maybe she had ingested some drugs from the Grand Am through the ventilation system, Cassidy decided not to argue the point and move on. “Thanks anyway,” she said and headed for the door.