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“Tell him I can be there in two hours. Just name a place,” Kathryn said.
Drew sent the info and Willie replied, asking them to meet at another truck stop just outside of Florence. Drew thought it was also a good idea to let Willie know he was meeting up with a woman.
“Lady’s name is Kathryn,” Drew explained.
“Lady?” They could hear the shock in Willie’s voice. Even to this day there weren’t a whole lot of female truckers. Maybe seven percent of the entire business.
“Yep. A good one.” Drew smiled at Kathryn and then ended the call with Willie.
“I can’t thank you guys enough,” Kathryn said. “Just think—you probably saved a bunch of kids a lot of injury.” She reached into her shirt pocket and pulled out two more hundred-dollar bills and handed one to each of them. “Take your ladies out for a nice dinner when you get home.”
The men looked shocked. “Aw, Kathryn. You don’t need to do this,” Benny protested.
“Put it in your pockets before I change my mind.”
She gave them a quick salute and hopped back into her rig. She gave two toots as she pulled out of the lot and pulled on to the ramp for I-280, following it to I-90.
Chapter Twelve
Friday
Ohio
Somewhere around two thirty A.M., Kathryn spied the lights of the Buckeye Truck Stop and Diner. She wondered how many other similar spots in Ohio shared the same name. Kathryn spotted a guy who fit Willie’s description: skinny with a scruffy beard, wearing a Grateful Dead T-shirt, tattoos on both arms, and a Super Mario cap. Interesting wardrobe choice, Kathryn thought. He was leaning against the passenger door smoking a cigarette. She walked in his direction. “Willie Walnuts?” she asked with a smile.
“You found ’im.” He tipped his finger to the brim of his cap.
Kathryn held out her hand. “Kathryn Lucas. Nice to meet you. I really appreciate your helping out.”
“Yeah. About that. I’d like to know more about this little scheme you have goin’ on.”
“Oh, it’s not a scheme. But I don’t blame you for being skeptical. Shall we go inside and have something to eat? Some coffee?”
“I could use somethin’.” Willie pushed off from the truck and started walking toward the diner.
“I was wondering, how many Buckeye truck stops do you suppose there are in Ohio?”
Willie snorted. “Never thought about it. Maybe a dozen.” He opened the door for Kathryn. “After you.”
Once again, Kathryn surveyed the room, looking for some privacy. A young woman wearing a pink uniform appeared. Kathryn tried not to stare at her over-plumped lips. Talk about a bee sting. Kathryn had nothing against women doing whatever they wanted to look good, but some women took it way too far. She thought about something Annie had once said: “When it looks like you’ve had something done, then you’ve done too much.”
Kathryn was still digesting the bacon from earlier, so once they were ensconced in a booth, she only ordered a cup of coffee. Willie ordered the “Three-fer Trucker Special,” which consisted of a three-egg omelet stuffed with cheese, peppers, and onions, three pancakes and three sausage links. A side of grits and toast came with it.
While they waited for their order, Willie checked out the other customers in the diner. Two guys, who looked like they’d been on a bender and were taking some time to sober up, sat a few yards away. Even if they did hear anything, it probably wouldn’t register. He leaned across the table. “Okay, Miss Kathryn. What’s the deal?”
Kathryn conveyed the same story to Willie that she had to Benny and Drew. As he listened, Willie had an expression that made him appear be in a far-off land. Then he snapped back. “So, if I’m hearin’ you correctly, there is a scam to use junk for building materials?”
“Basically, yes.” Kathryn waited until he had a mouthful of food before she told him what he would be delivering instead.
He almost choked. “Cabbage?”
Kathryn’s eyes went wide. “Shh.”
He lowered his voice. “For real?”
“It’s technically called bok choy, but yes.”
Instead of putting up a fuss, Willie tried to stifle a laugh. “That’s one way to get your greens!” He was truly amused at his own joke.
