Chapter Twenty-Seven: Wish On the Sky

That same night, weary from hours of driving, Jo and Blair pulled up in front of a twenty-four hour gas station.

A young gas station attendant approached the two women immediately as they both got out of the car.

"Fill 'er up," Jo said to the attendant, who nodded and grabbed a gas nozzle.

Jo then craned her head, looking for a payphone.

"Ah, aha. There's one right there," she said to Blair, pointing to one at the corner of the small gas station.

Blair only grimaced. She then sighed dramatically. "Let's just get this over with," she replied, pouting.

Jo had wanted Blair to call Casey and Blair was already dreading having to hear his voice again. But she knew she had to do it.

"I'm not kiddin', Blair," Jo replied sternly. "If you even think he knows, even if you're not sure, just hang up."

Blair inwardly sighed again as Jo handed her some change. She then inserted the money into the phone and began dialing her home number.

Casey was in the middle of watching a late-night talk show with McNeal, Rollins and a few other police officers when the phone suddenly rang, waking everybody out of their slumber.

When the phone rang a third time, everyone sprang into action. Casey watched as the men all slipped on headsets and turned on tape recorders, ready to record and trace anything of any importance.

McNeal then motioned to Casey to pick up the phone.

Casey grabbed it, putting the receiver to his mouth.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Hey, Casey, it's me," Blair answered.

"Blair! Hello!" Casey exclaimed in a friendly tone.

Too friendly, Blair thought suspiciously.

She immediately hung up the phone.

"He knows," she told Jo in a flat, matter-of-fact voice, rolling her eyes.

Jo only groaned. Well, here goes nothin', she thought.

"You got any change?" She asked Blair. Blair fished around in her purse and handed Jo a bunch of quarters.

She then stepped out of the way and stood next to Jo as Jo grabbed the phone to dial Blair's house again.

"What? What'd I do?" Casey asked as everyone glared at him. "All I said was 'hello'."

Before anyone could verbally attack Casey, the phone rang again. This time, Casey didn't wait to be told to answer. He picked it up and spoke, watching as the police turned on their equipment again.

"Hello?" Casey asked again when he picked up a second time.

"Casey, this is Jo. Are the police there?" Jo asked, cutting directly to the chase.

Casey's face flushed as he quickly tried to come up with a lie. "Uh, uh, no. No police here!" He lied, fumbling with the phone. "Why would the police be here? Where are you girls at anyway?"

He then removed his mouth from the receiver, giving the officers a wink and a thumbs-up. McNeal and Rollins only rolled their eyes at him.

"Look, lemme talk to whoever's in charge there, OK?" Jo demanded, rolling her eyes. This buffoon is a horrible liar, she thought, tapping her fingers against the side of the payphone impatiently.

"What are you talking about, Jo?" Casey asked, lying again.

Rollins, who had heard Jo's voice from his headset, snatched the phone from Casey's hands. He looked to McNeal, who nodded. "Take it," he mouthed.

Rollins placed the phone to his lips. "Hello, Mrs. Bonner. I'm Ted Rollins, Chief Investigator, Homicide, New York State Police. How are you?" he greeted Jo.

Jo chuckled. So polite, she thought as she heard Rollins' voice for the first time.

"I've been better," she remarked.

"You girls are in some extremely hot water," he said to her.

"Yes, sir," Jo said to him. "I know."

"You're both OK? Neither of you is hurt, are you? You're being careful with that gun?"

Jo couldn't believe this was a cop she was talking to on the phone. He didn't sound like any cop she'd ever heard. He seemed more fatherly to her than anything. This is a cop that'll throw us in jail if we get caught! Snap out of it!

"We're both fine," she said.

"Good. Now, you wanna tell me what happened?"

"Eh...maybe over coffee one day," Jo wisecracked. "I'll pay."

Rollins couldn't help but smile. There was something about Jo that made him smile. Listening to her, she didn't sound like a fugitive/killer. He just couldn't put his finger on it. However, he had to remind himself that Jo was a fugitive and a possible killer and he couldn't get attached.

"I just want you to know that neither one of you are charged with murder yet. You're both still wanted for questioning. Although, sad to say, Ms. Warner's wanted in Oklahoma for armed robbery."

Tell me somethin' I don't know, Jo thought, rolling her eyes. "No kiddin'," she remarked. "Look, we gotta go. I'll call ya back, all right?"

She then looked at her watch. At least we know Casey knows.

Before Jo could hang up the phone, Rollins began speaking again. "Please let us help you, Mrs. Bonner," he offered. "I don't think you two are gonna make it in Mexico."

Jo's mouth opened in a shocked gasp. How the fuck did he know we were goin' to Mexico? The only person other than me who knew was…

She cast a glowering look at Blair, who had tried to dart away from Jo towards the car once she caught Jo's angry glance.

"Blair! Is there somethin' you want to tell me?" Jo asked angrily, stomping her way to the car. "How'd that cop know we were goin' to Mexico, huh?"

Blair opened the passenger side of the car and got in. She then bowed her head ashamedly but didn't answer.

Jo narrowed her eyes, gasping as she finally put two and two together.

"Wait a minute...you told that motherfuckin', thievin' pretty boy where we were goin', didn't ya?!" Jo demanded, her face red.

Blair brought her head up. "I only told him if he ever got to Mexico, to look us up," she admitted sheepishly. "I didn't think he would tell!"

Jo then yanked open her car door, got in and slammed the door. "Why wouldn't he tell?" She asked bitterly. "What's he got to lose? Other than my goddamn life's savings, that is! Fuck!"

Jo started the ignition and drove off down the road, gritting her teeth angrily.

Blair brought her head up from her lap. OK, I've really fucked up big time, Blair thought as she caught a glimpse of Jo's scowling face. How can I make this right? Apologizing might be a start.

"Jo, I'm sorry," Blair began, gulping nervously. "I mean_"

Blair's words were interrupted as Jo immediately slammed on the brakes.

"Goddammit, Blair!" Jo yelled out. She then whipped her head to face her. "Lemme explain somethin' to ya! Right now, we have only two things goin' for us! One, nobody knows where we are and two, nobody knows where we're goin! Now, one of those things that was goin' for us is gone!"

How did we get here? Jo thought to herself. This is crazy. Last week, I was a working housewife and now I'm a fugitive, in love with my best friend, running away with her!

Jo then took a deep breath as she looked at Blair's pitiful, regretful face.

Jo reached out a hand and patted Blair's shoulder comfortingly. "Look," she said, sighing. "You just gotta stop talkin' to people, Blair! Stop bein' so damn open! Like it or not, we're fugitives now - we gotta start behavin' that way!"

Blair turned to look at Jo. She nodded her head resolutely. "You're right," she agreed. She then gave Jo an adorably sheepish smile that only made Jo smile back. Jo found it hard to stay mad at Blair for too long.

"So where are we?" Blair asked softly as they drove down the dark highway desert.

"The map said just past Boise City," Jo informed her.

Blair's face crinkled up in confusion. "Idaho?" She asked.

Jo shook her head. "No, Blair. I meant Boise City, Oklahoma. We'll be heading towards New Mexico soon."

"Ohhhhhh. Well, I've always wanted to see New Mexico," Blair replied.

"You've never been? With all the money you have?" Jo asked curiously.

Blair shook her head. "Nah. New Mexico isn't exactly a place you'd expect to find many society people. My mother wouldn't be caught dead out in a desert like this. But when I was a kid, I used to really like reading all types of books about the Apache and Pueblo tribes living in places like New Mexico and Arizona."

Blair then stopped talking, pointing her head up to gaze at the pitch-black sky. It's so beautiful, she thought. So breathtaking...so...romantic.

She frowned sadly. I don't see any stars. I can't wish on anything.

She then pouted. But can't I just wish on the sky then? Maybe I will. It's worth a shot.

"I wish Jo would kiss me," she muttered softly to herself. She then continued gazing at the night sky.

Meanwhile, as Jo drove, she glanced at Blair in shock. She then gulped nervously. She had heard Blair's wish.