Chapter 1

Mac Taylor was travelling through Texas. He had gone there to transfer a prisoner to Dallas, Texas. The chief had given him that task to get him out of New York so that he would go on a vacation. Mac wondered why everyone always thought he needed a vacation. However, since he was in Texas, he was glad he had two weeks to do…nothing. He thought maybe he would just hang around in Texas and get a little lazy. It had been a long time since he had been in Texas. Now, he was driving down the longest, straightest, loneliest road he had ever seen. He had filled up before he left Dallas though so he would not run out of gas. He thought maybe he would go to a small, little-known town in the middle of nowhere. He thought most places in Texas were in the middle of nowhere. He had never seen a city that looked quite like Dallas…just standing up in the middle of a flat plain. It was a sight to see.

As Mac was traveling, he noticed a guy walking on the side of the road carrying a brown duffle bag. He waved as Mac passed by him. Mac sighed as he put on his brakes. He could not imagine what anyone would be doing out here walking on this long, lonely highway. He stopped, and the guy ran up to his car, which was a rental car.

"Hi," Mac said. "Where you headed?"

"Anywhere besides here," the man replied.

Mac nodded. "Get in. I'm not going to leave a man on the side of the road."

The man got into the car. "Thanks," he said with sincerity. "My name's David."

"Mac."

David noticed the badge on Mac's belt. "You're a detective," he said.

"Yes," Mac replied.

"What brings you to this lonely road?"

"Well, I am heading out for a little vacation. What brings you out here? Your car broke down?"

"No. I usually walk everywhere I go unless I ride a bus, or get a ride from strangers."

"That's not a very safe practice in this day and time," Mac pointed out.

"I try to be careful," David replied.

David leaned back on the seat, and Mac thought he was going to sleep. He wondered how long the man had been walking. He could not imagine walking everywhere he went. He supposed that was why the man was so thin, and Mac wondered when the last time he ate was.

After about an hour of travelling, they came to a small town that even had some gravel roads. However, the middle of town was paved, and there was a gas station, a restaurant and a hotel. Mac was not sure he wanted to stay there for the night but he thought his companion looked like he could use a hotel.

Mac pulled into the gas station and filled up, and then went down to the restaurant. He nudged David on the shoulder. "Hey," he said.

David started out of his sleep and looked around him. "Where are we?" he asked.

"We're in String, Texas, and I think they only have a string of buildings, but they have a restaurant here. I thought we could get a bite to eat."

David yawned. "Yes, that sounds good."

Mac would not insult the man by offering to pay for their meal until after they had eaten. They went inside, and Mac made a visit to the bathroom before he sat down. A waitress brought them a menu. Mac yawned as he leaned on the table, and rubbed his eyes. "I don't think I'm used to so much driving," he said.

"I don't think I'm used to so much riding either," David replied. "I think I just conked out on you."

Mac smiled. "That's alright. You looked like you needed some rest."

"I did."

David had brown, curly hair and hazel eyes, and he had a kind face too with a slight smile that reached his eyes. He looked at Mac who looked like a very dignified person, and he supposed most detectives were. His hair was cut very short, and he had piercing green eyes. "So, where are you from, Mac?" he asked.

"New York," Mac replied.

David was surprised by that. He had assumed he was from Dallas or some city in Texas. "You're a long way from home," he said.

"I escorted a runaway prisoner to Dallas. And my chief insisted that I take a vacation while I was over here, so here I am."

David smiled. "Must be nice for your boss to insist that you take a vacation."

"I don't know. I haven't had a vacation in about ten years."

"Work-a-holic, huh?"

"You might say that. What about you?"

"Oh, I'm just here and there. I guess I'm seeing the country. I get odd jobs and work my way around."

"That must not be an easy life." Mac was beginning to wonder who this guy was, but he did not look familiar. He supposed if a person wanted to be a drifter, they had a right to be.

Soon, they had their meals, and they ate in silence. "So, are you headed anywhere in particular for your vacation?" David asked.

Mac shook his head. "No," he said. "I'm just gonna go here and there and just do whatever comes naturally."

"That sounds like a better time than going on a planned vacation with no spontaneity."

"I think so. You're welcome to ride with me further if you want. Maybe we can drift together for a week or two."

Mac noticed that David's smile faded slightly, but he nodded. "Maybe we can," he replied.

Mac knew when someone had a secret, and he knew this guy had one. However, he supposed he had a lot of ghosts from his past that haunted him, and he was preoccupied a lot. "I think I'm going to check into that hotel for the night, and then get started early in the morning," he said. "You with me?"

David seemed to consider that. "How early are you talking?" he asked with an amused look.

"Oh, I would say probably five."

"Wow. That really is early."

"Beats the traffic…although I don't think they have much traffic in this town."

"I don't either. Doesn't look like they even have a red light."

"So different from New York."

"I've been to New York. It's quite a big city…easy to get lost there."

Mac took another bite of his food as he wondered why this guy would want to get lost. He hoped he was not hauling a wanted fugitive around.

David stared at Mac with his slight smile. "No," he said. "I'm not a wanted criminal."

Mac nodded. "Sorry. I'm a detective, and when people say they want to get lost, I can't help but get suspicious."

"I understand. I would probably be suspicious myself."

Mac did not think this guy was a criminal. He had been around enough criminals to know that this guy was telling the truth. "So, you're running from…memories?"

David frowned. "Some, and maybe some truths."

"So I guess you're not married."

"No. And I assume you're not either."

"No. My wife died a long time ago."

David remembered well how his wife died. If he could have just moved that car… "My wife died in a car accident."

Mac thought it might sound like he was trying to compete for misery if he said how Claire died on 9/11. He thought maybe the guy just wanted to escape his memories and misery so he just drifted around meeting different people. He wondered what the odds were that they would meet up on this lonely road to nowhere.

When they were done eating, Mac paid for the meal. "It's okay," he said as David protested.

David thought this guy was feeling sorry for him, and he definitely did not want that. He figured this detective had plenty of money since he worked in New York but he made his own way. He had found over the last few years that he did not need a whole lot of money to survive, nor a whole lot of possessions. He had only what he was carrying with him in that duffle bag. He always had to keep at least three changes of clothes with him…for reasons that he did not like anyone knowing. His frustration over not being able to move that car with his wife trapped inside was what got him into this situation in the first place.

Mac drove over to the hotel. He wanted to pay for David's room, but he would not allow it. Mac went to his room and dropped his bag in the floor. He sighed as he looked in the mirror. He was definitely tired but he did not usually sleep well when he went to bed. He thought that was why he was always tired. However, tonight, he was not worrying over a case so he would try to get some sleep. He got a shower and then went to bed. He had to wonder about his traveling companion. He had seen haunted people before, and he was one himself, but he thought that guy was the most haunted he had ever seen. He had been miserable since his wife died, but he had not wanted to be alone. He felt more miserable when he was alone.

David went to bed but he was not asleep. He just hoped he would not have any nightmares. He would stay with this detective for a while but when they came to another city, he would part ways. He did not want him to find out his secret.