Page 64 of Cocky Choices: Zoe Cocker

I freeze in my tracks.

Spin around.

Race for where we parked.

Spotting a ticket on the windshield I shout, “Dang it!” realizing that we must have been inside the hotel for a long time and this was a red-zone. Neither of us were paying attention, both having so much on our minds. That’ll be a pricey ticket, which I’ll cover.

For so many reasons.

Guests of the hotel — refined, graceful, dignified people — gawk at me as I snatch the flimsy expensive paper from underneath the windshield’s wiper, shout, “Dang it all to heck!” leap into Tom’s Jeep, and punch the key into the ignition, notingthe imprints his keys and ATL keychain carved into my palm’s tender skin. I must’ve squeezed these near to metamorphosis. What was I trying to turn them into… wings?

Ignoring the stares of strangers, I yell, “C’mon, Wyatt, please pick up!” throwing my phone into a cupholder and looking behind me to merge into traffic. A Volkswagen is almost beside me. I slam my foot on the gas. Jolt in front of it. Wave at their angry honking. “Sorry! Have to catch that cop car!”

Racing forward I swerve around a woman walking her Maltese dog, so close she snatches the little fluffster off the pavement into her arms, her big blue eyes aghast as she screams.

“Sorry!” I shout again, adding a sheepish but loud, “Truly sorry! I am! Really!” and hit a hard right, yanking the steering wheel with all my might so fast the left wheels almost come off the asphalt. “Holy moly!”

I hear a muffled holler coming from my phone. “Zoe!!!”

Quickly flicking my glance to it, I slam the speaker button with my index finger. “Wyatt? Is that you!?”

“I’ve been calling your name! Why do I hear tires screeching?”

“I’m chasing a cop car!”

“You’re what?!”

“I’m chasing a cop car!”

“I heard you. I just didn’t believe you! What is going on?! Who are you chasing down? Why?! Do I know them?”

“They know you! I forgot to get their names! They’re patrol cops like you. Oh, Wyatt! Why weren’t you in Midtown today? You could have answered the call instead of them and everything would’ve been different! I’m so upset!” Tears start falling down my cheeks. Since the top is down, the wind steals them as quickly as they surface.

“Zoe, I need you to slow down and tell me where you are, tell me what happened, and I need you to stop chasing that cop car!”

“I can’t do that!”

“Are you still in Midtown.”

“Four Seasons. I just left there! I just turned down an alley to cut them off.”

“Dear God,” my brother groans. “Did you go south or…”

Veering around a large bag of trash, I shout, “Yes!”

“I’m coming. Tell me what street you’re on.”

“Alleys don’t have names… I don’t think.”

“Why are you chasing a cop car?!!”

“They took Tom!”

“Tom Bennet?”

“Yes! What other Tom would I be talking about? Tom! You know he works for me. You just saw him at my shop the other day.” I hit a pothole. “Oof! Ouch! Why are you asking which Tom when you just saw him there with me?”

“Okay, Zoe, you need to calm down. Pull over and wait for me. You’re not driving safely and your head isn’t clear!”

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