Sample Sunday

A little something for Sample Sunday. It comes from Chasing Filthy Lucre, my novella that's available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and many other ebook retailers. If you like this sample, go grab a copy. It's just 99 cents.

I slid the keys to the truck across the hood to Berger and he grabbed them just before they fell to the ground. We eased it out of the alley and onto the street. Berger was behind the wheel and he grinned like a little kid.

We pulled to a stop at the intersection in front of Raul’s and I asked, “How long’s it been since you drove anything?”

“Ten years at least,” Berger said. “Don’t know exactly, but I can tell you that it’s been too long. I’d forgotten how much I liked it.”

I rolled the window down on my side and stuck my arm out, grabbing the top of the door.

The night air was cool and it felt good to have it race past me again. I had to sell my car five years ago. I hadn’t driven it in seven, but it took me two years to realize that I was better off getting what cash I could for it and letting the car go. But Berger was right, there is something about being in a vehicle, even if it’s in the passenger seat that made you want to smile. It’s what pushes those kids to try and get the privilege of driving as soon as they can. There is a freedom behind the wheel that you can’t get most anywhere else, especially walking everywhere by foot, which is what I’d been doing.

Berger kept his foot on the clutch and gunned the engine. It roared loud and we felt it struggle under the hood. The truck wanted to run and we didn’t want to deny it one last request. Berger eased his foot off the clutch and the tires squealed for a moment then we jerked forward and sped off down the street. Berger chuckled, and I told him to open it up.

He pushed his foot to the floor and we took off. We ran the length of the street we’d pulled onto and took a right once we could go no farther.

I let Berger drive us around for a few minutes before giving him directions to an abandoned parking garage near my place. We planned on keeping the truck on an upper floor until we were ready to execute our plan. And if everything went well later that morning, that wouldn’t be more than a day or two.