Crimson Highway by David Wickenhauser (i can read with my eyes shut txt) 📕

to drop early at this particular customer. He figured that since he had gotten such an early start today, he’d definitely be getting there early. It was just a straight shot up I-5 to Tracy once he had made the cutoff from Highway 99 onto Highway 46 through Wasco and on to the 5.

Where he went from there would depend on his dispatcher, so he didn’t know what would be happening after Tracy.

The delivery at Tracy was uneventful.

After sending his delivery macros, he pulled off to the side of the road just outside the customer’s gate in order to wait for the next load assignment to come over his Qualcomm. It didn’t take long in coming, but when it did it was a disappointment to Hugh.

He’d have to cool his jets somewhere for the rest of the day and night before he could pick up his load the next morning at a major pharmaceutical distribution center right there in Tracy.

Hugh hated having to waste any time not driving, since truckers know that they aren’t making money if the “wheels ain’t rollin’.”

He noted that this was going to be an interesting load, however. The load assignment instructions said that he’d be accompanied by an escort—a car with two guys in it that would tail him the whole way to the delivery in Reno.

Furthermore, Hugh was prohibited from stopping anywhere during the four-and-a-half-hour drive to Reno—not to use a restroom, not for anything. Straight there, Tracy to Reno, with his escort in tow.

Hugh knew that the escort would be there not only to prevent Hugh’s load from being hijacked, but also to keep Hugh honest. He knew that more than one driver had been tempted by a high-value load, and a whole truck load of pharmaceuticals could be tempting, indeed. It was probably worth millions. But, Hugh was not offended.

That’s fine with me, he thought, after what I’ve been through, and now that I’ve got this extremely high-value load, I’m more than happy to have some extra eyes and ears and, hopefully, muscle along in case anybody tries something.

Hugh drove the short distance to the Tracy truck plaza, and settled in for a quiet, and lonely, afternoon, evening and night.

Hugh arrived at the pharmaceutical distribution center early the next morning at the appointed time. He backed his truck into his assigned dock door, and waited while getting loaded, all the while noting the uniformed, and armed, security guards that were keeping a close watch on the loading process.

They finished loading his trailer, and Hugh went into the office to get his paperwork. Hugh listened patiently while the shipping clerk read to him from a long list of do’s and don’ts. This wasn’t Hugh’s first high-value load, so he’d heard it all before.

He then met the guys who would be his escort. They wore distinctive bright blue jackets, which they told Hugh he should be able to spot easily in his rear-view mirrors. Likewise, their car was distinctively blue. They explained to Hugh that he should be checking his rear-view mirrors, and that he should be able to see their car at all times.

They also traded cell-phone numbers, and arranged regular call check times. Their names were Manny and Joe. This was routine to them, and they assured Hugh that nothing usually happens—hijackings were actually quite rare.

They didn’t quite understand Hugh’s choking laughter at that, but they figured truck drivers were kind of crazy anyway.

Hugh did a quick pre-trip, noting the extra-heavy-duty titanium steel locks on the trailer doors that would take an oversized, specially hardened bolt cutter to break open—if even that could do it.

He cranked up the engine, waved to his escorts, and then pulled out of the DC. This run to Reno from Tracy was so routine he could do it in his sleep, and he figured on a very easy, uneventful drive.

Jenny’s uncle and his buddies would have no idea where he was. And, Hugh was pretty sure her uncle was out of the picture anyway.

Jenny, where are you? Hugh caught himself wondering.

The run up 5 to Sacramento was accomplished with nothing unusual happening, as was the transition to I-80, and the beginning of the climb up past Auburn that would eventually take them over Donner Summit and then down to Reno.

As they got close to the little mountain town of Colfax, Hugh got a call on his cell phone.

“Hey, Hugh. Manny here. Listen, I’m having a problem with my breakfast burrito. I’ve got to pull over at the rest area that’s just ahead.”

“Do you need me to pull in too?” Hugh asked.

“No, listen, you just keep rolling. I’ll just be a minute, and you’ll be hitting that upgrade that’s shortly after the rest area.”

“I know that one. It always slows me down quite a bit,” Hugh said.

“Yeah, just keep rollin’, and we’ll easily catch up to you. It’ll just be a couple of minutes. Just watch for us. OK?”

“Got it,” Hugh said, uncomfortable with the departure from proscribed procedure. Manny and Joe were breaking all kinds of rules by losing sight of their charge. But, Hugh admitted that nothing could happen in the short time that they’d be apart, and that they’d catch up to him fairly quickly.

And, if a guy’s got to go, he’s got to go. Hugh’s been there. He understood.

Manny was right. Just a very few minutes after passing the rest area and seeing in his rear views the escort car pull off the highway, Hugh spotted the distinctively blue car drive up in the hammer lane. He could see the two blue-jacketed figures through their windshield. The driver stuck his arm out his window, and waved a hello to Hugh, then tucked the car in behind Hugh’s truck.

Hugh flashed his interrupts at the men in the escort car, satisfied that they were back into