Shadow

Chapter 7 - Collision Course

They traveled on the road of Interstate 15 which was the route for Nevada, Arizona and Utah. It was quiet for a while as they observed the sun in its setting stages, changing from hues of orange, and then almost tangerine. The clouds were like cotton-candy as if it blushed at the warm touch of the most important source of energy for life on Earth. The sun finally fell behind the horizon, painting the sky shades of red and pomegranate pink.

It had been a while since Jimmy sat and watched the setting sun in all its glory. The last time he did that was when he was a child, sitting with his mother on the porch swing of their home back in Bakersfield.

'Do you see those colors, James?' her mother asked in her most comforting voice, her arm wrapped around his small, skinny shoulders and the other pointing at the sky. 'They are symbols. Each showing you the good that tomorrow may bring. This is God's work. He has quite a paintbrush, doesn't He?'

Now that Jimmy was driving on the interstate with a purpose to kill, he knew no good would come along with tomorrow. There would be nothing. Maybe the one positive would be that his son's killer was finally put to rest, but that's it.

The colors will be hidden within the black despair of the night, he wanted to say to her now. That is a symbol of what tomorrow is going to bring.

'What's in Vegas?' Abbie asked, interrupting his thoughts.

In that split-second, Jimmy had almost forgotten he picked up a passenger and was now along for the ride. His memories started to fade, and he was back on Earth again. He focused on the road and kept to the speed limit this time.

He cleared his throat. 'What do you mean?'

'Like, what are you gonna do in Vegas? You got family there?'

Jimmy thought carefully about what to say next. He certainly did not have family that resided in Vegas, but rather someone from his past that he had to visit. 'Just someone I need to see,' he replied.

'Oh.'

Abbie ran her fingers through her hair and then pulled out of what appeared to be a cellphone from her bag.

'What about you?' Jimmy asked, taking off his sunglasses and putting in in his breast pocket.

'Mmm?' Abbie looked up. 'Oh... um, I'm going to visit my cousin. I haven't seen her in a long time.'

'I see.'

'Never been there before, though. They say it's all glamorous and everything. I'm quite excited.'

That makes one of us, he thought.

'Were you married?' she asked out of the blue.

He looked at her. 'Why do you ask?'

Abbie pointed to the white circle on his ring finger. 'I can always tell.'

He looked at his finger. 'Very observant.'

'Split up long?'

It was clear just how young this girl was. Asking about some stranger's private life did not seem meddlesome to her; yes, she was inquisitive, but how else could you hold a conversation for at least one-hundred-and-eighty miles if you didn't ask questions?

'A couple of hours,' he said.

'Hours?' she quizzed.

'But it was over years ago. We'd been hanging on by a thread ever since.'