Free Last Call by Sean Costello

Maniacs. Good thing you didn’t cop a lift with them.”
    They were trading skeptical looks now and Bobcat knew he’d have to think fast. Either way he wasn’t going home empty-handed, but with the late afternoon traffic picking up now, he preferred to have this little transaction go smoothly.
    The brunette—Laura, he noticed her name inked on the backpack at her feet—opened her mouth to say ‘No thanks’, and Bobcat said, “Ladies, it’s getting late and I got a long way to—”
    A transport thundered past in the near lane, rocking the camper, drowning out Bobcat’s voice; it was followed by a string of domestic vehicles, most of them towing power boats or campers. In the brief racket Bobcat saw a sticker on the blonde’s backpack that said B.C. OR BUST and decided to take the long shot.
    When the traffic cleared he said, “I gotta be in Calgary by Wednesday night and daylight’s wastin’.” He emitted a brisk, almost inaudible whistle and Sam hopped into his lap and started licking his chin. “You gals coming or not?”
    Smiling now, the blonde said, “You’re going out West?”
    “The Sault tonight,” Bobcat said, “then full tilt boogie to the Rockies.”
    The blonde said, “Can you give us a sec?”
    “Take all the time you need.”
    The girls moved away from the open door, speaking in hushed tones now. Bobcat scratched the dog’s ear, pretending he couldn’t hear them. But he could. The bobcat had taught how to be still, how to listen.”
    Blonde: “What do you think?”
    Laura: “He’s a creep. We should wait for another ride.”
    Blonde: Well, I think we should go. We’ve been standing out here over an hour. It’ll be dark soon and I’m getting cold. Besides, look how much that sweet little doggy loves him.”
    Bobcat kissed the dog on the head. He heard Laura say, “Julie wait,” then the blonde was on the running board, sliding in next to him with the backpack on her lap. Bobcat stuck his hand out and the girl shook it, Bobcat saying, “Julie, right?” and the girl nodded. She said, “And my friend’s name is—” and Bobcat said, “Laura,” and Julie smiled, looking over to see Laura climbing in with a scowl on her face, swinging the door shut behind her.
    Bobcat said, “Seatbelts, ladies,” and merged into traffic heading north, away from home. The sun was sinking into the trees now, the shadows growing longer. He’d have to get this done soon. He didn’t like driving at night.
    Still on Bobcat’s lap, Sammy pushed his head under Julie’s arm and the girl scratched his neck and told him how cute he was.
    “I just love your dog,” she said. “What kind is he?”
    “Jack Russell,” Bobcat said. “Smartest damn dog in the universe.”
    Julie said, “This is so freaky. You’re really going out West?” and Bobcat drove his elbow into her temple, then reached over and slammed Laura’s head against the dash. Both girls slumped over unconscious.
    “Not in your lifetime,” Bobcat said, slowing to get the rig turned around. “But I have always wanted to see them mountains.”

6
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    Tuesday, June 30

    TRISH TOOK OFF right after work, making the drive to Toronto in record time, the Jetta well-behaved for a change. She told her aunt not to expect her much before midnight, and promised to call if she was running any later. She knew Dean wanted to hang out, but she’d had some time to think about it and decided to keep her distance, at least for the time being. The fact that he’d turned his life around was great, for him, but it didn’t change anything between them. She’d see him later, pay him back the gas money she’d borrowed and say goodnight.
    Her dad’s nurse met her outside the cubicle, and Trish noticed with some pleasure that the name tag on the door had been changed from John Doe to James Gamble . The curtains were drawn in there and Trish was eager to go inside.
    The nurse said, “He woke up around noon and started trying to