The Truth Comes Out

The trucker's words echo in Janet's head. Her mind pictures the worst-case scenario. A woman lying dead on the lawn. Raising the gun from her lap, Janet points it at the driver's head. With the weapon quivered in her hand, in a shaky voice, she asks, "Why... why doesn't she need them anymore?"

Sam clenches his jaw when he says, "The two-timing bitch left me for another man." He slams his hands on the wheel. Raw emotions dripped from every word as he spoke. "She claims she's ready to settle down and have a nice home with a yard full of kids in the burbs. I tried to make it happen, I did, but I soon realized suburbia life wasn't for me. So I tried to make her a deal, reimburse me for my half of the house, and I'll go."

"Is that when she came after you with a frying pan?"

Sam nods. I found out later that she's been seeing someone on the side. A few days after the fight, she dumped my stuff out on the lawn and moved him in."

"You must 've cared a lot about her to be this upset."

"I did, or at least I thought so at the time, live and learn, right?"

"Right." Her mind wanders back to Bill. Live and learn for sure, she thinks.

Sam motions toward the back. "Go on now, pick yourself out something cute, then I'll take you to a truck stop so you can get cleaned up"

He's being mighty kind, a little too kind. Janet recalls how the girls at school would be nice to her only to set her up for a fall. Is that what he's doing? He's going to take me somewhere and call the cops. Lifting the weapon again, she says, "How do I know you won't turn me in the first chance you get?"

"I haven't yet, right."

"You haven't had an opportunity to do anything."

Pulling over to the side of the road, he stops, turns to her, and says, "Look, lady, I don't know what happened back there." He thumbs over his shoulder. "And I don't care. Your husband got what he deserved. And if I'm doing wrong by the law by helping you escape, oh well."

Janet recalls hearing about truckers picking up girls on the side of the road. They have their way with them and then drop them off in the woods somewhere. She self-consciously adjusts the neckline of her dress. "Why are you helping me, exactly?"

"I believe you deserve to be happy, not punished anymore."

"That's why I ran in the first place, to get a fair shot at proving them wrong."

"Well, you certainly can't do that looking like that." Sam points to her dress. "Someone will turn you in in a heartbeat."

Janet glances down."You're right; I can't."

"So let me take you to the truck stop so you can get cleaned up."

Janet smiles for the first in a very long time. "Deal." Climbing over the seat, Janet looks around. "It's nice back here."

Sam shrugs. "It's not much, but It works."

"She has a lot of stuff," Janet says, sorting through a second bag.

"That's not even a fourth of it," Sam recalls arguing with her about stopping at another boutique. It was nearly a daily thing. Sam laughs and says, "She loved shopping, that's for sure." I've meant to give her clothes to Goodwill to give me more room but haven't found the time."

Janet's eyes gleam at all the beautiful things. She's never owned anything this nice before. As a child, she'd get hand-me-downs, then when she married, she'd have to beg Bill for a new dress. He'd always pick something ugly from the thrift store's bargain rack. "I'll gladly take them off your hands."

"Knock yourself out."

"Thanks."

"Did you find something?" Sam asks as he pulls up to a large truck stop off 412. He likes this place and makes it a point to stop every chance he gets. Unlike the others, this one is always clean, and their food tastes homemade.

"I grabbed a pair of pants and a long sleeve shirt." She says, crawling over to the passenger side.

"Sounds like your all set then."

"What about toiletries?"

"They supply that here. It gotta warn you it's not the best in the world, but it'll do the job."

"That's all that's important, right, getting clean?"

Sam chuckles. "I guess."

She starts to open the door and then stops. "I can't go in?"

"Why not?"

"Everyone will see the blood, but if I change into these, I'll get blood on them too."

"I have an idea." Taking off his denim jacket, he hands it to her. "Here, put this on."

Sliding her hands through the sleeves, Janet raises her arms.

"It swallows you whole." Sam laughs. Hitting her mid-knee, it looks more like a dress than a coat.

"I am a bit petite," she says, rolling her sleeves.

"And I'm a bit on the hefty side." He chuckles, patting his rounded stomach. "When we go in, I want you to head towards the back, and I'll bring the shower key to you."

"Ok," she says, running to keep up.

"We might as well grab a bite while we're here."

"I... I don't have any money."

"You can pay me later." He winks.

She shudders at his innuendo and then thinks. I might have to do things I don't like to get out of this alive. Her stomach tightens into a hard ball, thinking about what she might have to do. It's either that or being locked away in prison for the rest of my life. Shivering, she steps through the door and looks around. She notices how everything sparkles in the bright fluorescent lights, from the pastel-colored wallpaper down to the white tile floors. I'm sure it takes a lot to keep this place clean." She's scanning the merchandise on the shelf when she hears a voice say,

"Here you go."

Startled, Janet jumps back.

"I didn't mean to scare you, sweet thing." He chuckles, handing her the key.

"It ... it's alright."

"Meet me in the restaurant when you're done."

Janet grabs his arm as he leaves. Sam turns to face her. "Thanks for everything."

He nods. "I'm glad I can help."

Sam sees a news bulletin flashing across the TV when he enters the restaurant. This is soon replaced by a picture of a woman identical to the one he just brought in. He continues to watch as he slips into the booth. The red vinyl fabric, like the rest of the furnishings, dates back to when the restaurant began. It reminds Sam of the times he was on the road with his dad.

"Are you ready to order?" a waitress asks, stepping up to his table.

Sam sees a rounded thirtyish-looking woman impatiently standing over him, chewing on some gum. The wrinkles on her face and her gruff tone suggest she's had a hard life. She's probably a single mother trying to raise a house full of kids on tips. "I'm waiting for my friend." Sam motions behind him. "She's in the back getting cleaned up."

"Call me when you're ready."

Sam points to the TV. "Can you turn this up, please?"

"Turn it up, turn it down, I wish you guys would make up your minds," she says, stomping away.

"Thanks," he yells, watching her walk to the back. Sam moves a little closer so he can hear.

"The local authorities believe this person is responsible for two homicides committed in Carrol County within the past twenty-four hours." The screen splits. The right side shows what he assumed to be Janet's house, and the left of the city park. Yellow crime scene tape was strung around either scene. The picture switches back to the suspect. "She is thought to be armed and dangerous. So if you see her, do not approach. Instead, the police urged you to seek safety immediately and then either call the number flashing across the bottom of your screen or notify your local authorities."

Sam glances toward the back. "I figured her abusive husband got what he deserved, but killing the guy in the park is too much." Frightened, he springs up from the booth.

"Are you ready to order?" his waitress asks.

Sam glances at the tv and then toward the back. "Not today." Grabbing his hat from the booth, he bolts out the door.