Red Tape Chapter 15 It was Columbus Day and I was thrilled to have a four-day work week. I was due to meet Bonnie for lunch. I lived a little closer to Jackson than Bonnie did, but since I had to drop off Mandy, I told Bonnie I would pick her up. Bonnie’s house was powder blue today. “You had your siding painted again?” I asked her. “I get bored and now that I’m no longer employed, I have too much free time on my hands.” “Your husband must want to kill you.” “Just a little. I told him I did it for him since he hated the pink. He keeps telling me to find another job.” “I’ll drive today since you drove last time.” “Works for me! That means I can have a couple of drinks.” We hopped into my car and I turned out of her driveway toward the causeway. Driving in my Honda Accord was quite a large step down from Bonnie’s fancy Mercedes. Bonnie turned and looked behind her. “That’s strange,” she said. “What’s strange?” I asked. “That black sedan behind us. It had been sitting across the street from my house for the past hour and now it’s following us. All the windows are tinted.” “You’re starting to be paranoid like me,” I told her. “It’s not surprising they are following us; this is basically the only route off the island.” “I suppose.” We continued driving off the island and through Madisen Township. I opted to take the back roads to Jackson to avoid traffic. “Speaking of being paranoid, I have a story to tell you about the elevator at work…” I started to say when I was interrupted by the sound of a car revving its engine and speeding up behind us. I glanced into my rearview mirror and could no longer see the bumper of the black sedan. Then smack! We were jolted forward upon the impact. The black car hit us. I slammed on the brakes and the sedan swerved to my left into the lane of oncoming traffic. “What the hell?” Bonnie screamed as we felt a second impact in the side rear panel of the driver’s side. My car was pushed over into the right shoulder. I held tight to the steering wheel, trying to force it left. It was all I could do to keep the car on the road. The black car slammed on its brakes and shot behind us when a tractor-trailer was approaching it head-on. It then revved its engine again, coming for us from behind.