The Fugitive Blues
by
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“What happened? Are the cops behind us?”
Kevin shook his head, slapping at his face. “Nah. I just gotta stop soon, that’s all. I gotta sleep.”
James pushed himself up in the seat, noticing the sun edging downward, its rays reflecting off what looked like storm clouds up ahead. “I can probably drive for a few hours.”
“No,” Kevin said, reaching for his cup of ice to chomp. “Your arm looks like it’s swelling, and your foot’s in no condition to shift.” He glared. “We found that out the last time you tried driving. You almost stripped my gears.”
“But if I use it more, it’ll probably work itself out. And I don’t need the arm much.”
“Just to steer.” Kevin’s normally bright eyes turned slightly cold. “You forget you gotta shift with the right arm and hold the wheel with the left.”
James could hear the sarcasm loud and clear. “I know how to drive a stick, Kevin. Remember, my old Celica was a manual.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t have an infected arm and a hurt foot.” He shook his head emphatically. “No way you’re driving my car until you’re completely healed.”
“You’re never gonna let me forget about New Mexico, are you?”
“We almost got arrested by the tribal police when you veered off the interstate onto their land! Man, we don’t need the Indian cops after us! We already got problems with the California cops!”
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About the Book
Being a fugitive is hard work. Running from the law is taking its toll on James McRiley (Ridder of Vermin) and his best friend, Kevin Nichols. They’ve never been east of Las Vegas, and these native Southern Californians have no idea what’s in store for them on their journey to keep James out of prison.
James’s justified punishments, as he calls his three murders—the fourth was an accident, he swears—have caught up with him, and now he faces an uncertain future with a chance every day to be seen, to be identified, and to be caught. His constant nightmares of impending imprisonment have left this twenty-nine-year-old paranoid killer beside himself with fear.
Needing a rest, the friends stop in historic New Orleans. A whole new world opens up for the two musicians, and they discover they are definitely not in Southern California anymore. Local sentiment is foreign and cultures sometimes clash. Can James keep it together long enough to maintain the obscurity he desperately needs for escape? Or will his alter ego, The Pied Piper, rise up once again to rid the world of its incessant vermin?
About the Author
Patricia A. Gray has written seven novels and is currently at work on her eighth. A graduate of the University of Alabama, she resides in Southern California with her husband and daughter.