Road Trip (2018 Wattys Long List)

Chapter 16

Stu drove steadily west, wracking his brain for a way to give their pursuer the slip. He decided that they needed to put some distance between them and this pesky cop, as soon as possible. Get well off the main highway and sleep during the day, travelling only at night, from now on. Things were working out, so far, that cop had a blown tire to deal with for now.

He discovered a side road and turned onto it, about twenty miles from where they had left the stranded policeman, Dan Goldberg, or whatever his name was. The side road was narrower than the highway, and it snaked westward in a winding, serendipitous sort of way. It was much more secluded, and they rarely passed another vehicle of any type on this road. It was rougher and slower going, but it would be safer for them until they figured out a different strategy.

Harvey thought they must be in Manitoba by now, so it shouldn't be too much longer until they reached Winnipeg. The city would give them lots of anonymity. They drove on until they did enter into the outskirts of that community.

Suddenly Stu had an idea. He drove into the old downtown area, looking for the bus station. He didn't find it right away, so he resorted to technology to do the job. It only took a minute for the GPS to not only tell him where the bus station was but also to show him the fastest route to get there. He drove block after block, following the mysterious gadget's electronic directions. Bingo, there it was, just as the gadget said that it would be.

He drove on, searching for a used car lot. First, he tried one direction, then another, driving several blocks each way. On his third attempt, he found one. "Better Than New Used Cars" graced a side street, three blocks from the bus station. Not too far to walk.

He turned into the cluttered, paved lot. A seedy-looking middle-aged man wandered out of a small, one-story building that was badly in need of paint. Stu opened the car door, advising the others, "Sit tight, I'll be right back," he said.

The car salesman had taken a casual stance, several yards away from the car. There he waited patiently for Stu to approach him.

"Howdy", Stu greeted the man, as he came nearer. "Do you buy used cars by any chance?"

"That all depends on the car and the price. What are you sellin'?", he asked, a greedy look in his eyes.

"How about this here Toyota?", Stu swept his arm back toward his car.

The man strolled all the way around the vehicle checking for rust or visible damage. He noted the newer tires and the clean paint on his stroll. "How many miles?"

"Only about fifty-five thousand, give or take, one owner since new. I think you can see she has had very little use, for the year of her", Stu replied. "It's my car, and I don't drive much, anymore", Stu finished wistfully.

"Burn oil, any problems?", the salesman asked.

"She's right as rain. No wonder the Japs are cornering the market, the way they make these things, now."

"When you thinkin' of selling?", the seedy salesman could have predicted the answer.

"How 'bout today?", Stu suggested, hopefully.

Whatcha' gotta' get out of it, if I were to buy it?", the man had a fish on his line and, setting his hook, started to reel him in.

"Don't know. How about you make me an offer?" Stu replied.

"Can't offer too much. Lot's full already. Don't have much room for another one right now. Don't need it, really.

"How much would you give me if we made a deal today?" Stu asked again. He didn't want to waste any more time dancing around.

"Three thousand, all its worth to me. Specially on such short notice, an' all", the seedy man said, totally prepared for Stu's reaction.

"Three thousand dollars! This car is worth eight thousand, on the lot, any day!", Stu exploded indignantly.

"I gotta' make a little profit. On the spot price, you understand." The used car salesman could see there was no need to sweeten the deal. A car full of people offered for sale by someone who was obviously not from Winnipeg. In a hurry, too.

Stu stood, pondering. We need to ditch the car, now. We need more cash. Time is running out. Shit, he thought to himself.

"Cash?", was all he could manage.

"Sure, I got the cash inside." He grinned as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. "Got thirty Benjamin Franklin's with your name on them." He said, dipping the landing net.

Stu knew only too well that when this thing was over they were bound to take his car for good no matter what. It was as good as gone, one way or the other. Stu was defeated. "I guess you just bought yourself a car, Mister.", he said simply. He had been successfully landed. Quite a trophy. The salesman smiled.

His four companions sat patiently in the car, looking out at the two men, like goldfish in a bowl. They wondered what had transpired between the two of them just now. It wasn't long before they found out, as a very curt Stewart opened a door and rousted them out.

"C'mon, everybody out. I just sold the car. From here, we take the bus", Stu said, taking Mildred's arm to help her out of the back seat.

Totally confused, she stood on wobbly legs and asked, in a wavering voice, "Is that man Charlie? I haven't seen him since yesterday, you know."

"I know, I know. And no, it isn't Charlie, Millie. Charlie isn't here."

"You sold the car? What we gonna' do now, hitchhike?", Reg demanded, stunned by this turn of events.

"We have to take the bus from here. Too many cops on the lookout for my car and that detective cop is 'way too close for us to risk driving it any further. Time to change it up. We're in the west now, so from here we go by bus."

"Even the dummy?", Reg said, gesturing in Ryan's direction.

"Yes, even Ryan. How 'bout you get off his case now, Reg?"

"I'm not on anybody's case! Just callin' a spade, a spade is all I'm doin', Stu", Reg replied innocently.

"Well, knock it off, will you? We got to stick together, see this thing through. For Harvey's sake, at least, if not for our own. We gotta' get along with each other if we hope to make it," Stu lectured his friend.

They removed what luggage they had from the trunk of the Toyota, and also the rest of their personal stuff from inside the car. Stu wistfully exchanged the ownership documents for a bill of sale and three thousand dollars in cash. Picking up their bags, Stu gazed fondly at the Toyota one final time and they began walking to the bus station.