Hitchin a Ride by Gary Whitmore - HTML preview

Chapter 26

 

Greer drove Angie, Kathy, and Joey back to the scene where Sammy was stopped. 

Kathy looked at Joey and smiled. “You ran after me?” Kathy asked.

“Yes!” Joey said.

“To save me from Jesse?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

“You’re my geek in shining armor!” Kathy said, then leaned over and kissed his cheek. Joey blushed. 

She leaned over to his ear. “Did you steal a Harley?” she asked. He nodded that he did precisely that. She cuddled next to her hero.

Greer looked in the rearview mirror.

“Did you take that Harley from the Rattlers Biker Bar?” he asked Joey.

Joey hesitated for a second. “Yes, sir.”

“Well, I guess we’ll have to settle that issue,” he said.

Joey now felt like a real criminal. 

The police car with Jesse inside stopped at Sammy’s Insight.

The officers got out, and they opened the back doors and let Jesse out. They walked him over to where Rose, Lenny, and Sammy sat by the building.

Greer’s car stopped. 

Greer, Williams, Joey, and Kathy got out. 

Greer walked around to his trunk and opened it. He opened it and reached inside and removed the duffel bag. 

He reached inside the duffel bag and removed the camera. 

Greer walked over to an officer. 

He handed the officer the bag. “Put this in evidence. It’s stolen loot from numerous bank robberies,” he told the officers. 

The officer grabbed the duffel bag and walked it to his car. 

He put it in his trunk.

Kathy and Joey held hands while Greer and Angie walked over to Rose, Sammy, and Lenny. 

Rose looked pissed at Jesse, and Kathy noticed.

“Jesse sure loved feeling me up. Some father he’ll make,” she told Rose to add fuel to her anger.

Rose had fire in her eyes as she stared at Jesse. 

She jumped up and rushed over to Joey. 

Greer stopped her. 

He showed her the digital camera and the pictures of her in Sidney’s car before the Chicago bank robbery. 

He showed her a picture of her in Wally’s car before the Columbus bank robbery. 

He showed her a picture of her in Joey’s car before the Orlando robbery. 

He showed her a picture of her in Ricky’s car before the Little Rock bank robbery. 

He showed her the picture of her in Lenny’s car with Joey. 

Then he showed her the recent picture of her with Lenny, Sammy, and Joey in Sammy’s car.

Rose looked at Jesse and was furious. She dashed after Jesse, who was still in too much pain to run. “You were going to frame me for those robberies, she yelled while she kicked Jesse hard in his crotch.

“Not again!” Jesse cried out while he dropped to his knees in extreme pain. He was on the verge of passing out.

Nearby officers had sympathy pain on their faces as they’ve been in Jesse position before.

Rose walked up to Greer. “Tony and his brother, Frankie, were the masterminds behind this whole scheme. The bastard used me! All those guys didn’t know they were robbing a bank. And Jesse has pot in his car. I’ll testify against him,” she confessed.

Jesse got in the fetal position in the street and cried out in pain.

“The idiot thinks he’s lived a past life as Jesse James,” she told everybody.

All the officers chuckled.

Jesse continued to cry out in pain.

Another police drove up and stopped. 

Two police officers got out, and one of them opened up the back door. 

They got Frankie out of the backseat. He was handcuffed, and they walked him over to Greer.

One of the officers smiled, and he was itching to tell a funny story.

“You found him,” Greer said.

“Yeah. This one was easy,” the officer said as he smiled.

Greer looked curious. “Okay, tell me,” he said.

“Well, apparently he ran down a sidewalk and slammed into this extra-large woman. They both tumbled to the ground. His pistol fell out of his pants, and this woman knew this kid was up to no good.  She got up, moved his pistol out of reach, and proceeded to sit on his chest. Then she yelled for the police,” the officer said.

All the officers laughed.

Frankie was embarrassed.

“Put him over with the rest,” Greer told the officers.

They walked Frankie over to Rose, Lenny, and Sammy.

Greer walked over and pulled Jesse up to his feet. He walked them over to the others.

“Book these three for bank robbery and kidnapping charges,” Greer said while he pointed at Jesse, Rose, and Frankie. 

“I want you four to come down to the station and fill out some statements,” Greer told Joey, Kathy, Lenny, and Sammy. They all nodded in agreement.

Three officers escorted Jesse, Frankie, and Rose to some police cars. 

They put them in three separate cars. 

The officers got inside them and drove off.

“Can I get a ride to my hotel then the airport?” Angie asked Greer.

“My pleasure,” Greer responded.

“Take these four to the station, and I’ll be there later,” Greer told the officers.

Two police officers escorted Joey, Kathy, Lenny, and Sammy to two other police cars.  

Kathy and Joey got in the back of one car while Lenny and Sammy got in the back of another one.

The two police cars drove away.

It was ten that night in Phoenix.

Joey, Kathy, Lenny, and Sammy spent all night at Greer’s station and gave him exact details of what happened. Greer was happy and wanted them all back for the trial. They promised they would assist.

They all went to Sammy’s house for the night. They were exhausted from their ordeal and spent a quiet night sleep.

Angie arrived at the Orlando International airport. Wayne and Lela met her at the baggage claim area. Lela hugged Angie tight as she missed her mommy so very much and her eyes welled up while she hugged her.

Back in a Phoenix…

At a police department holding cell, Jesse sat depressed, with an ice pack on his crotch.

Two huge brutes sat at the other side of the cell. 

They glanced at Jesse with interest. 

One brute whispered in the other brute’s ear. They smiled at each other.

They walked over and sat with Jesse in the middle. 

One brute eyed Jesse’s tattoo. 

They both ran their hands along Jesse’s thighs, which intimidated Jesse.

“My name is Butch Cassidy,” one brute said with a horny grin.

“And I’m the Sundance Kid,” the other brute said.

Jesse’s screamed, and he was heard throughout the holding area while the two brutes made their sexual moves on Jesse.

Joey flew back to Orlando and met with Angie. He gave his statement, and he didn’t go to jail.

Kathy flew back to Columbus to get Wally out of jail.

During the next week, Angie kept her word and took Lela to the Magic Kingdom for three days. They had a blast!

A month later, all the bank robbery trials started for the guys.

Sidney’s trial was postponed when it was learned that new evidence surfaced with the evidence being Jesse, Frankie, and Rose. 

During his trial, Rose confessed that this was Jesse’s plan and Sidney did not know he was robbing the bank. Joey, Kathy, Ricky, Lenny, and Sammy testified about their ordeal. 

Sidney was found not guilty and set free.

Wally’s trial was next. Rose testified on Wally’s behalf, and Sidney, Joey, Kathy, Ricky, Lenny, and Sammy all testified about their ordeal. 

Wally was found not guilty and set free.

The next was Joey’s trail. Rose again testified against Jesse. His buddies and Kathy also testified about their ordeal. 

Joey was found not guilty and set free.

The trial for Ricky ended with him being found not guilty, and he was out of jail. 

The trial for Lenny concluded he was not guilty.

Sammy’s trial ended up the same as his buddies – not guilty. And this time, he didn’t pee his pants. 

Then it came time for Jesse and Frankie’s trial.

A judge sat behind his bench. The trial lasted a week, and Rose again spilled her guts about everything. 

Joey, Lenny, Sammy, and Kathy also testified how they were kidnapped and forced to rob the bank. 

Angie flew in and she even testified on behalf of Joey, Kathy, Lenny, and Sammy. Evidence of what happened to Sidney, Wally, and Ricky was also presented to the judge.

Jesse and Frankie sat in suits with their Public Defender and were pissed, and Jesse wanted to kill Rose. 

The judge looked at the jury, where the Head Juror stood up. 

The head juror handed the court deputy a piece of paper. 

The court deputy walked over and handed the note to the judge. He opened up the paper and read it.

At the defense table, Jesse and Frankie stood up with their Public Defender to hear their fate.

Behind the Prosecutor’s table, Rose, now nine months pregnant, Greer, Angie, and Joey, still bald and sporting a goatee, Wally, Kathy, Sidney, Ricky, Lenny, and Sammy sat and had their fingers crossed that Jesse and Frankie would be found guilty.

The judge nodded at the head juror, who stood up.

“We the jury, find Tony Rodman and Frankie Rodman, guilty on one count of robbery and battery and four counts of kidnapping,” the head juror said.

Jesse and Frankie looked pissed over at Rose and the guys.

An hour later outside the courthouse, Greer, Angie, Joey, Wally, Kathy, Sidney, Ricky, Lenny, and Sammy stood on the courthouse steps.

“We can’t thank you enough for going to bat for us during all the trials,” Joey told Angie and Greer.

Angie and Greer smiled. 

Rose walked down the steps behind them. She walked up to everybody and looked ashamed.

“Ah, I would like to apologize for all the trouble I’ve caused you guys and you Kathy. I’m just glad you didn’t go to jail,” she said while her eyes welled up and showed she was sincere.

“We, well at least I forgive you,” Joey told her.

Kathy and all the other guys nodded in agreement with Joey.

“What are your plans?” Kathy asked Rose.

“I’m moving back home to Chicago to be with my mother. She’ll help me with the birth of my baby. Then I’ll get an honest job,” Rose said.

Angie rubbed Rose’s arm to show her support.

“You’ve been given a second chance. Don’t screw this up,” Angie told her.

“I won’t. I’ve learned my lesson this time,” she said, then walked away.

Angie looked at the guys with a serious glare. “And guys, think with the head between your shoulders the next time a girl comes your way,” she told them.

All the guys look ashamed of themselves.

“Well, have a good life and stay out of trouble,” she told them.

“Not a problem. We don’t want that kind of adventure again,” Sammy added.

“And Austin, you’re lucky those Rattlers didn’t want to get the police involved with you stealing their Harley. You better fulfill your commitment on making it up to them,” Greer said.

“I will sir,” Joey replied.

They all shook hands. 

Angie and Greer walked away.

Joey, Kathy, held hands, as they walk away with Wally, Sidney, Ricky, Lenny, and Sammy.

It was two weeks later in Phoenix… 

Inside the Rattler Bar, the eight Rattlers gang members drank beer in the bar and some shot pool.

The Bartender walked up to Craig and handed him a letter. He looked surprised and opened it. 

He read the letter then looked inside the envelope. 

He removed a cashier’s check for twenty thousand dollars. 

“Sorry I had to steal your Harley then wreak it. I had to save a friends life. This should buy you a new Harley,” Joey wrote in the letter. 

“Yahooooo!” Craig yelled out, stood up, and danced around the bar while he waved his check.

Six months later and it was morning in Columbus, Georgia.

It was dark inside Joey’s new apartment, and the sunrise peeked through the window blinds. 

An alarm clock blared.

In bed, Joey rolled over and kissed Kathy on her cheek.

“Good morning, sweetheart, Joey said to her.

 Kathy woke up groggy and smiled at Joey.

“Good morning baby,” she said and smiled at him.

Joey got out of bed, and he was buffed up, as he’s been working out at the gym with Kathy for the past six months ever since he moved up to Columbus.

Joey walked into the bathroom. 

Kathy stayed in bed to catch some extra sleep.

Later that morning, Joey, in jeans and tee-shirt, walked down the parking lot and over to two parked Harley’s.

A woman, about twenty-five years old, walked thru the lot. 

She saw Joey and liked what she saw. She’s seen him around the place and wanted to meet him. 

She walked over with a flirtatious smile. “My car won’t start, can I hitch a ride with you to work with a pit stop along the way?” she asked and turned up the heat with her smile.

Kathy walked up to Joey, greeted the woman.

“Sorry, she’s the only one I will give a ride,” Joey said and gave Kathy a kiss on he cheek.

The woman hid her disappointment with a smile and walked away. 

Kathy gave Joey a quick kiss on his cheek. 

Joey got one of the Harleys with Kathy in the back. He started it up.

They drove off through the parking lot.