By Germaine Han
Ingrid drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. Her eyes followed the steady to-and-fro of the windshield wipers as they cleared rain from the glass. This would be her final customer before she went home for the night. One more customer, and then she could heat up a frozen pizza and pretend she wasn’t a has-been who peaked in high school.
She didn’t usually work this late, but the Starsight Hotel was busy tonight. Some kind of gala dinner. She hoped at least one of the guests would call for a ride home. Someone attending an event like this might offer a generous tip.
A notification appeared on her phone. Someone named Katie White had requested a ride from the hotel. Ingrid accepted and drove to the pickup area.
A woman sprinted toward Ingrid’s car, one hand clutching her long skirts.
Ingrid rolled down the window. “Katie, right?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
She didn’t note anything too remarkable about the woman peering through the window, backlit by the bright hotel behind her. She looked perhaps a few years younger than Ingrid, with brown hair done in a simple updo.
Then, she moved, and the rain stopped obscuring her eyes through her glasses. Katie’s irises were two different colors. At least she’s got something special about her.
Ingrid unlocked the door, and Katie got into the back seat of the car.
Ingrid set her GPS to Katie’s destination. It looked to be a laundromat. Huh? She snuck a glance at Katie through the rearview mirror. Ah.
A large crimson stain marred the front of Katie’s dress. It was too dark for Ingrid to tell what caused it.
“Hey,” Ingrid began as they reached a red light. She had always thought of herself as a girl’s girl, but more than that, it was always concerning when a customer seemed like they were injured. She kept her tone casual as she spoke. “Did something happen? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but I couldn’t help but notice your dress. Are you hurt?”
“Oh, no.” As she peeled off her fancy satin gloves, Katie met Ingrid’s eyes through the mirror. “Thank you for asking, but… no.” She paused, wringing her fingers. “This is just wine. An accident, you know? The dress actually belongs to my sister, so I’m a little anxious about getting it back to her.”
Just an accident, huh? Grateful that it was nothing more than that, Ingrid let the subject drop. Katie was safe, and that was what mattered.
“Could you make it quick, please?” Katie asked. “I’d really like to get this cleaned before the stain sets in.”
The light flashed green.
“Sure thing.” Ingrid turned the corner, just as the GPS had directed her to. A sleek black car followed annoyingly closely behind. At first, Ingrid didn’t think much of it, but after she turned two more corners, and the car still tailed them, nervousness hummed in her body like bees. She clutched the steering wheel as she reminded herself to keep her eyes on the road ahead.
Katie twisted to check behind them. “I’m really sorry to trouble you,” she said, facing Ingrid, “but… I think we’re being followed.”
Ingrid’s stomach sank at the confirmation of her fears. She tried to ignore the feeling. What mattered now was getting to a safe location. “What do you want me to do?”
“Could you drop me off at the back entrance of the laundromat?”
“Are you going to be okay after that?”
Katie nodded. “Yes, I’m meeting someone there.”
“Why is someone following you?” Ingrid glanced at the mirror again.
Katie paused. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”
It was a clear shutdown. After debating between prying further and driving faster, Ingrid chose to focus on her driving. The laundromat was a public area, probably with cameras. And if Katie wasn’t going to be alone, maybe it would be all right. “Got it.”
With the road ahead clear of traffic, Ingrid accelerated, reminding herself of her glory days as a teenager, cackling as she raced dented secondhand cars around a dusty track. Finally, that experience was coming in handy.
Ingrid pressed her lips tightly together as they neared the laundromat. She couldn’t glimpse the black car from any of her mirrors, but that didn’t mean she was in the clear. Pulse racing, she drove to the back entrance.
The moment the car halted, Katie clicked off her seatbelt. She hopped out of the car as if her seat were on fire. “Thank you so much! I’m sorry for the trouble!”
“It’s no problem,” Ingrid responded, her heart still thudding against her ribs. She waited until Katie entered the laundromat before driving away.
There was no sign of the black car all the way home. Maybe it really had been following Katie, after all. Ingrid hoped she was okay.
Back in her apartment, her keys by the door and the pizza in the oven, Ingrid collapsed onto her couch and turned on the TV.
The current channel was alive with breaking news. “Kytt Windthorn has just broken into the Starsight Hotel. The Starlight diamond necklace, proudly displayed at the hotel ever since it was donated fifty years ago, was stolen. We’re live at the scene with Detective Leafskye, who claims to have been in pursuit—”
Too tired to think about crime right now, Ingrid changed the channel. At least Katie wasn’t involved in that mess, she thought. The poor girl seemed like she was having a rough night.
Ingrid’s phone lit up with a notification from her rideshare app, tugging her attention away from the TV. Katie had rated her five stars.
Then Ingrid saw the notification below it, and her eyes widened at the sum searing itself into her retinas.
The guests at the gala really did tip well.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Very engaging, and I like the way that you had the Kytt character intersecting with the protagonist. Great job!
Fun story, Germaine!
I always enjoy a story where the reader knows more than the main character. And in this case, always will.
Love this! It’s great to see Kytt as a “real” thief – but such a likeable one. And Ingrid is a great character.
The tip was: “Elevate your frozen pizzas by brushing the crust with butter and then sprinkling with seasonings, salt, and cheese before baking.” Great stuff, Kytt!