book and she smiled. She recognized the coed by her blue eyes and long brown ponytail. The young woman was only about five-two, and Maggie had to reach something off a top shelf for her a few months back. After twenty years as a sorority housemother she had retired three years ago, but Maggie still considered the young women at the college as ‘her’ girls.
The clock on the register read just after three in the morning, and Maggie said, “You’re out kinda’ late, missy.” She glanced towards the pump, expecting to see her boyfriend with her. When the couple had first started coming into the store together, Maggie had decided that the preppie looking young man was a moocher. Her sharp eyes had noticed how he always managed to slide a few extra things onto the counter, right before the girl handed over her credit card.
“I’m going camping out at the lake for a week,” Tiana replied.
“Alone?”
“Alone... it’s more affordable that way,” Tiana winked. “I need a bag of ice,” she said, as she put a case of water and a large Styrofoam cup of coffee onto the counter. “Oh, and the gas. I’ll be filling up.”
“Why don’t you go do that while I get the ice for you?” Maggie offered.
“Thanks.” Tiana looked over her shoulder, and she added, “He’s gone for good, by the way.”
“It’s about time,” Maggie chuckled.
If Maggie Bender had known that she would be the last person to see the girl, she would have tried to convince her not to go alone. She cried when she saw Tiana’s picture in the paper, and she asked to be taken off night shift. Maggie could not bare the thought of losing one of ‘her’ girls, again.
Tiana waved as she pulled out of the gas station, and she turned left at the light to pull onto the highway ramp heading north. This late, in the middle of the night, there was no traffic, and Tiana cranked up the CD player and sang with Ryker at the top of her lungs.
The drive would only take a couple of hours, but after forty-five minutes she had finished her coffee and she was wiggling in her seat. There was an exit ahead, but Tiana knew that it was almost a ten mile detour to get to the amenities. Then, she remembered that there was a small rest stop a few miles ahead. Dang, she had to go bad. She cruised in front of the pavilion, and without even considering that there were no other cars around, she ran to the women’s bathroom.
When Tiana came out, a man was walking towards her, and she looked across the lot to his semi. The shining black rig was parked in the shadows, but she could see the blue and white sign on the door. She remembered passing him a few miles back, because no one else was on the road. “Hi,” she smiled.
“Evening,” the man’s deep voice replied. He tipped his cowboy hat, and continued to walk to the restrooms.
Just before climbing back into her car, Tiana noticed the back tire. Okay, this sucks. At least Adam could have helped her change a flat. She thought about calling road service, but even if she could get a signal out here, it would cost more money that she did not have, and by the time they found the rest stop she would have missed the sunrise on the lake.
Tiana looked back at the pavilion, and then squinted her eyes at the sign on the truck. “Anderson’s Tools,” she murmured. Tiana shrugged, “Never heard of them.” There was a phone number and even a website address, so she knew that they had to be a legitimate company. The rig looked new, and although she had only glanced at the driver, his clothes seemed clean and he had been polite enough. Tiana leaned against her car and she waited for the man to come out. “Hey… look, I hate to bother you, but could you help me change a tire?”
Dillon walked over to her. This was going to be easy. “Do you have a jack?”
“I guess so.” Tiana had no idea, and she was slightly