A Wrong Turn Towards Love by Pepper Pace Page A

him.
    Also, Bodie knew that he had some definite ties to the Klan. The other fellas in the bar might talk a lot of shit, but Sully skulking around in the dark was a different matter.
    Bodie did a U-turn, being sure to keep the woman spotlighted in his headlights.
    She was pissed at that. But at least Sully disappeared.
    Bodie got out of his truck, engine still running.
    “What in the hell are you doing?” The woman demanded when he was standing a few feet from her.
    Bodie peered into the darkness of the woods but Sully was gone.  He gave the woman his attention.  She was so petite that he towered over her, but she didn’t seem the least bit intimidated.
    “Thought you might need some help.”
    The lady blinked, appalled at the nerves of this man.
    “You were just in that bar. I could have used some help then.”
    “Looked like you were handling yourself fine to me.”
    She walked around him. “I don’t need your help, thank you very much!”
    “You having car problems?” he yelled after her.
    “Yes. And I already called AAA. They’re sending someone right out,” she said without looking back.
    “No they ain’t.”
    She stopped and gave him a hard look. “What are you talking about?”
    Bodie headed back to his truck. Sully was nowhere to be seen and frankly, the lady was a bitch. He wasn’t pressed to help her.
    He climbed into his truck yelling over his shoulder. “Because I’m the wrecker in these parts and I didn’t get a page.”
    “Well you can’t be the only tow truck around here!” She called out.
    “Yup.” He shut his door and drove off.
     
    ~ P P ~
     
    Bodie wasn’t even a mile down the road when he did another U-turn.  His mama always said, ‘God don’t like ugly.’  Also, he guessed he’d be pretty pissy too if he stepped into an all black bar and someone gave him shit.
    He pulled back into the parking lot searching until he spotted a beat-up Honda Accord with a slightly less cocky woman sitting behind the wheel.  Bodie got out of his truck and gestured for her to roll down her window.  She did, seeming relieved.
    “What’s wrong with your car?”
    “I don’t know. I’ve been having problems with the transmission.  But every time before when it stopped I’ve been able to get it started.”  She glanced into the woods.  Bodie looked over in that direction but didn’t see anything.
    “Well pop the hood and let me see what you got.” He peered inside. “Turn her over,” he yelled.
    She tried but it was dead. 
    “You got gas, right?”
    She rolled her eyes but hid it quickly.  “Yes; I just pulled over and put gas in it.”
    “Great.” He mumbled. He slammed the hood shut. “Listen, I’ll drive you down to the Holiday Inn. In the morning I’ll come back and tow the car to the garage.”
    She glanced again out towards the woods and then back to Bodie, hesitantly.  He smiled then stopped because that would likely scare her more.  He wasn’t used to smiling and figured it would look strange on his face.  He knew that his height and build intimidated some. He reached into his wallet and pulled out his wrecker license. 
    “Or if you like, I can just come back with the tow truck. It might take me an hour or so-”
    She opened the door quickly while keeping her eyes on both Bodie as well as the woods beyond him.
    “You got a fear of the woods?” he asked, scratching his goatee.  She shut and locked her car. 
    “No; a fear of people running around in the woods wearing white hoods.”
    Bodie’s expression grew fierce.  “That would be Sully Pranger; him and his buddies are playing games. The Klan don’t really suit up unless its parade day.” They had probably heard about the lone black woman at Stubby’s and decided to have some redneck fun.
    She gave Bodie an amazed look.  “There’s really Klan here?!  I mean I just thought you all were just a bunch of rednecks…” The ‘ you all ’ comment was not lost on him, but he had to admire the fact