The moonlight glows through the dusty windshield, silvering the grimy glass. Stars shine brightly across the dark blue skies as the cold northern wind whips across the desolate stretch of road. Tension rises tight as Jake watches the red and blue lights strobing through the back glass, casting light across the car's dim interior.
"I wish he'd just get it over with," Jake thinks, peeking out of the side mirror. The officer has pulled him over for what seems like an eternity now, but he has yet to approach. Jake nervously fidgets in the front seat, his fingers tapping on the steering wheel, his leg bouncing. His heart hammers rapidly in his chest, and his breathing is quick and shallow. Acting nervous will give him enough suspicion to search, Jake warns himself, trying to calm his nerves. A soft voice whispering from the back causes him to jump.
"Can I come out now?"
"No, don't move or make any sounds."
"Why, what's going on?"
"We've been stopped."
"By the cops?"
"Yes. Shhh, he's coming." Jake says, rolling down the window. Jake takes a deep breath to steady himself. Forcing a smile, he glances over and says, "Evening, officer."
The officer's eyes narrow, and his brows furrow when he says, "License, registration, and proof of insurance."
Anxiously gathering it all up, Jake hands it over. The officer glances at it, eyes Jake, and then says, "I'll be right back."
Jake's hands shake as he rolls up the window. "He's gone for now." Jake mumbles.
Mille slightly shifts around. "What are we going to do?" Mille wasn't a fugitive yet—well, as far as she knew, she wasn't—but the cops knowing where she's at would spoil her plan.
"As long as I don't act suspicious, he won't have any reason to search my car."
"I hope you're right."
I do too; he does think. Jake looks in the side mirror to find the officer returning. "The cop is back."
"The reason for the stop is you have a taillight out." The officer explains handing the paperwork back.
"I wasn't aware of that, officer, but I'll get that fixed right away."
Seeing his sudden change in demeanor, the officer flashed his light through the car. He sees an assortment of containers scattered across the backseat floor but nothing that would warrant a search. You really should clean this thing out."
Jake fidgets around in his seat. " "I keep meaning to clean out my car, but then something comes up." He anxiously shrugs. "Then life gets in the way. I'm sure you know how it is."
The officer recalls a similar case. He glances towards the trunk. Someone could easily hide back there, he thinks. His brows furrow, and he slightly tilts his head to the right when he asks, "You seem really nervous tonight, Mr. Jones. Are you sure everything is alright?"
Jake runs his fingers through his thick dishwater blonde hair. Rubbing his eyes, he says, "I'm fine, just tired is all. I just finished a long shift, a double. I'm sure you know how that goes, working the long hours you do."
Something just didn't sit right with the cop. Taking his notebook from his pocket, he scribbles, "Write it down," at the top of the page, then hands it through the window.
Jake reads it, hands it back, and says, "I'm fine, just exhausted is all."
The officer hesitates, trying to determine if he's telling the truth. After a brief pause, he says. "Make sure you get that taillight fixed. Turning, he walks away.
Jake pulls out; he glances into the rearview to find he's being followed. Hopefully he's just trying to find a place to turn around.
"Is it safe? A weak, broken voice asks from the back.
Jake glances in the rearview mirror and says, "Not yet." Approaches the big Cedar roundabout Jake continues to follow the pavement around. The officer stays close behind before circling in the opposite direction. With a heavy sigh, Jake says, "You can come out now.
Jake is driving down the steep decline when he sees what he believes to be an unmarked car pulling out of the gas station.
"No, wait."
"What's going on now?"
Jake peeks through the side mirror to find the car right on his tail. "A suspicious car just pulled in behind me."
Jake is so focused on the car that he didn't notice the light had turned red. "Shit," Jake says and slams on his brakes. Millie topples forward, crashing with a thud. "Sorry about that," he says.
There's a tremor in her voice when Millie asks, "What happened?"
"I almost ran a red." He checks the mirror again. The car is still there. Sweat beads along his forehead and neck. He drums his fingers on the wheel, waiting for the merciless light to change.
Here we go, he thinks as he turns the corner. The car follows.
I need to know for sure. He signals and takes the first exit. The car follows. Spotting a strip mall, he pulls in front of the donut shop, hoping it'd give him a believable alibi.
"Why are we stopping?" Millie asks, sharp tension in her voice.
"I'm trying to lose the suspicious car."
"Is it working?"
He looks over and sees that the car is continuing on. "I think so." Jake watches the suspicious car continue on. "They're gone." Jake just reaches the edge of the parking lot when he notices the vehicle circling the building, then pulling into the far end of the strip mall and turning off its lights.
That wasn't obvious, Jake thinks, shaking his head. They're back."
"What are we going to do, Jake?"
Ideas race through Jake's head as he tries to come up with a plan. "It's our only choice," he thinks downheartedly. Jake knows he's going to have to do a lot of sucking up, something he absolutely hates to do, but it will be worth keeping him and Millie out of jail. Jake scoops up his cell from the grimy dash and dials his older, annoying know-it-all sibling.
"Hey. Josh, I need to ask you for a big favor," he begins, eyes flickering towards the mirror.