The Good Deed ~COMPLETE~

Chapter 6: Buckle Up

November 26th 2005 8:27pm

We got into Sues Jetta. The windshield was still busted. On the bright side, no new note awaited us.

Our drive back to my house was quiet. We both knew the other was thinking of the threats and the potential danger we could have placed ourselves in by contacting the police.

We were about 3 minutes from my house when Sue said, "Maybe we should have taken M and M up on their offer. It would probably be a good idea to be out, you know, in public, with a crowd."

I knew exactly what she meant. The chance of anything happening out in the open was less likely than if we were alone at my house. Plus the company of other people and the atmosphere of a bar would help keep our minds occupied.

I agreed with her, "I think that's a good idea. We should drop your car off at my house and take mine." Suggesting the busted windshield may bring unwanted attention.

She agreed and we continued toward my neighborhood. As we turn the corner from Minnieville Road onto my street, my heart sank. What I saw gave me a bad feeling.

My house is not visible from the beginning of the street. It is hidden around a bend. Around that bend, we could see a blur of whirling and flashing lights, red, white and blue. It looked like an All-American circus pitched their tent in front of my house. As we rounded the corner the lights shone brighter nearly blinding us. Two fire engines, an ambulance and three police cars blocked the road.

Through all of the vehicles and lights I could not see what was going on. We parked two houses down along the curb. As we approached the scene along the sidewalk I saw the flames. My bad feeling was confirmed as I watched my Impala ablaze. The fire crackled and hissed while the flames engulfed my car. A haze around the vision of my car burning gave me the sensation as if I was dreaming. It didn't seem real. That's when Officer Healy awoke me.

"Joseph Wayne?" Officer Healy remembered me from earlier. "What are you doing here?"

"My car!" Was all I could say.

"You live here?" The officer glanced in the direction of the excitement as the firemen doused the flames shooting from my Impala.

I wanted to say something smart ass like, 'no, I just like to park my car in strangers driveways', but I resisted and simply answered "Yes sir."

"You need to come with me." Officer Healy placed his hand on my back adding slight pressure, pushing me in the direction of one of the police cars.

"Where?" I demanded.

"Come over to my car for a minute." We crossed the street to his cruiser. He opened the back door and said, "Sit."

"Am I under arrest?" I wondered as I sat in the backseat. I had not been searched or cuffed.

"Just wait here." As he started to close the back door, I put my foot out to stop it from closing.

"Wait a minute... can she come wait with me?" Indicating I wanted Sue.

Officer Healy looked at Sue and then back at me and said, "No!" He slammed the back door, walked over to Sue and said something to her.

I couldn't hear what was being said but he must have told her to leave. Sue looked at me through the back window. Her eyes began to tear up again. She lipped "I love you," turned, walked away. She returned to her car.

Officer Healy climbed in the driver's seat and shut the door. I watched as Sue drove away in her Jetta.

"What's going on?" I asked as I sat helpless in the backseat.

Officer Healy didn't answer. He just looked at me through the rear view mirror and flipped his phone open. Whoever he called, the conversation was brief.

"Hey," he paused, "yeah, I've got him." Again he glanced at me in the rear view. After another short pause, he said, "Ok, I'll be there in ten." He ended the call and floored the accelerator, speeding from my street.

"What the hell... where are you taking me." I yelled, as I peered through the back window and watched my burning car as it disappeared from sight around the bend.

The cop offered two words as an answer, "Shut up!"

"You son-of-a-bitch crooked ass pig." I gave him my best insult, as he drove like a maniac.

He weaved in and out of cars, blasted through stop signs and red lights. All the while his lights gave warning and the sirens screamed: 'Out of the way, I'm coming through.'

The psycho cop took corners at over 40 mph. The tires screeched and rubber melted to the asphalt. The engine of the police cruiser roared as it was pushed to its limits. At one point during his recklessness, Officer Healy had topped 100 mph. I hadn't a seat belt on and the swerving and suicidal maneuvering bounced me from one side of the car to the other like a pinball. Although my hands were free, I couldn't escape. The doors didn't open from the inside. Even if they had, the out of control vehicle made it impossible to jump from. My adrenaline pumped as I hung on for my life. For the next few minutes the ride of terror ensued as the warning of my father's words echoed through my mind. Be careful tonight.