it gonna let you guys pass through. You seem pretty harmless to me.?
ite never been called harmless before,?Paula grinned sweetly, But I?? settle for it if it gets me to LA before the little lady in the back wakes up.?
Hou have a safe journey, now,?the cop smiled, as Paula backed up, making enough space to pull out of the queue.
With the traffic being filtered through one car at a time, the three lanes heading towards California were deserted.
Lauren looked back at James and gasped. That was too close.?
James grinned. Lay too close.?
*
They pulled up at a McDonalds fifty miles into California. Lauren went inside and bought some breakfast. James checked no one was around, before letting Curtis out of the trunk. Once het walked the cramp out of his legs, Curtis faced the sunrise over the desert and stretched out his arms.
Beautiful,?he said, turning around and slapping James on the back as he pulled him into a hug. Hou were so cool, man. It sorry I messed up last night ?When my head goes dark like that, I act like a total dick.?
Llad Lauren didnt put bullets in the magnum now??
Curtis smirked. Hour sister must be my guardian angel, or something.?
Lauren came around the side of the restaurant holding a cardboard tray of drinks and two brown paper bags stuffed with food. Curtis snatched one of the bags and took out a muffin.
Couble sausage and egg,?Curtis said, tearing out a massive bite. i love these, man. Ite been a year since I had one of these. Mmm ?This is sooooooo good.?
James left Curtis to eulogise over his McMuffin and leaned in the back of the car to speak with Paula. Holly had woken up grumpy and Paula sat next to her daughter, trying to persuade her to eat something.
Hou did us a big favour back there,?James said. i owe you one.?
Hou owe me a thousand,?Paula said, only half joking.
James nodded. Is soon as we get to LA; youte got my word on that.?
i dont think Ite ever had a thousand dollars in one go,?Paula said. Lhen I was a little girl, I always wanted to go to Disneyland and stay in a real hotel, but we were as poor as dirt. When I drop you guys off, It gonna drive Holly up there. Ite only thirty miles.?
Tounds fun,?James smiled, But ite better if you call the cops first. You dont want to get in trouble for helping us and they?? hardly believe your story if you head off to Disneyland.?
Paula looked a little crushed. i guess youte right.?
Hou dont have to tell the cops about the money, though,?James said. Crive out there in a weeke time, or something.?
With Paula and Curtis both happy, James felt more at ease than het done for ages. He was miffed when Lauren broke the mood.
Le better get moving,?she said. Le might have got past one roadblock, but that doesnt mean the cops have stopped searching for us.?
*
They caught the morning rush hour when they reached the outskirts of Los Angeles, ending up in fourteen lanes of solid traffic, crawling along at walking pace. When they hit a downward slope, there was a vista of tens of thousands of cars packed in close formation, with sunlight reflecting off the windscreens. After fighting their way out of the sparsely populated desert, it was a relief to be sitting in one anonymous car amidst thousands.
They had to find a place to split from Paula. Lauren picked out a route to Hollywood on the map, because it was the only place in town that shet heard of. They wound up at a grey mall on Hollywood Boulevard called Showbiz Stores. It was 10 a.m. and James couldnt help getting a little buzz when he spotted the famous Hollywood sign on a hill in the distance.
They parked in an underground lot beneath the mall. James walked around to the back of the car and counted a thousand dollars out of the backpack, before slinging it over his shoulder. Paula grabbed Holly and they took an elevator up to the food court on the top level. James got everyone drinks and an ice cream for Holly.
He passed the thousand dollars under the table to Paula as he spoke. Le passed a taxi rank on the way inside. You sit here and finish your drink. Give us twenty minutes or so to get away, then cover yourself by calling the cops before you do anything else. OK??
Paula nodded as she took