Read Online Possessing Jessie by Nancy Springer - Free Book Online

it, and zoomed off into the twilight, heading toward Dead End Bend.
    There had been no need to come up with a story to tell her mother. Jason had always done what he wanted, and Jessie was being Jason. She had just said, “See ya, Mud,” on her way out the door.
    Now, driving across town, she kept finding herself getting lead-footed. She kept trying to slow down to somewhere near the speed limit, but it was as if the Z-car had a mind of its own. It wanted to go fast.
    Almost out of town, heading through the commercial strip of video rentals, Kwik-Marts, pizza places, and burger joints, Jessie heard a siren bleep, looked in the rearview mirror, and saw the flashing lights of the police car behind her.
    She pulled over and stopped at once, thinking with amusement, Going too fast past the fast food . Jessie had never been stopped by the police, and she had always thought that she would just die if she ever got a ticket. But for some reason now she didn’t care. Maybe since Jason was dead, dumb stuff like speeding tickets didn’t seem so important anymore. Jessie felt cool, like this wasn’t even worth getting nervous about, like it might be fun. She pressed the button that rolled her window down, took off her sunglasses, and laid her hands in plain sight on the hub of the steering wheel, but she felt herself grinning.
    Another police car pulled in front of her. The first cop had called for backup? Sweet!
    Now the police officer parked behind her walked up to her window, and when he looked at her, something seemed to bother him. He stared, his face taut and gray. In robotic tones he said, “Driver’s license and registration, please.”
    Jason had no driver’s license, only a learner’s permit, so Jessie handed over her own license along with the pink paper that served as temporary registration for the new car.
    The cop looked at her driver’s license, glared at her and said, “You look just like that dead punk, freak me out, and now you hand me a girl’s license?”
    â€œThat’s me,” Jessie said in her normal, soft voice. “I’ve changed my hair, that’s all.” But she couldn’t seem to stop grinning.
    The other cop had come over. “Wipe that stupid grin off your face.”
    Jessie had to wipe it off literally, smoothing both hands across her cheeks and mouth. “Honestly, I’m not trying to be smart,” she said quietly before they could react to the gesture.
    â€œWhat do you make of this?” The first cop passed her driver’s license to the other.
    â€œJessie Ressler, huh?” The second cop studied her. “You Jason Ressler’s sister?”
    Suddenly Jessie’s throat closed on her voice. She nodded.
    The first cop said suddenly, “Yeah, you’re a girl, okay. I see it.” Either he had been checking her narrow shoulders, her barely visible boobs, or he could tell now by the look on her face. “Young lady, I don’t know what to ask you first, why you’re going sixty in a thirty-five-miles-an-hour zone, or why you’re dressed like …”
    â€œJust let it go” muttered the other cop, grudging sympathy in his eyes.
    â€œThe speeding, or the cross-dressing?”
    â€œYou do what you want about the speeding.”
    The cop who had stopped Jessie asked her, “Did you know how fast you were going?”
    â€œYes, sir. I can’t seem to help it. This car just wants to go fast.” Jessie was starting to smile again.
    â€œKid like you shouldn’t be driving that car. You know I ought to give you a citation. You could end up with a big fat fine and points on your driving record.”
    â€œI know. It’s okay.”
    â€œOkay? What do you mean, okay?” The cop was getting worked up.
    â€œI just mean I take responsibility.”
    â€œFor the speeding or the cross-dressing?”
    The other cop put in quietly, “She’s dressed like her