Chapter 93

Hell, no one will miss me for a second.

He gunned the gas and went zero to sixty in a split second then braked. He loved how the powerful engine purred in this car. He made another left to hit the street and then gunned the gas again, trying to exceed more than sixty miles an hour in a second. Before he knew it, lights came behind it. Flashing lights. Red and blue.

Shit!

He turned, slowed down, and was a hundred feet from Jack’s car, when the police car pulled up behind him.

Boy the hits keep on coming tonight.

The officer approached his window with a flashlight and shone it on his face. Pad blinked and squinted. The cop shouted as he spoke. “What were you doing back there?”

“Sorry, officer, I was driving my friend’s Mustang and trying it out.”

“Let me see your license and registration.”

“I have my license. But I don’t know where the registration is. The owner’s right up there, like two hundred feet from us. They’re trying to pull a car out of a ditch.”

“Please step out of the vehicle and put your hands on the trunk of the Mustang.”

Although he said the word “please” it was more of a command. Pad’s heart beat fast. Fear, anger, anxiety flooded his brain and he told himself to calm down.

Pad stepped out and walked to the back of the car. The officer walked behind him and head back in his patrol car, holding Pad’s driver’s license. In the distance he saw two shadows walking towards them. It took him less than a second to realize that Belinda and Jack were walking towards him.

“You two need to stay at least ten feet from the Mustang!” barked the officer. The officer came back, still holding Pad’s license. The officer grabbed the speaker-mic on his shoulder. “Officer Blackstone on possible ten-eighteen, Magnolia and Colonial. Requesting back up.”

Radio static punctured the air with a woman’s scratchy voice piercing the silence. “What’s your ten-twenty?”

“Magnolia, three hundred yards south of Colonial.”

Officer Blackstone took his flashlight and lit up the inside of the Mustang. After that, he approached Pad. “Okay, arms flat on the trunk, spread your legs apart.”

Shit! What if I get arrested?

Pad complied. His hands sweated and left imprints on the trunk, yet his throat was dry. He felt Officer Blackstone’s hands on a quick pat down, down his chest, the sides, the pockets of his shorts.

“Please take the stuff out of your shorts.”

Pad took out his cell phone, wallet, and house keys. He realized at that time, he left Wayne’s keys in the Mustang. Probably in the seat. Officer Blackstone shone his flashlight on the wallet. Blackstone’s flashlight then blanketed Pad’s face again as Blackstone moved in closer and studied Pad’s eyes. The officer took a penlight and asked Pad to follow it with his eyes. “Well, at least you have smooth pursuit. And I don’t smell alcohol. Why were you driving the Mustang?”

“I was moving it so Belinda, who is there in front of us, could move her truck and we could get the Honda out of the ditch.”

“Huh, that’s interesting. Okay. I’m going to show you two additional tasks. Watch me and see if you can duplicate it.”

Pad observed the officer do a walk and turn and a one-legged stand. Pad silently thanked his months of yoga classes. He accomplished both DUI exercises easily. He glanced at the cop when he was done. He couldn’t tell if the officer was shocked or disappointed since his lips curled. He appeared flat and displayed only one countenance, annoyance.

“Now tell me, how did the Honda get in the storm drain canal up there?”

“I was driving. I saw a cat run across. I swerved to make sure I didn’t hit it. I forgot that there was a ditch there.”

“And that’s your car in the ditch?”

“No. I was driving my friend’s car. He’s actually up there trying to tow it out by strap.”

“Well, so you had two friends that let you drive their cars? And using a strap won’t work.”

The officer turned off his flashlight and Pad’s eyes adjusted slowly. The cop filled out his uniform. His head was shaved bald although he could see it wasn’t due to baldness because a millimeter of hair started to grow evenly throughout the scalp. He obviously worked out.

“You wait right here. I’m going to talk to the folks up there separately. If your story checks out, I’ll give you a warning. Understand?”

“Yes, sir,” answered Pad. Pad remained in the back, near the trunk of the car. He pocketed his keys and wallet then checked his cell. Still no answer from RJ.