Three Sides of the Tracks (20 page)

32

The Florida Line

“Shut her up, Whitey,” Slink snarled as Brandy’s moans and groans filled
the car.

Whitey held her head with one hand and clamped the other over her mouth.
“Be quiet and I’ll help you stop the bleeding.”

Brandy rocked back and forth clutching her thigh. Blood seeped through
her fingers and ran down her leg. What didn’t seep into the seat cover settled
on the floor.

Caroline leaned over the seat with a handful of napkins taken from the
convenience store. “Move your hands and press these on the cut.”

The wild look in Brandy’s eyes calmed somewhat when Caroline held the napkins
on her leg.

“Don’t start that screaming again or I’ll knock you out,” Whitey said and
released her. “Here’s some more napkins.”

“Was that necessary?” Caroline asked Slink.

Slink’s hand moved so fast that Caroline had no chance to react. It
stopped an inch from her right cheek. “Don’t take that as a sign of weakness,
Sweetness. Just a warning to mind your own business.”

Caroline turned around and folded her arms across her chest, lips set in
a thin line. She stared at the highway for a half hour then faced Slink again.
“Can I ask you a question without getting stabbed or beat to death?”

“Bein’ a smart ass is likely to get you that anyway, but go ahead. You
might not like what you hear, or I might tell you the same thing I did a minute
ago. What’s running around in that brain of yours?”

“Have you
ever
cared about anyone?”

Slink’s dark complexion turned even darker and his jaws muscles clenched.
He seemed to be trying to hold his temper then he looked at her with squinted,
piercing black eyes and sneering lips. “You judging me, Sweet Cheeks?”

“No. Just trying to understand you. Why you’re so violent.”

“Well, we all don’t grow up with nannies or mommas and daddies to buy us
anything we want. Our side’a the tracks ain’t like yours.”

“I know plenty of people from, as you say, your side of the tracks, and
none of them are anything like you.”

Slink’s eyes took on a warning expression.

“You said I could ask.”

Slink let out a deep breath. “I reckon I cared about my momma, but she
stayed on my ass so much ‘cause I layed outta school and stole stuff here and
there that I think she gave up on me, and, before long, I gave up on her. That
make sense to you?”

“Part of it does.”

“What part’s that?”

“The part about staying on your ass. What about girl friends? You never cared
about anyone special?”

“You’re over the line now. I said you could ask a question, not grill
me.”

“Oh my goodness, it’s not that big of a deal. I just asked—”

“What about you, Sweet Cheeks? How come bad boys turn you on?”

Caroline came unhinged. She swooned against the door, face fiery red.

“Appears I struck a home run with that one. No shame in liking bad boys.
Not really. Guess there is to you though.”

“Yes. There is,” Caroline said, her voice a whimper.

Slink turned his head and gave her a long look. “I’m gonna do you a
favor, Sweet Cheeks. Since I made you miss your soap operas and all. I’m gonna
tell you why bad boys turn you on. ‘Cause you’re bored, that’s why. And bad
boys are anything but boring.”

Caroline found her inner strength. Despite thinking Slink might have a
point, to agree with him would be giving him power, more power, and
that
she could not do. “That’s crazy. Why would I be bored? I have lots of friends.
I go out. Dance. Swim. Go to parties.”

“Yeah, and do the same old crap over and over. Bet you can’t wait to
leave town, can you?”

“I can’t wait to leave home, if that’s what you mean, but not because I’m
bored.”

“What is it then?”

“Because my daddy is an asshole, that’s why.”

“Same daddy you claim is so bad? The one who’s gonna send a posse after
us?”

Caroline nodded.

“So your daddy’s a bad boy himself, huh? And bad boys turn you on. I
think I’m seeing a link here.” Slink looked at Caroline knowingly.

Flustered, Caroline blurted, “That’s crazy.”

“No. ‘Crazy’ is not knowing when to shut your mouth, and that defines you
exactly.”

“I just meant—”

Slink banged the steering wheel. “You don’t have a clue
what
you
mean. End of question and answer session. No more questions. Understand?”

Caroline huffed and faced the highway again.

They reached Interstate 10 and took the eastbound exit. An hour later the
traffic increased and the highway grew wider as they approached Jacksonville.

Slink swiveled the rearview mirror so he could see Brandy. “We’re
stopping for gas again. Next blade’s going in your chest. Got that?”

Brandy didn’t appear to have the energy to try anything else. She nodded,
and Slink turned the mirror so he could see Smurf.

“We need new plates. Florida plates. I don’t want’a get down there and be
doin’ nothin’ to draw attention. We’re gonna maintain a very low profile for a
few days. My tools are in the trunk. If I see a good chance, you block for
Whitey and get us some plates quick like.”

“You want me to put these plates on that car?”

“No, you big dumb ass. I think a man would notice if he all of a sudden
had Georgia plates, don’t you?”

“Well, he’s gonna notice if he don’t have any plates too, ain’t he?”

“Be a smartass and you’ll get what she got. What we’re gonna do is get
Florida plates on here right now, then, on down the road a piece, we’ll switch
them again with some other Florida car similar to this one. Picture gettin’ any
clearer for you now?”

“Smurf’s broad face spread into a big grin that showed his gapped and
yellow teeth. “That’s a good’un, Slink.” 

Whitey managed to get the first Florida car tag without incident, and Slink
took the Highway 92 exit off I-95 for Daytona Beach.

“There’s a big Stop-and-Go station down the road a piece that I’m gonna
fill up at, Whitey. Keep a lookout for a car like this one so we can switch
those plates again.”

Slink went inside to pay for the gas, vainly running his long fingers
through his hair to keep it in place as the wind whipped around the parking
lot. The row of parking spaces in front of the store were indented at the end
of the building leaving another 10 spaces alongside the trash dumpster.

“Clerk said there’s a hurricane off the coast. Might be coming our way,”
Slink said as he slammed the door against the wind. “I think that’s a Buick
over there, Whitey. They all look alike nowadays. You got that screwdriver
ready?”

“Yeah, right here in my hand. It is a Buick. Not the same model, but
it’ll do.”

Slink backed the car across the rear end of the parked Buick. Smurf
opened the trunk to screen Whitey, then stood facing the convenience store’s
entrance to block any prying eyes from that direction. Five minutes later they
were back on Highway 92 headed for the Interstate and Canaveral Beach 80 miles
to the south.

“Do you mind telling me where we’re going?” Caroline asked.

“Why, I’m taking you to the beach, Sweetness. You don’t object to a
little vacation, do you?”

She turned away with a wry expression.

Slink patted her leg. “Don’t look so sour. You could enjoy this if you
let yourself. I haven’t given up on you yet.”

Caroline pushed his hand away without looking or replying.

Slink chuckled and turned on the radio to find out more about the storm,
which he soon heard was 300 miles from Miami and headed north/northwest at 25
miles an hour.

“I guess we’d better stock up in case we get caught in the storm. No big
deal though. Category three ain’t nothing.”

“Is this place really on the beach?” Whitey asked.

“Used to be. Can’t see the beach too good now because a couple of
hurricanes in 2004 pushed the sand up and made the dunes higher. I came down a
couple months ago. If I stayed here long, I’d dig ‘em down so I could see the
gals better.”

Smurf and Whitey laughed.

“
You
have a beach house?” Caroline said, unable to hide her
surprise.

Slink’s black eyes flashed. “Oh, I’m not good enough to have a beach house?
Is that it?”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. It just surprised me, that’s all.”

“That’s my point. You’re surprised that people from my part of town would
own beachfront property. Right?”

Caroline blushed and turned her head. “Yes. But that doesn’t mean I think
I’m better than you, Slink,” she said, using his name for the first time.

“What bullshit. What
does
it mean then?”

“It means quit blaming me because you feel inferior.”

Slink’s hand didn’t stop this time and slapped Caroline’s head against the
side window. She covered her face with both hands, but Slink stopped with just
the one blow. “Smart mouth, bitch.”

Caroline lowered her hands but cowered against the door. “I don’t care
what you say. You chose to be this way, so stop blaming everyone else.”

 Slink whipped the car onto the shoulder. Horns blared as cars swerved to
avoid rear ending them, but Slink’s rage blocked out the sound. He grabbed the
top of Caroline’s blouse and jerked her across the seat. “Nobody talks to me
like that.”

Smurf grabbed Slink’s arm. “Come on, Slink. Not here.
Slink
,” he
said louder and shook Slink’s arm.

Slink threw her back across the front seat as the rage fell to a simmer.
He nodded at Smurf and turned back around, drew in a deep breath and ran his
fingers through his hair. He glared at Caroline once more then edged the car
back into traffic. 

Tires on concrete made the only sound as they passed exit after exit.

“Here we go,” Slink said an hour later and turned onto state road 520. He
drove through the city of Cocoa just as a band of driving wind and rain rolled
inland. The car swayed on its springs as the rain all but obscured the road.

As the rain diminished, a brightly lit Walmart sign appeared, and Slink
turned into the parking lot.

“Smurf, you stay in the car with these
ladies
. Me and Whitey gonna
do a little shopping.”

“Will you please get some alcohol and bandages?” Caroline said in a tiny
voice.

“Sure. That’ll be tops on my list.”

Slink returned in a half hour and drove to the front of the store where
Whitey waited with a buggy of groceries and other supplies. He popped the trunk
open and helped Whitey load then jumped back in and handed Caroline a can of
beer. “Here’s your alcohol.”

“You know that’s not—”

“Take it or leave it,” Slink said and drove to the parking lot adjacent
to Walmart’s, which was a Home Depot that had stayed open late to sell plywood
and other necessities   to concerned homeowners.

“What’n the hell you stoppin’ here for?” Smurf said.

“Might be a hurricane, in case you went deaf. Need tools to cover the
windows. There’s plywood at the house.”

Smurf struggled to squeeze his bulk from the back seat then followed
Slink inside.

“Get us a skill saw, hammer, and nails big enough to hold some plywood
together.”

Smurf groaned.

“You’re blankin’ hopeless. You know that? Don’t worry, you piece of crap,
Whitey’s the carpenter. All you have to do is help.”

“Shit, Slink, why you gotta talk to me like that all the time? I hold up
my end.”

“Yeah, and whine, whine, whine while you’re doing it. I swear you’re
worse than them women sometimes. Get Whitey. I wanna talk to both of you.”

Smurf tapped on the window and motioned Whitey to get out of the car.
They gathered around Slink as he told them what to do with the tools and
plywood when they arrived at the beach house.

Slink turned right onto A1A and drove a half mile before taking a
driveway that wound through 50 yards of palm trees and sea grapes to the beachfront
cottage. A dim light appeared over the door of the cottage. “Lucky Unc kept the
power turned on. Probably forgot to turn it off.”

“We could stay here for years and nobody find us,” Whitey said looking up
at the tall stand of sea grapes that separated the cottage from the hotel next
door. Various types of palms, sea grapes, and other indigenous plants had taken
over Bernard’s lot on the other side of the cottage.

“You gals get the groceries. Smurf, get the tools out and take ‘em around
back. Come with me, Whitey. I want to show you something.”

Slink unlocked the door and gave Brandy a withering look as she hobbled
up the path with a bag of groceries clutched to her chest, Caroline walking
beside her with bowed head and a bag in each hand.

“Sit down. I’ll get the rest of them,” Caroline told Brandy.

A flash of fear replaced the hopeless expression in Brandy’s
blood-streaked eyes, her unwashed face stained with tears.

“He’s out back with Whitey. Sit down. I know your leg hurts something
awful.”

Brandy attempted a smile but quickly covered her face as the tears came
again.

Caroline wrapped her arms around Brandy and stroked her hair. “Hold it
together for just another day, Brandy. My daddy has his people looking for us,
I promise you, and that will be the end of these animals. I’d better finish
unloading the car before Mr. Bigshot comes in and starts raising hell again.”

Caroline brought another load of groceries in and set them on the counter
in the small kitchen. She was putting the perishable items in the refrigerator when
Slink appeared.

“Making yourself right at home, I see,” he said and leaned against the
door frame.

“C’mon, Sweet Cheeks, you gonna sulk all night ‘cause of one little love
tap?” He laid a hand on her shoulder. “Let me see those sexy eyes.”

Caroline stepped away. “Look. I’m a hostage. That’s all I am. You
understand? That’s
all
I am.”

The tone of his voice changed. “Okay. But, remember, you had your
chance,” he said, a corner of his mouth lifting in a smirk, and walked away.