Page 53 of Jump on Three

Sal stated the obvious. “Looks like we’re going into the city, kid.”

“I agree. Is that all right?”

“Sure. Doesn’t bother me none, as long as you’re payin’.”

“I’m paying, don’t worry.”

Sal seemed utterly relaxed, singing along to low bachata music and tapping her thumbs on her steering wheel. I was anything but. My teeth worried my bottom lip to death as I craned my neck, struggling to spot Ivan’s car ahead of us.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got them in my sights,” Sal reassured me. “They’re not getting away from me tonight.”

Eventually, we exited the freeway to navigate the busy streets of downtown. LA, being wholly unfamiliar to me, I had no idea where we were. Glittering lights had my forehead pressed to the window, taking in this new city still buzzing late at night.

“Shit,” Sal uttered as she stopped at a red light. “That’s just great.”

“What?” I lifted my head from the window, alert. “What happened? Where are they?”

She huffed. “They got through the light. Unless a miracle happens, I think we lost ’em, kiddo.”

“No.” All the air shot out of me. “Really?”

“Afraid so. This light doesn’t look like it wants to turn green anytime soon. We’ll drive around, see if we can catch up, but I’m thinking it’s doubtful.”

Sal drove around the streets of LA for a while, but eventually, we had to admit defeat. She took me back to my dorm with the promise to pick me up the next night to try again.

Sal showed up wearing a tweed plaid deerstalker hat and the determination to succeed.

Sherlock Sal.

Sally Forth Holmes.

So far, our drive had been a repeat of the night before, except Sal was singing along to Celine Deon. She did this quietly, almost under her breath, so it didn’t bother me as much as it could have.

My ears were muffled by my pounding heart anyway.

We were in the heart of the city, and so far, we hadn’t lost them. There were only two cars between us, but it was dark, and with Sal driving in her detective hat, I doubted anyone would notice me in the back seat. That would distract anyone.

Traffic grew thicker on the streets and the sidewalks. Couples and groups strolled together. Crowds stood in lines outside neon-lit buildings. Bars? Clubs? We drove by too quickly for me to determine what they were with any certainty.

Then we slowed way down. My stomach was a bag of worms, winding and winding, until I felt nauseous.

“All right. Here we go, here we go! It looks like they’re stopping here. I’ll pull over down the block if I can.”

We rolled by the black car, which had stopped at the curb in front of a black building. There was a symbol I’d never seen over the door and velvet ropes containing a long line of people dressed in very nice clothing, presumably waiting to go inside.

Sal came to a stop three car lengths beyond Ivan’s. I’d seen him climb out, walk straight to the door, and speak to a very big man for a moment before heading inside.

“What do you want to do, kid?” Sal asked.

“I…I guess I’ll get out?”

She swiveled around to face me. “Is that a question, or is that what you want to do?”

“I came all this way…” This was not me. I would never have been accused of being adventurous. Definitely not brave.

But I couldn’t get this question out of my head, and I needed to be able to rid myself of thoughts of Ivan. I did not like having him on my mind all the time, especially when he had shaken me off as easily as he had.

This was me shaking him off. My curiosity would be sated, and I could move on like none of this had happened.