WE GATHER TOGETHER by Edward L. Woodyard

We Gather Together Chapter One Hundred Ten

Scott McCulloch was letting the Bimmer hover at ten miles an hour above the speed limit as it continued east on I-80 where the highway cut a wide swath through a forest of tall hardwoods. As soon as they entered New Jersey, Maya pulled over in a rest area so that Scott could take over driving; in the interest of time, he felt they had enough gas to get them to Castlebury. He pointed to an overhead road sign for Parsippany, New Jersey which indicated that they were coming to an intersection of two major interstates; Maya was skyping with her family in Sacramento.

"Mom, I've got to go. I love you."

"I love you too, Maya." Maya waved to the screen on her laptop and blew it a kiss. She then closed it and immediately hit the traffic app on her cell phone, saying to herself, "Why don't I get it? I go off my laptop and then pick up my cell phone. I'm not making a phone call. I'm only using a smaller computer."

"What does the traffic app say?"

"Either take 80 to Parsippany and then 287 north. Both are clear."

"That could take too long."

"You know these roads?"

"I used to drive out here on business for my father. We had suppliers around here."

Maya referred to the traffic app again. "Then either take the George Washington Bridge or the Tappan Zee Bridge."

"Tappan Zee."

"Garden State Parkway?"

"We'll take the Palisades Parkway instead. No tolls. I know it from here. Thanks, Maya."

"It says it'll be another two hours."

Scott looked over at the digital clock on the dashboard. "Which means we get there for dessert. Unless, of course, I speed things up a bit."

"Do you really want to risk it, Scott? You get stopped again and you'll get there in time to do dishes, breakfast dishes."

Scott pressed the accelerator with his right foot which sent the Bimmer surging forward. Almost immediately, Scott heard a siren and saw flashing red and blue lights in his rearview mirror. It was a New Jersey State Police car speeding toward them.

Scott's heart suddenly beat faster. "Where did he come from? I didn't see him earlier."

Maya started to apologize, "I should've seen it on the traffic app. Maybe it was there when I was talking to my mother."

"Nobody's fault but mine. Too late now."

Scott took his foot off the accelerator and glanced at Maya; they resigned themselves to Scott getting another summons. Scott signaled a right turn and let the Bimmer glide toward the right shoulder – when the state police car sped past the Bimmer on its left at almost a hundred miles an hour. Something else was obviously going on farther down the road, they thought.

Both Scott and Maya were relieved. "Phew," Scott said, "That had me nervous."

"You think so? You should have seen your face." They smiled at each other.

"Do me a favor, Maya? Please reach in the back to my backpack. In an outside pocket there should be a necktie rolled up. Get it for me please."