Chapter 7

It started raining almost as soon as she left Moses Lake. This would add an hour to her drive back. She stopped at a rest stop and changed clothing. Her dress got a little wet so she hung it up in the back and changed to jeans and a sweatshirt. It was pouring down as she entered onto I-90/94. PD put on a talk show that where the subject was about serial killers. She popped open a can of coke and took a healthy swig. She had emptied her bladder when she changed.

Listening to the show it was apparent that four on the panel of five didn't know shit what they were talking about. Even their theories were nothing but bullshit. Only a Seattle homicide detective knew what he was talking about. But it passed the time as she laughed at one so- called expert spread his crap around. It might have impressed other listeners but not her. The audience were invited to call in with their opinions but with this weather pounding on her car, she wasn't about to risk it and have an accident.

The rain was a torrential downpour which was rare in the State of Washington. She reduced her speed to less than forty miles an hour while most others did the same. Some crazies sped past like she was standing still fish tailing but not letting up on their speed. She decided to call Cal.

"Hi baby," she smiled. "How's the rain up there?"

"Coming down in buckets, how was the wedding?"

"Lovely! I want a wedding like that one. There were only about sixty people. Charlene saved a ton of money by not buying a wedding dress. She wore a gorgeous white satin dress. The groom had a nice suit. It was short but sweet. They fed us like hogs and I managed to get six cokes into the cooler. I also brought some other clothing from my apartment so I'll have something nice to wear if you take me out to somewhere posh for dinner and dancing."

"Where you at right now?" Cal dodged the expensive date talk. He would take her to a great restaurant he knew of and they had live music on the weekends.

"I'm coming up on the Highway 28 exit. That'll take me through Wenatchee right into Leavenworth. It'll be an hour or so in this awful weather."

"I'll be waiting for you," he said. "When we get home I'll give you something special."

"I don't need anything special, what you do now is good enough for me. Keep on doing what you are doing, baby."

"So it's baby now."

"Well I can't call you that at headquarters. How would it sound if I called you Sheriff baby?"

"I'll be waiting for you here. If you need anything, give me a call."

"Will do, baby," she laughed, breaking their connection. She popped open another can and took a good swallow. "Man I love this drink," she said, putting the can in a holder.

Going through Wenatchee was a bear. It looked like old ladies night. Yes, it was raining but everyone was driving so slow. Then she realized that it was Saturday night and all the teens were cruising. Guys looking for girls, girls looking for guys. The old ritual. PD recalled reading a funny story about four guys picking up four girls. There were three that were gorgeous and one was mousy. They rented four rooms and the guy who was stuck with Mousy was practically raped by her while the others did nothing but chat and do a little necking. When their two hours at the motel was up, three guys were disappointed that they didn't get any while the guy who was stuck with Mousy wanted to see her again. Only on their own with no one else tagging along. She giggled thinking of that short story in one of those erotic magazines.

She finally was on Highway 2. Only a few miles and Cal. To her right something caught her eye. It looked like a small naked girl sliding on her back down a hill leading to the road. She braked when the girl hit the ditch and got up running, PD hurried out of the car, grabbing her handgun. The girl was screaming in a panic.

"HELP ME! SOMEONE HELP ME!" she shrieked in terror.

"In here, honey," PD opened the passenger door for her. PD picked her up and practically threw her into her vehicle. Seconds later a man slid down carrying with him a long lead pipe. In the background the girl was screaming in terror when she saw him.

"POLICE! DROP THAT PIPE!" PD shouted at the man as he limped toward her. PD leveled her weapon at him. "I SAID DROP IT!"

"Fuck you lady, give her back to me."

"I said drop it or I'll cripple you for life."

"Give her to me," he came limping at her looking as if he were ready to use it on her to get at the frightened girl.