"Good idea," I said. We got in and I drove up to
the gas pumps, filled the tank, paid with Gordon's
credit card simply by slipping it into the slot on the
pump, and then drove away without looking back. "This is it," Crystal said, pointing to a road on
our left. It looked poorly maintained.
"This? Are you sure?"
"It's what he told us," she said. "First left turn
after the restaurant."
"Okay," I said, turning. The road was chipped
and cracked and after only what seemed like a mile or two, was nothing but potholes. I had to slow down considerably. "This can't be right," I said. "No wonder
it's quiet, it's unused."
"I'm sure this is the road he pointed out,"
Crystal said. "It's what he told us," she repeated and
then, as if they could hear her, the three motorcyclists
appeared, two crisscrossing right in front of us, the
other, with the ponytail, riding alongside. I had to
stop. The two cyclists in front of us stopped, parked
their motorcycles right at the front bumper, and got
off.
"What's going on?" I demanded, my voice
quaking.
"I see you took my advice on your shortcut,"
Paulio said. "You girls must be in a big hurry." "So?" I said. I hoped he couldn't hear my voice
shake.
"So you're on a toll road," he said with a grin. "What?" I started to smile, but one of the other
two opened the door on Raven's side and leaned in. "Hello again," he said. He was short and stocky
with light brown hair and blue eyes, a thin mouth and
a round jaw with pock-marked cheeks and a bulbous
nose. "Nice hair," he said, reaching in and touching
Raven's ebony strands. She pulled away from him. "Don't touch me," she cried and we could see