Part Fifteen
Matt and Jeff were traveling down Highway 22 in Matt's car. Jeff was at the wheel, while Matt stared out the window, as if Lita would just suddenly materialize.
"Just why did I let you drive my car again?" Matt asked.
"Because I'm the more mentally stable brother today."
"Can I get a doctor's note on that one?" he questioned.
"Probably not. I just thought you'd probably want to look out the windows while we drove around, like you are now. You couldn't do that very well if you were driving."
Matt turned and looked at his brother. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Under his breath, he added, "and I thought it'd be safer this way".
The boys hadn't exactly decided where they'd begin searching when they made their decision to look for Lita on their own. Heading down the road however, they began to discuss the most logical choices.
"I think we should stay on Highway 22, and start looking around the north end of the lake around Cobbler's Knob," said Jeff.
"Nah," said Matt. "I think if he's anywhere, it's going to be on the east side of the lake, closer to the boat ramps."
"Ok. We can start there." Jeff increased his pressure on the gas pedal, speeding off towards the lake.
Meanwhile, in Lita's car
"Raven, please slow down. You're scaring me," Lita said, gripping her handcuffed hands on the dashboard of her car. Raven had pushed her through the woods at a hurried pace, half-dragging her in his quest to escape. Once they'd reached her car, he'd tossed her unceremoniously in the passenger seat and took off, trying to stay ahead of the cops and out of sight of the chopper.
"You're scaring me," Raven mimicked in a false female voice. "It's your fault we're in this predicament, Lita. I know you've somehow tipped off your little pretty boys. They're not going to get me, you know."
"You're crazy," she said looking at him. "You really think this is my fault you're in this situation? You think it's my fault?" the timber of her voice rose steadily as her temper started to flare. "Excuse me, but you kidnapped me. I had nothing to do with your sick desire for revenge."
"Just shut up," he said, shooting a steely gaze at her. "I don't need to hear this right now." Seeing how Raven still had the tire iron in his lap, she opted to listen to him, for now.
They continued to speed down the little two lane highway at speeds far exceeding the posted speed limits. Lita held her breath each time he took a sharp curve or passed another car on a double yellow line. Seriously wondering if she'd meet her demise in a car wreck after all she'd survived so far, she decided to reach around her and snap her seat belt in place. Not an easy task, given her handcuffed hands.
"Oh, good thinking," sneered Raven. "I'd hate to get ticketed for failure to wear a seat belt." Lita didn't say a word, just reached out and gripped the dashboard once more.
Matt's Car
Matt and Jeff were traveling east on the curvy two lane road, intent of reaching Lake Louisienne. At the moment, they were on a rare straight stretch of the highway. Matt had been looking on the sides of the road in the woods for signs of Lita, but an oncoming car caught his attention. It was traveling very fast. Getting trapped behind a slower car ahead of it, the speeding car suddenly swerved across the solid line into the eastbound lane, swerving around the slower car and then zipping back in front of it, cutting the other car off. The miffed driver of the slower car honked his horn at the reckless driver.
"Jeff, watch that car. He's being reckless. He might be drunk or something." The oncoming car kept coming closer.
"I see it coming. Stupid idiot. Even I don't drink then get behind the wheel."
"Jeff, that car looks like…." the car came within a few feet of passing them.
"Lita's!" Jeff screamed. The car rushed past them at that moment.
At the moment the car passed, Matt locked his eyes on the occupants. In an instant, he knew exactly who was in that vehicle. Matt whipped his head around to follow the car, bellowing to his brother, "Turn around! Turn around! It's them! I saw them. Raven's driving and Lita's with him!"
"Hang on, Matt!" he said with a stone face. Jeff then slammed on the brakes, and sharply cut the wheel. The car spun around in a 180 degree angle, ending up facing the opposite direction. Once it stopped, he straightened up the wheels and accelerated again, squealing tires signaling his takeoff in a new direction. Matt and Jeff sped off after Raven, determination on both their faces.
to be continued