“I’m Gage Wolkowski, and I’m coming to the police station after being shot at.”
“Is anyone injured? Are you being chased?”
Gabe was as cool as a cucumber. “We’re okay and not being followed at the moment. We lost them.”
It was then we passed a car, and I watched out the back where the window used to be to see that car whip around and start following us.
He hit the steering wheel. “Shit, they’re back. Where should we go? They have guns.”
Jason suddenly burst into tears. “I don’t wanna die!”
I eyed the pussy in the back seat in the rearview mirror. “Be a man for the love of God!”
“How far are you from town?” The Dispatcher’s voice bounced around the truck.
I narrowed my eyes as we zipped past a street sign. “I’m just passing Papillion Parkway.”
“Do you know where Halleck Park is?”
“Yes, I can be there in a few minutes. Fern, get over here,” I grabbed her shoulder and pushed her into my lap. “Jason, quick bawling like a chick and lay down.”
The dispatcher gave further instructions. “Police are on the way without lights or sirens. Lead them onto the baseball field and keep going toward the playground. We’ll be ready to do the rest.”
I disconnected the call just as a gunshot echoed. I scrunched down closer to the steering wheel. “Hold on.” I glanced at the dash to see the speedometer reach one hundred. WTF!
“You’re doing great, Gabe!” came from Fern as I looked left.
“Quick turn ahead!” The tires squealed as we slid around for a second, and I chuckled. “Who’s ready to steal second base?”
Fern sat up and peeked as we tore through the baseball field. “Do you see the police anywhere?”
“Nope. I hope they’re here. I got no back-up plan.” Truth, it appeared this might be the final curtain call for all of us.
Jason sat up. “I think the plan is to die, right here on the baseball fields. I knew I should’ve called in today. This blows ass!”
Fern peeked over the seat toward Jason. “Cut the negativity. You shut up, or I’ll punch you!”
I hit the gas. “Watch out. The girl has a wicked right hook.”
Her hand went over her heart. “Aw, that’s so sweet.”
I looked at the car behind us when suddenly the baseball lights went up, and seven police SUVs had a circle around the field, leaving the car nowhere to go. I stopped, and before I knew it, Fern hopped in my lap, and her arms went around my neck. “You did it!”
Suddenly Jason threw himself into the front seat, and it turned into maybe the best group hug I’d ever been a part of.
After a stop at the cop shop for statements, we found out the bad guys were wanted in Minnesota and Nebraska for drugs and gun running. The police assured us the criminals would never know our names, and they’d be hauled out of the area the next morning.
Jason was shaking like a leaf, and Fern’s eyes were twitchy so I immediately took them around the corner to a hole-in-the-wall bar where they both sucked down a few rums and Cokes before we dropped our new friend at his apartment. The cops said he could get his car back in the morning. I’d never been happier to shut a weirder-than-shit chapter in my entire life. Peace out!
Once in the cabin, I dropped my coat onto the floor. My hands had finally stopped shaking when a hiccup snuck out. “Here we go. Whenever I drink, I get the hiccups, and they last forever.”
Gabe picked up my coat, being the sober one in the room, and put it on the hook. “I can get rid of them.”
I popped my hands on my hips and was trying to reel in my sassy tone. “Is that so? For a guy who can’t even hula hoop, I find that rather hard to believe.”
“Wow.” His brow popped up as he narrowed his eyes at me. “But I am the fella who saved our asses tonight so I can surely help with hiccups.” He pointed to the ground. “Lay down.”
“I may be tipsy, but I’m not stupid.” Hiccup.
