her head with a mother-of-pearl hair stick. After fast packing a diaper bag with everything Charlie might need, a quick scan of the nursery reminded her to feed the goldfish. She sprinkled food over the gurgling water and left, packing Charlie and his infant carrier, diaper bag, and purse.
Outside, the fresh air smelled wonderful. Teagan straightened, lugged her burdens to the passenger side of her Ford pickup, glad she had bought a crew cab so Charlie’s car seat would be in the safest place. She leaned inside and fiddled with the damned seatbelt, trying to get it through the proper slots in the carrier. Finally, the seatbelt clicked into place. She jerked at the sound. “Dang that Pai. I’m as jumpy as she is.”
Teagan backed out of the carport and entered the street. At the end of the block, a jet black Chevy Blazer with smoked windows and over-sized tires sat at the curb. It pulled in behind her. Was it the one from the wharf? She peered closer in the rearview mirror and couldn’t decide. “This is silly. I don’t care who it is.” She turned right, and at the end of the block, stopped for a red light.
Charlie had worked his blanket up by his mouth.
Teagan tucked it under his chin. “You’re just way too cute wrapped up in that blanket with little green frogs all over it.” She started singing, “Froggy went acourtin’, he did ride, sword and pistol by his side.” She rocked to the beat and Charlie seemed to follow her with his eyes even though he was too young.
Traffic light changed, and Teagan glanced in the mirror again. The Blazer hugged her rear bumper. “Charlie, some idiot is crowding us.” She punched the brake pedal to flash the rear lights, but the Blazer kept close as she merged into the thick traffic on 15th Avenue.
Teagan wove through several openings. The Blazer snaked behind. She cursed aloud, and then glanced over the seat at Charlie. “Excuse the French, but I don’t need a fight with some road rage psycho.” Quickly, she pushed the lock button on the door and checked to see if the passenger side was already locked. It was. She eased up on the gas. “We’ll just let the idiot pass.”
Several delivery trucks rumbled by. She couldn’t see the Blazer in the rearview mirror, or in the side mirrors.
Palms wet, she rubbed her right hand on her pants leg, then the left. She exhaled slowly, glad her turn off was the next one. She quick checked the mirror. UPS truck in her lane. Her grip lightened on the steering wheel. “Hallelujah Charlie, we got rid of the nut.”
Up ahead, she saw the “Y” for Holman Road. She eased through traffic to the right and followed the curve. Her nerves quieted by the time she saw It’s a Boy on the reader board. And for once, Pete remembered to turn on the sign above the market. She accused him of forgetting on purpose, but he denied it loudly. He didn’t like the large white and gray fish with a solitary blinking eye and mechanical gasping lower jaw. It was an eyesore. But one she liked and it stayed as a symbol of her dream, the one she paid dearly for. Also, her Crown Hill customers claimed it as a land mark for their upscale visitors. “ Just hang a left at the yapping fish and we’re at the top of the hill .”
She entered the alley and parked. The black Blazer appeared at the opening of the alley. It paused, Teagan gasped, and it sped away.
Every muscle in her knotted. She clawed the seat belt free of the infant seat, grabbed Charlie, ran to the door and slammed it behind her.
Pete glanced up. “What?”
“Some flippin’ creep kept following us.” Teagan locked the bolt.
“ Should I call 911?” Pete reached for the wall phone by the coolers.
“ I didn’t get the license plate so what good would it do? But it did frighten me. I read in the paper just this morning about a woman shot because of road rage. With Charlie in
Outside, the fresh air smelled wonderful. Teagan straightened, lugged her burdens to the passenger side of her Ford pickup, glad she had bought a crew cab so Charlie’s car seat would be in the safest place. She leaned inside and fiddled with the damned seatbelt, trying to get it through the proper slots in the carrier. Finally, the seatbelt clicked into place. She jerked at the sound. “Dang that Pai. I’m as jumpy as she is.”
Teagan backed out of the carport and entered the street. At the end of the block, a jet black Chevy Blazer with smoked windows and over-sized tires sat at the curb. It pulled in behind her. Was it the one from the wharf? She peered closer in the rearview mirror and couldn’t decide. “This is silly. I don’t care who it is.” She turned right, and at the end of the block, stopped for a red light.
Charlie had worked his blanket up by his mouth.
Teagan tucked it under his chin. “You’re just way too cute wrapped up in that blanket with little green frogs all over it.” She started singing, “Froggy went acourtin’, he did ride, sword and pistol by his side.” She rocked to the beat and Charlie seemed to follow her with his eyes even though he was too young.
Traffic light changed, and Teagan glanced in the mirror again. The Blazer hugged her rear bumper. “Charlie, some idiot is crowding us.” She punched the brake pedal to flash the rear lights, but the Blazer kept close as she merged into the thick traffic on 15th Avenue.
Teagan wove through several openings. The Blazer snaked behind. She cursed aloud, and then glanced over the seat at Charlie. “Excuse the French, but I don’t need a fight with some road rage psycho.” Quickly, she pushed the lock button on the door and checked to see if the passenger side was already locked. It was. She eased up on the gas. “We’ll just let the idiot pass.”
Several delivery trucks rumbled by. She couldn’t see the Blazer in the rearview mirror, or in the side mirrors.
Palms wet, she rubbed her right hand on her pants leg, then the left. She exhaled slowly, glad her turn off was the next one. She quick checked the mirror. UPS truck in her lane. Her grip lightened on the steering wheel. “Hallelujah Charlie, we got rid of the nut.”
Up ahead, she saw the “Y” for Holman Road. She eased through traffic to the right and followed the curve. Her nerves quieted by the time she saw It’s a Boy on the reader board. And for once, Pete remembered to turn on the sign above the market. She accused him of forgetting on purpose, but he denied it loudly. He didn’t like the large white and gray fish with a solitary blinking eye and mechanical gasping lower jaw. It was an eyesore. But one she liked and it stayed as a symbol of her dream, the one she paid dearly for. Also, her Crown Hill customers claimed it as a land mark for their upscale visitors. “ Just hang a left at the yapping fish and we’re at the top of the hill .”
She entered the alley and parked. The black Blazer appeared at the opening of the alley. It paused, Teagan gasped, and it sped away.
Every muscle in her knotted. She clawed the seat belt free of the infant seat, grabbed Charlie, ran to the door and slammed it behind her.
Pete glanced up. “What?”
“Some flippin’ creep kept following us.” Teagan locked the bolt.
“ Should I call 911?” Pete reached for the wall phone by the coolers.
“ I didn’t get the license plate so what good would it do? But it did frighten me. I read in the paper just this morning about a woman shot because of road rage. With Charlie in
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