After they stopped for a quick bite to eat and a fill-up, LaShelle turned on the passenger-side light and finished writing the song shed started hours earlier. She sang it in its entirety, then said, Its called?The Ballad of Big Bad Benny.
He laughed, and she joined him. Bennett hadnt laughed like that in yearsseven years, to be precise.
They reached Reno at about two A.M. LaShelle had slept for a few hours and woke up refreshed. They had breakfast, filled up again, and were heading back to the car.
Toss me the keys, Benny, LaShelle said. You kick back for a while. Well be in San Francisco before you know it.
Bennett didnt know what had come over him, but he gave her the keys. You have to fiddle with the shift when you put it in reverse, he warned her.
Once back on the highway, he was asleep in minutes.
CHAPTER 18
There wasnt much spring in anyones step that morning. They sat listless under a palm tree at Dolores Park, watching the dogs play. Roxanne shared her bad news first: After her lawyer said she had no recourse if fired, shed decided to quit the paper before they axed her. Ginger went next: Her son had gone from honor student to juvenile delinquent overnight, and she felt like the worlds worst mother. Bea then admitted she felt weighed down with the knowledge that they had to act on Josies behalf, and soon.
Ill do it by myself if youd prefer, Bea told them, noting their lack of enthusiasm. I can handle it alone.
Roxanne shook her head. No doubt, but we dont want this Rousseau guy pissed at Josie.
I can be as subtle as the next person, Bea said.
You have many wonderful qualities, Ginger said, but youre about as subtle as a two-by-four upside the head.
Bea sniffed. Fine. Then well do it together. But you have to be ready to roll when I tell you were on. Can you do that?
Ginger nodded faintly.
Roxanne sighed. In a couple days, my schedule will be as open as it could possibly get for a human beingno job, no one to date, no reason to live.
Ginger patted Roxie on the shoulder. Listen, if it makes you feel any better, I heard a rumor that theyre going to cut half the editorial staff in the weekend and features departments, so I may be next.
I heard that, too, Bea said. But I didnt want to upset you.
Ginger laughed. How could it upset me? I dont have any more?upset left in my tank! My husband left me for a girl I swear still wears a training bra. My sons are headed to death row. And Im starting to get jowls.
Bea groaned. Please spare us.
I am! Look! Ginger raised her chin and patted the underside of her jaw with the top of her hand. Im starting to look like Hillary Clinton in the last days of her primary campaign!
The air filled with cracking sounds when Roxanne stretched her neck.
Sorry. Just getting rid of some tension, she said apologetically.
All right, then. We need a strategy, Bea said.
In a weary voice, Roxanne said, What do you have in mind?
Do you have any suggestions?
Roxie looked up, sighing. Yeah, Bea. My suggestion is we drop this whole thing before we alienate Josie forever. This is her life were fucking with. She has a right to privacy. She has a right to choose the man she wants to have a relationship with. I just cant wrap my brain around how this is okay to do to my best friend.
Bea nodded gravely. I have an answer for that.
You have an answer for everything, Ginger offered.
Rick Rousseau is not a Spike or a Randy or a Billy or a Lloyd, Bea said.
Those guys were losers and jerks, but compared to Rick Rousseau, theyre Eagle Scouts. She stopped and wrapped her arms snug around her knees, lowering her voice. Rousseau is bad news. Hes a drug addict. His girlfriends have a tendency to end up in comas. But I really think the combination of his money and his looks has Josie blinded.
That would be awful, Ginger said.
This is Josies pattern, Bea continued. She brings a guy she barely knows into her life and expects happily ever after. The worst thats happened so far is that the guy breaks Josies heart and steals a few of her kitchen utensils. But her latest boyfriend is on a whole new level of rotten.
Roxanne nodded. Fine. Lets just get it over with.
Bea smiled with relief. Ive been thinking that Rousseau would have too many opportunities to cancel on us if we made plans in advance, you know, like if we invited him for a drink or something. Bea waited for feedback, but didnt get any. So Im thinking we just surprise him.
Roxanne raised an eyebrow. Like run up to him on the street and yell /boo/?
Bea wasnt amused. We know where his office is and we know he goes to Josies, right? So how about we wait for him to show up at one of those places, and catch him before he goes inside?
You mean another stakeout? Ginger asked, obviously not loving the idea.
Dont you think its a little dicey to ambush a CEO at his own corporate headquarters? Roxanne asked. Security tends to frown on that kind of thing.
Then Josies place it is, Bea said.
When? Ginger and Roxanne asked in stereo.
Keep your phones with you at all times. Ill let you know.
About fifty miles outside of San Francisco, LaShelle went silent.
Bennett tried to engage her in conversation a few times, and failed each time. She was a fine driver, hed noticed, and anyone else would assume she was concentrating on the increased traffic. He knew better.
She was gazing into the black hole of her future.
We should probably stop and get some rest, he said. Pull off at the next hotel you think might work.
But its almost morning. Were almost there.
Bennett nodded. Tomorrows a big day. We should get some rest and a nice hot shower, maybe wash our clothes.
LaShelle glanced over at him, her eyes sparkling in the darkness. I dont know why you decided to help me back in Nebraska, but I appreciate that you did. Thank you, Benny.
Youre welcome, he said, suddenly fighting back a wave of sadness. He would miss her, he realized. Shed been good company. Maybe one day she would come to visit him in prison. I know youre going to make it, LaShelle. I am sure of it.
She nodded curtly. Heres a place, she said, taking the exit to a Hampton Inn.
LaShelle was equally taciturn later that afternoon as they drove into the city. Eventually she asked, Do you have any ideas about a good place to drop me?
I do, Bennett said.
I really hate to ask you this, after all youve done for me Ill give you enough money to get started, he said. It would be my pleasure.
LaShelles tears streamed down her face. I think fifty ought to do it, she whispered. I can take it from there.
Bennett smiled and nodded. Fifty it is.
He followed the signs to the San Francisco International Airport and parked in the short-term lot. LaShelle frowned at him. You leaving me here?
Not exactly. Get your bag, please.
Bennett opened the trunk and pulled out the little package hed prepared for LaShelle that morninga check for a million dollars, drawn from his private account, stuffed into a Hampton Inn envelope along with information the bank would require to verify the transaction. The envelope was tucked into the freshly laundered monster truck T-shirt, tied with a string hed found in the glove compartment. Bennett shoved the bundle into his flannel shirt, closed the trunk, and went around to where LaShelle leaned up against the Buick.
Do you have ID?
One of her eyebrows rose high on her golden-brown forehead. You Homeland Security now?
Bennett laughed, linking his arm with hers and urging her ahead. No, but those very same gentlemen will require you to have identification to board a plane, and thats what youre going to do.
She ripped her arm away from him. You are /not/ putting me on a plane back to Indianapolis! Im not going back there! I dont care if I have to work at Taco Bells from here to MexicoI aint never going back to that hellhole!