get out of here before I say or do something that makes me seem pathetic.
As I drive, the small trickles of snow from this morning have turned into a real snowstorm. The drive back will be interesting. I notice a small blue car pull in behind me as I’m leaving Palmer. Were they behind me before? I’m not sure.
I take the right turn in Wasilla that leads out of town. The blue car follows. It’s odd, but not too strange since there aren’t that many main roads up here. I keep my eye on the car, but expect it to turn off at any moment.
I drive through Wasilla and out the other side. I drive past Big Lake and past the Big Lake cutoff and the car is still on my tail. More than thirty minutes, and still following. I try to see who’s driving, but they aren’t close enough, and I grasp the steering wheel more tightly.
The snow is coming down hard now. Even if they were closer, I’m not sure if I’d be able to see. I’m pretty sure there’s only one person in the car, but I’m mad at myself for not looking more carefully when I was in Palmer, and the car was closer on my tail. It’s keeping a distance, but never lagging. Finally, I pull out my phone and call Craig.
“Craig? It’s Dana.”
“I’m at work.” His voice is clipped, and this reaction is the exact thing I was trying to avoid by not asking him for a few extra minutes back at the courthouse.
“Yes, thank you, I’m aware of this, but I think I’m being followed.” That’s kind of a big deal, right?
“What do you mean?” He sighs, obviously not taking me seriously.
“I mean, I think I’m being followed. I’m past Big Lake and this same car has been behind me since Palmer.”
“So?”
“So, it’s just a little scary that’s all.” How can he not be taking this seriously? He’s the one who stayed at my house in Anchorage, and all that happened was the guy showed up at my work. Now I’m being followed , and he’s shrugging me off.
“Well, we have the guy in custody.”
Now I’m starting to get mad. “Yes, I know. It’s just that—”
“Dana. Pull over and get some gas. If they stop with you and then start following you again, give me a call. I have to go, I’m at work.”
I hang up. The problem with my iPhone is the inability to slam it shut. I figured he’d be making calls for me or doing something . He has to have some trooper friends way out here, doesn’t he? I don’t want to be feeling this scratching in my chest over how he’s not doing anything right now.
I keep checking my mirror. Still there.
I get close to the Talkeetna cutoff, a little over an hour from Palmer. There’s a small gas station here. I almost pull over, like Craig suggested, but keep driving. What am I supposed to do if they’re following me, and I’m suddenly stopped? That would mean they’ve caught me.
The blue car pulls over and into the gas pumps, and I realize how tense I’ve been. I take a few deep breaths and relax, letting my shoulders fall. I’m only a few miles from the Petersville Road cutoff now, just a little ways left. When I pick up my lip balm and check my mirror, the car is there again, what feels like only a few feet off my back bumper. I drop my container on the floor, heart racing, and call Jason.
JASON
Mixed. Mixed. Mixed .
Relief fills him as he checks into the hotel under a false name. He’s safe. The girl is safe. The second he steps inside the room, her arms are around him —
The damn phone. Of course.
“Denali Lodge. This is Jason.” I glance back over the last few words, half thinking about what comes next between the couple in my story.
“Jason, I’m being followed. I’m sure of it. Well, almost sure of it.” Its Dana, half gasping for air on the line. I’m immediately tense because I don’t think she’s the type to bring drama for the fun of it. On top of that, she sounds honestly panicked.
“Dana, take a deep breath.” Without meaning to, I’m taking a breath with her. “Have you
As I drive, the small trickles of snow from this morning have turned into a real snowstorm. The drive back will be interesting. I notice a small blue car pull in behind me as I’m leaving Palmer. Were they behind me before? I’m not sure.
I take the right turn in Wasilla that leads out of town. The blue car follows. It’s odd, but not too strange since there aren’t that many main roads up here. I keep my eye on the car, but expect it to turn off at any moment.
I drive through Wasilla and out the other side. I drive past Big Lake and past the Big Lake cutoff and the car is still on my tail. More than thirty minutes, and still following. I try to see who’s driving, but they aren’t close enough, and I grasp the steering wheel more tightly.
The snow is coming down hard now. Even if they were closer, I’m not sure if I’d be able to see. I’m pretty sure there’s only one person in the car, but I’m mad at myself for not looking more carefully when I was in Palmer, and the car was closer on my tail. It’s keeping a distance, but never lagging. Finally, I pull out my phone and call Craig.
“Craig? It’s Dana.”
“I’m at work.” His voice is clipped, and this reaction is the exact thing I was trying to avoid by not asking him for a few extra minutes back at the courthouse.
“Yes, thank you, I’m aware of this, but I think I’m being followed.” That’s kind of a big deal, right?
“What do you mean?” He sighs, obviously not taking me seriously.
“I mean, I think I’m being followed. I’m past Big Lake and this same car has been behind me since Palmer.”
“So?”
“So, it’s just a little scary that’s all.” How can he not be taking this seriously? He’s the one who stayed at my house in Anchorage, and all that happened was the guy showed up at my work. Now I’m being followed , and he’s shrugging me off.
“Well, we have the guy in custody.”
Now I’m starting to get mad. “Yes, I know. It’s just that—”
“Dana. Pull over and get some gas. If they stop with you and then start following you again, give me a call. I have to go, I’m at work.”
I hang up. The problem with my iPhone is the inability to slam it shut. I figured he’d be making calls for me or doing something . He has to have some trooper friends way out here, doesn’t he? I don’t want to be feeling this scratching in my chest over how he’s not doing anything right now.
I keep checking my mirror. Still there.
I get close to the Talkeetna cutoff, a little over an hour from Palmer. There’s a small gas station here. I almost pull over, like Craig suggested, but keep driving. What am I supposed to do if they’re following me, and I’m suddenly stopped? That would mean they’ve caught me.
The blue car pulls over and into the gas pumps, and I realize how tense I’ve been. I take a few deep breaths and relax, letting my shoulders fall. I’m only a few miles from the Petersville Road cutoff now, just a little ways left. When I pick up my lip balm and check my mirror, the car is there again, what feels like only a few feet off my back bumper. I drop my container on the floor, heart racing, and call Jason.
JASON
Mixed. Mixed. Mixed .
Relief fills him as he checks into the hotel under a false name. He’s safe. The girl is safe. The second he steps inside the room, her arms are around him —
The damn phone. Of course.
“Denali Lodge. This is Jason.” I glance back over the last few words, half thinking about what comes next between the couple in my story.
“Jason, I’m being followed. I’m sure of it. Well, almost sure of it.” Its Dana, half gasping for air on the line. I’m immediately tense because I don’t think she’s the type to bring drama for the fun of it. On top of that, she sounds honestly panicked.
“Dana, take a deep breath.” Without meaning to, I’m taking a breath with her. “Have you
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