The Hitchhiker

The fog gave the appearance that only the yellow lines were moving, as if the car were on a treadmill.  The car we had scoped out days ago, one we knew we could find unlocked with keys under the seat.  By the time anyone reported it gone, we would be too far away.

Nick and Jen were trying to sleep on the back seat and floor, all three of us wrapped in blankets from the trunk.

Rolling through fog late on a lonely road will lull a driver, but a sudden pedestrian will wake you right up.  I hit the brakes and tried to swerve, but a patch of snow caused me to skid to a stop at the side of the road.  Crap.  A broad-shouldered hooded man approached.  "He thinks I'm picking him up," I hissed toward the back seat.  "Stay down.  Act asleep!"

The passenger door jerked open.  "Thanks so much, lady," and he was seat-belting himself.  His voice sent a jolt through my whole body.  "I know it can be scary for a woman to pick up a hitchhiker, so I really appreciate this.  I have to get to the police station.  Have you seen anyone else out here tonight?  I'm looking for my daughter!"

My palms sweated through my gloves though this car had no heat.  This was the worst possible stroke of luck.  There were only two things going for me: the dome light was broken, and my hitchhiker was so hyped out on adrenaline he couldn't shut up.

"Can you take me into town?  My work truck, I got a flat.  Have you seen a teenage girl?  She never came home!  One of our neighbors had a car stolen earlier today, the storm took out the cell tower, we can't call anywhere--I need to get to the police station.  My daughter's the second girl gone missing this week..."

His hysterical rattling continued till I sped the stolen car away from the police station where I left him at the curb, apparently still oblivious he hadn't been the only passenger.

Finally Nick spoke.  "I can't believe your own dad didn't recognize you.  You okay?"

My heart was still punching my throat.  "That was the weirdest coincidence ever, " I said.  "But my dad had his chance.  I told him about Jen, and he said we should mind our own business.  Well guess what?  In two hours we cross the state line, and we'll get Jen to safety with her grandparents.  You'll get in trouble for hiding her in your basement for five days after she ran away from the abuse, and I'll get in trouble for stealing the neighbors' car, and my dad will wish he had made this his business before I did it for him!"