Page 2 of Ashes to Ashes

My eyes flitted toward the metal outbuilding. Behind the dust covered windowpane, the top of the girl's purple baseball cap appeared and then her big, round eyes followed. An unlocked door or open window had helped her find her way inside the building. She caught me watching her and pressed her long finger against her lips before ducking below the window.

I took another bite of hot dog and watched the entertainment through my side view mirror.

Something quickly drew the guy back to the car. I was sure he was going to get in and drive off. But after a few seconds in the car, he shot back out and yelled. "Denni, you fucking little thief, where the hell are you?" His rage-filled eyes turned in the direction of my truck and the outbuilding. What had been comical and of just enough interest to let me forget how crappy the world famous chili dogs had become, now seemed dangerous. I worried for thegirl.

I rolled down my window as I saw him march toward the truck. He stopped behind the cab and looked through the back window into the passenger seat before turning his angry focus on the outbuilding. I didn't need to know either of them to know that the woman inside the rusty outbuilding was in danger. I needed to think of somethingfast.

I hung my head out the window.

"Are you looking for your friend with the milk and cookies?" I asked.

His nostrils were wide enough to suck in a large moth as he spun his face my direction. "Yeah, did you seeher?"

"Sure did. When you walked around to the bathroom, I saw her head straight out to the road and lift her thumb. An eighteen wheeler stopped, and she climbed inside."

His meaty fists balled at his sides. I hoped to hell that I'd convinced him with my lie. He looked mean but he also looked plenty stupid.

"Eighteen wheeler? What did it looklike?"

"Not sure. The sun was working against me from this angle, but I think the cab was bright blue and it had a big silver trailer with a Tradesmith logo on it. He was heading south." I was just making shit up as I went, and the big idiot seemed to be swallowing everyword.

"I'm going to fucking kill her," he grunted as he turned and ran back to his car. His tires screamed along the asphalt, and the bottom of his car scraped the edge of the driveway as he flew out onto the southbound highway in pursuit of the elusive eighteen wheeler.

---