Page 20 of The Last Grift
Because you are too old for this, Chance.
“ID,” the man snapped, holding his gloved hand out. “And either get out or turn on your dome light.”
“What the fuck do you need ID for?” Gabriel demanded, reaching up to flip on his dome light.
“Because I asked you for it. Did you know that park rangers are law enforcement? Here I am, enforcing the damn law.”
“Jesus Christ already. Give me a second, I’ll go.” Gabe had never really gotten along with most law enforcement types, and it was clear this park ranger wasn’t going to be any different.
“You’re still getting a ticket. A fine will teach you a lesson, and maybe I’ll have one less popsicle to call the county coroner to collect.”
Gabriel squinted at the ranger. “Is this your version of tough love? Or scared straight?” He laughed at his own joke.Pathetic.
The ranger did not laugh along with him. Gabriel rolled his eyes up to the car’s ceiling.
“Identification,” the ranger repeated.
“What the hell is it with people on this island and ID?” Gabriel muttered as he painfully shifted around to retrieve his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. Extracting his driver’slicense, he handed it out the window. This was the second time he’d shown a stranger his real ID today. And he did not like doing it.
Plucking the card from Gabriel’s hand, Ranger Man held it between his thumb and finger and held his flashlight so that it illuminated the rectangular piece of plastic. Gabriel bit his lip to stop from pointing out that it easily could’ve been a forgery. He had a couple of spare IDs in one of his go-bags. Fake IDs were difficult these days but not impossible, and Gabriel knew the right people.
Or the wrong people, depending on perspective.
He was turning over a new fucking leaf, using his real ID, and this guy was acting like he was king of the world. What did he need other than Gabriel’s name?
“What are you doing, memorizing my details?” Gabriel asked. “You could’ve just asked me. My birthday is in May if you want to make a note for yourself. I like to read, movies are fun—I lean toward action flicks. I could definitely use a gift card to one of the big box stores.”
Ranger Man ignored him, didn’t even flick a glance his way.
“Fine, be that way.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re not as funny as you think you are?” The ranger’s voice was just the type of deep Gabriel went for. That thought was shoved into a mental box, where it belonged.
“Honestly? Never.” It had been one of the few things Heidi complimented him on regularly.
Silently, Ranger Man handed Gabriel’s ID back to him. The rain, which had never really stopped, chose that moment to start falling harder again. The stand of trees he’d parked under protected the car some, but the aggressive patter against the roof was still deafening, and the wind huffed, blowing fat drops in through the open car window.
Producing a mini clipboard and pen from one of his many pockets, Ranger Man began to write something down while Gabriel watched. He hunched so the brim of his hat provided shelter as he scribbled. Then, with a jab of his pen, he finished and tore off the sheet of paper and handed it to Gabriel. Gabe automatically took it and held it at an angle under the car’s interior light.
“You’re free to go.” The ranger rapped his knuckles on the car roof again, then stepped away.
The murky glow from the dome light gave off just enough light to read by. Gabriel’s mouth dropped open. “One hundred dollars? That’s highway robbery!”
“You should have thought about that before driving around the barrier.”
“Listen,” Gabriel began with a smile, his tone a tad pleading, “I’ve had a long couple of days, and this isn’t helping.”
“You think you’re the only one who’s had a long day?” Ranger Man asked in an even tone, not looking at Gabriel.
Now Gabriel wished he could see the man’s face clearly so he could push him into a mud puddle when he saw him next. A damn deep one.
“The web address to pay your fine is listed at the bottom there.” He tapped the clipboard with the tip of the pen that Gabe wanted to snatch from him and throw to the furthest reaches of the campsite. “You have thirty days, then it doubles.”
Gabriel was also tempted to crumple up the fucking paper and toss it at him. From the look the guy shot him, he knew it too. Instead, he folded the paper and jammed it into the pocket of his coat.
The park ranger still managed to loom even though he had moved ten feet away, his slicker-clad arms crossed over his chest while he waited for Gabriel to get going. Maybe the guy got a sick pleasure out of rousting trespassers.
“Still waiting,” Ranger Man finally called out over the rain.
