it on the floor—he could make out its blank dark eyes through several layers of plastic—when the Ford made its move. By the time he looked up, the car was parallel to the cab. And when he stretched and looked over …
They were right there, the two young snotty girls in the little red Ford. Right below his passenger window. They were too far along now to easily force them off the road because he could no longer use the trailer as a bludgeon. When the car didn’t advance, he was curious and strained up in his seat to get a look at them.
That’s when he saw the contorted face of the looker thrust out of her open window. She was screaming at him but he could make out the words: Fucking loser asshole .
Loser.
It was like a hard slap in the face.
And because of the steep grade and his load holding him back, the Ford pulled away. He couldn’t push his rig any harder to catch up on the hill.
He bellowed in rage as the car passed him and gained distance before it summited the long haul and vanished down the other side.
* * *
As he topped the hill, he looked out ahead of him. He could see for miles. In the distance, maybe a mile away, were the two tiny red taillights of the Ford. There were no other cars on the interstate in either direction for as far as he could see.
Less than ten miles ahead was the roadblock set up by the Montana Highway Patrol. He’d no doubt catch up with them there. He envisioned a scenario where he pulled them out of their car and tore them apart with his hands.
Then a cold and razor-edged calm took him over. He’d felt it before, many times. It was the feeling he got when he was stalking prey.
The Lizard King reached into his jumpsuit and pulled out his cell phone and speed dialed his partner.
“I’ll be there tonight,” he said.
“You got a load?”
“Negatory.”
Silence. Pained, angry silence.
Then he said, “Remember that situation you said you wanted a while back? You know what I’m talking about.”
After a beat, his partner said, “No shit? Is this gonna happen?”
“Maybe, maybe not.”
“But it could is what you’re saying.”
“There might be an opportunity,” he said. “I won’t know until it happens.” Thinking, they could pull over to switch drivers. They could take an exit for a rest area. They might even stop to stretch, or walk around to keep awake, or to look at something. He’d have a chance as long as it wasn’t public, like a service station or a convenience store …
“What kind of opportunity?” his partner asked. His tone was anticipatory.
“Maybe a double load.”
Then, his partner’s tone rose. “You’re kidding?”
“Nope. Get receiving ready.”
“I’m tied up right now, damn it.”
“It’s a fresh load if it happens,” the Lizard King said. “Real fresh. A double load. We don’t want it to spoil.”
His partner moaned. It was a sound that slightly unnerved even the Lizard King. Then, “It may be a couple of hours.”
“That ought to work.”
“I wish you woulda told me earlier. I’ve got a situation.”
“Three hours, possible double load,” the Lizard King said. “Freshest meat you’ve ever seen.”
“Holy hell.”
“You said it.”
“Don’t screw it up. Please don’t screw it up.”
“Fuck you,” the Lizard King said and snapped his phone shut, thinking maybe he shouldn’t have told him until he had the double load secure.
Because if it didn’t pan out, he’d never hear the end of it.
11.
6:31 P.M. , Tuesday, November 20
C ASSIE HAD BEEN HOME just long enough to feed her dog, look in on her mother and Ben, her four-year-old son, and change out of her uniform. While she pulled on jeans and took an inordinate amount of time in her closet before deciding on a long-sleeved Henley and a suede leather vest, she tried Cody’s cell phone. No answer. She debated whether to call his house and decided against it. Jenny, his ex-wife, had recently moved back in with him. If she
They were right there, the two young snotty girls in the little red Ford. Right below his passenger window. They were too far along now to easily force them off the road because he could no longer use the trailer as a bludgeon. When the car didn’t advance, he was curious and strained up in his seat to get a look at them.
That’s when he saw the contorted face of the looker thrust out of her open window. She was screaming at him but he could make out the words: Fucking loser asshole .
Loser.
It was like a hard slap in the face.
And because of the steep grade and his load holding him back, the Ford pulled away. He couldn’t push his rig any harder to catch up on the hill.
He bellowed in rage as the car passed him and gained distance before it summited the long haul and vanished down the other side.
* * *
As he topped the hill, he looked out ahead of him. He could see for miles. In the distance, maybe a mile away, were the two tiny red taillights of the Ford. There were no other cars on the interstate in either direction for as far as he could see.
Less than ten miles ahead was the roadblock set up by the Montana Highway Patrol. He’d no doubt catch up with them there. He envisioned a scenario where he pulled them out of their car and tore them apart with his hands.
Then a cold and razor-edged calm took him over. He’d felt it before, many times. It was the feeling he got when he was stalking prey.
The Lizard King reached into his jumpsuit and pulled out his cell phone and speed dialed his partner.
“I’ll be there tonight,” he said.
“You got a load?”
“Negatory.”
Silence. Pained, angry silence.
Then he said, “Remember that situation you said you wanted a while back? You know what I’m talking about.”
After a beat, his partner said, “No shit? Is this gonna happen?”
“Maybe, maybe not.”
“But it could is what you’re saying.”
“There might be an opportunity,” he said. “I won’t know until it happens.” Thinking, they could pull over to switch drivers. They could take an exit for a rest area. They might even stop to stretch, or walk around to keep awake, or to look at something. He’d have a chance as long as it wasn’t public, like a service station or a convenience store …
“What kind of opportunity?” his partner asked. His tone was anticipatory.
“Maybe a double load.”
Then, his partner’s tone rose. “You’re kidding?”
“Nope. Get receiving ready.”
“I’m tied up right now, damn it.”
“It’s a fresh load if it happens,” the Lizard King said. “Real fresh. A double load. We don’t want it to spoil.”
His partner moaned. It was a sound that slightly unnerved even the Lizard King. Then, “It may be a couple of hours.”
“That ought to work.”
“I wish you woulda told me earlier. I’ve got a situation.”
“Three hours, possible double load,” the Lizard King said. “Freshest meat you’ve ever seen.”
“Holy hell.”
“You said it.”
“Don’t screw it up. Please don’t screw it up.”
“Fuck you,” the Lizard King said and snapped his phone shut, thinking maybe he shouldn’t have told him until he had the double load secure.
Because if it didn’t pan out, he’d never hear the end of it.
11.
6:31 P.M. , Tuesday, November 20
C ASSIE HAD BEEN HOME just long enough to feed her dog, look in on her mother and Ben, her four-year-old son, and change out of her uniform. While she pulled on jeans and took an inordinate amount of time in her closet before deciding on a long-sleeved Henley and a suede leather vest, she tried Cody’s cell phone. No answer. She debated whether to call his house and decided against it. Jenny, his ex-wife, had recently moved back in with him. If she
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