Bitch: Puncture (book 2)

I nodded vigorously.

She glanced at me and did a double take. I saw surprise and more than a little confusion before she turned back to the road.

“Well if you need to go out just come up and stand by the door and we’ll pull off somewhere and you can do your business. I also have a litter box in the back if it’s an emergency. Although we should probably reserve that for Miss Cleo. I think the poor dear might never go near it again if there was a ... uh, deposit from the two of you. And while we are on the subject no diggin’ in the box either. Whatever’s in there is not food for either of you.”

She glanced back and saw my nod and her head snapped forward immediately. And she breathed deep for a moment. I could smell the was sweating a little.

“Well aren’t you two the pair? How’d a... ” She looked at me more closely. Her brow furrowed.

“What the hell breed are you anyway? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dog quite like you. And traveling with a ‘wild’ wolf. Bet there’s a story there. Sure wish the two of you could talk.”

I nodded. She glanced over and caught me mid-nod.

“You are givin’ me the strangest sensations. I’ve always thought I was a little bit clairvoyant. There is something different about you two, I can feel it. It’s like your auras are different some how. Something about you feels familiar in the oddest way.” She glanced back at me for emphasis. And then her eyes flicked to Apoc.

“An’ you old blue eyes...” she drifted off for a second in her own thoughts. “Something about you as well.”

Apoc sat on his haunches next to me and looked at me with that grin of his and then he started panting.

I could swear he rolled his eyes, and then began to clean himself. Seeming completely engrossed in his activity as if there was no one else there, just out in public. As if there was no one sitting here watching him the whole freaking time.

And I realized I was the one staring, I swear I was beet red under my fur. Before he noticed I quickly stepped forward and put my feet up on the engine mount and stared out at the beautiful country rolling by. I could still hear him smack his tongue and the light rasp of hair. I could still see the pink of his tongue wetly... ‘GAH!’

I closed my eyes and imagined the wind blowing through my hair. Most of the windows were down or cracked so there was a lot of fresh air swirling around inside the bus. I breathed deep. And just stared. Willing my mind to stay focused on the beauty rolling past the windows.

“What’s this? I’m going the speed limit.” I glanced at Arlene.

Just then two police cruisers blew past the bus as if we were standing still. Followed a few lengths back by a pickup truck with a camper shell and J&R hunting painted on the side. I swear I was about to swallow my tongue.

“Huh? Guess it wasn’t me. That guy’s taking a hell of a risk following so close like that. If he’s undercover he’s gonna get in an accident. And if he’s just a guy on the street he’s going to go to jail for excessive speed if he gets in an accident or they catch him drafting off of them like that.”

My heart had stopped. How was this possible? How had he found us? Apoc was just laying on the floor. He had no idea the danger that we were in.

I looked at Arlene I had no way to tell her.

We had to get off the road, now. I stood by the door.

And I whined.

C’mon look at me. Dammit. We need to get off of this road. Take some other road. Turn around. We need to go somewhere. Anywhere. My nose was running. I was turning circles. I felt hot.

Apoc sat up to watch me.

“I see you girl, I know I know. Just hold it till we get a little further. The police are stopped up ahead and I just wanna get by them if possible. Don’t want to pull off too close or they’ll feel the need to come back and check me out. And I don’t think I’ve burned enough patchouli today to keep them off my back.”

What?!? Police where?

I looked out the front window and saw the flashing lights off to the right side. It looked like they’d pulled over a truck. As we got closer I could see it was a car hauler. Yep the very same one.

Arlene slowed down and moved over a lane. A cop waved her to a stop about a half mile away.

“Ha! Looks like karma’s visiting someone today. Finally a little justice in the world.” Arlene chuckled with satisfaction.

We could see him get out of his rig and was walking backwards with his hands behind his head.

The cop knocked on the side of the bus. “Hello ma’am. We’ll be just a few moments longer. I need you to stay in your rig and I will signal you when it is safe for you to continue on your way.”

“Anything I should be worried about?”

“I don’t think so. But we are just being cautious, we got a call that a big rig was carrying contraband and we are just following up on the tip. Could be nothing. So you should be free to leave once we clear the cab of the truck. Thank you for your patience.”

“Thank you officer, be safe.”

I heard and smelled flares being lit and thrown into the slow lane. The cop moved his vehicle into the slow lane and over to the side parallel with the bus. I heard his radio squeal that rig was clear and subject was in custody.

“Take it slow ma’am till you are past the truck.”

Arlene pulled away slowly. I saw the J&R Guides Truck behind the two police cruisers. A hunter I didn’t recognize was standing behind the truck and was waving around what looked like a satellite phone, but he couldn’t seem to find any signal. As we got closer we could see the trucker cuffed on the hood of the cop car. Just then he saw the purple bus and flipped out. He began fighting the cops. Then I ducked down.

Arlene clicked her teeth. “It’s gonna be a long day for that good ole’ boy.” She put the accelerator down as we passed the truck and we were once again on the road.

I remembered to breathe.

Arlene looked at me again curious. “You seem pretty freaked out about a highway stop. You still have to go potty?”

I shook my head.

Arlene looked at me, and then looked back at the road.

She realized that she was humming, so she turned on her radio and popped in a cassette.

Willie Nelson’s “You were always on my mind” blared out of the broken industrial speakers.

“Don’t know why, but Willie always makes me feel like driving. We’re headed to a little protest in northern California. I hope you two didn’t have other plans. Should be a party.“She winked at me with a lazy smile.