The Book Club Rescue

Chapter Four

4

Josie followed the Jaguar out of the restaurant parking lot and through a maze of side streets.

Her backseat drivers, June and Mary Jane, weren't shy about giving her advice. Passenger seat backseat driver, Harriet, was throwing her two cents in as well. She'd read eight Jamie Austen spy novels and felt like she knew a thing or two about surveillance.

She felt like a real spy.

"Did I tell you my CIA joke?" Mary Jane said.

"No."

"That's because it's classified."

The ladies laughed dutifully.

"Do you know what kind of shoes a CIA operative wears?" Mary Jane asked.

"No."

"Sneakers."

"Why are you telling jokes at a time like this?"

"To relieve the tension."

It wasn't working. Harriet was strung as tight as the insides of a golf ball. Josie was gripping the steering wheel so hard, her knuckles were white. June and Mary Jane were sitting forward in the backseat without their seat belts on.

It had to be uncomfortable, but they didn't seem to notice.

The women kept up the advice. Clearly annoying Josie.

"Don't miss the light, Josie," June said. "If the light turns red and you aren't through it, then we'll lose him."

"Jamie says to always keep at least one car between you and the suspect," Harriet said.

Josie was exasperated. "How am I supposed to do that? There aren't any cars around."

"Oh."

That was true. The man in the Jaguar was staying on the back roads. Probably trying to avoid the bumper-to-bumper traffic on the main roads that were common during Branson's busy tourist season.

"Change lanes now," June screamed, her voice full of urgency. "Remember what Jamie taught us. If you are following someone, move over to a different lane."

"That's right. I remember that," Mary Jane said. "Jamie said that when people look in their rearview mirrors, they only look at the lane behind them."

Josie veered slowly into the next lane. Still maintaining a safe distance behind the Jaguar.

She let out a shriek when the light ahead turned yellow. Then red. Thankfully, the Jaguar stopped. Had he run the yellow light, they would've lost him.

Now they had a different problem. A jolt of panic went through Harriet. They were coming up on the intersection.

Josie was feeling it as well. She slowed down. Almost to a stop.

"What do I do? Do I go behind the Jaguar or next to him?"

"Change lanes again," urged Mary Jane. "Pull in behind him."

Josie started to change lanes, but a car honked at them. She swerved back into her own lane. Barely averting an accident.

She had no choice but to pull in beside the Jaguar. Harriet looked down and away. Since she was in the passenger seat and the Jaguar was to the right of her, they were within ten feet of each other. The man would probably recognize her from the restaurant.