She could hear the thunder over the radio music, and she leaned over the wheel to glance at the sky. She hoped that she could race the clouds home. The job interview went horrid, and the last thing she wanted that evening was to ruin her new suede shoes she had purchased. At this point, she was sure she should have just stayed in bed that morning.
A gasp escaped her pouty lips as another bout of thunder almost shook the SUV. Placing both hands on the wheel, she made her decision and pressed down on the gas petal. Ten, twenty kilometers over the limit, and going faster, a mischievous grin formed on her face. She had never done this before. It actually felt good.
It took a grand total of four minutes. Blue and red lights flash in her rear-view mirror and moments later the siren overpowered the thunder. She immediately pressed down on the breaks in panic, and groaned, pulling over. All she needed to end a horrible day was a speeding ticket over suede shoes.
She glanced at her side mirror, seeing the large uniformed police officer step out of his vehicle and walk toward hers.
Oh lord,
she groaned inwardly. Why did cops have to always be so big and intimidating? The seat belt prevented her from jumping out of her seat; the cop had startled her, tapping his pen against her window.
She reached over to the door panel and pressed the button to lower her window. She offered the cop the best dazzling smile she could muster in her state of panic. The clouds were rolling in fast.
"Can I help you officer?" Her voice quaked, and she prayed to just get a warning.
"Licence and registration please," She blinked, not having expected such a husky voice from the officer. The sound almost dripped with the power he wielded at the moment. She reached into her purse for her wallet, and took out her driver's licence handing it to the officer. He took his small flashlight and glanced at the card, while she reached into the dash for her registration papers.
"Do you know how fast you were driving," the officer reached to take the other information. "Ms. Mandy Sheppard?" She groaned again, looking straight ahead, her brain trying to work out the best way to get out of this as quickly...and cheaply as possible.
"Ma'am?"
Oh god,
her mind was completely blank.
Just say something, anything!
"Ma'am, turn off the engine and step out of the vehicle." She turned and looked at the officer in shock.
"I'm sorry, what?"
The officer frowned, leaning against the window and repeated slowly, "Turn off your engine and step out of the vehicle!" She obeyed as quickly as she could. Her hands shaking as she turned the key in ignition. She dared a glance, seeing the officer's heavy impatient frown and quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door, stepping out of the car.
Mandy cursed herself for wearing a short black pencil skirt. It offered no protection from the rising wind. She figured she should have also worn a jacket over her blue satin blouse. Then again, she had made no plans on getting arrested that night.
The officer tossed her papers on the front seat and took a step toward her. He was much larger now that he was standing beside her, taller too. Mandy was forced to tilt her head back to look at his face. Her head came to his shoulder; the gold shield which was his badge reached her nose.
"Turn toward the car, place your hands on the trunk," he commanded, and she could just stand there shocked.
"Sir, please this is unnecessary. I wasn't driving
that
fast." She hopped on one foot, and then the other and whimpered.
Oh fuck, was that a rain drop?!
She glanced up at the sky again, in horror before getting startled back into the current problem. "Turn toward the Car! Hands on the trunk!" he stepped toward her again, and she actually squeaked, hurried to do as he bid. The metal under her fingers was frigid and she shook in fear and cold.
Oh god!