The Passenger by Jacqueline Druga (the giving tree read aloud TXT) 📗

if he’ll pay a visit to our John Doe, maybe he’ll talk to the pastor.”

“Will do, Chief.”

Russ thanked him again and headed out.

◆◆◆

Russ could see the flashing lights of the state police long before he arrived at the accident site.

The flatbed tow truck was the first vehicle he had seen, then the fire truck. The firefighters were rolling the hoses, while a state police officer directed what little traffic there was around the accident. There was an ambulance there, the lights weren’t on. And Russ could still see the lingering smoke as it floated through the rays of the spotlights.

He saw State Trooper Donnie Jenner, the doctor’s son, standing outside his squad car.

“Hey, Donnie,” Russ extended his hand to him. “Glad to see you up here.”

“Chief.” Donnie shook his hand. “You didn’t need to come out. I could have brought you the report.”

“I was getting up anyway. How did it happen? Any ideas? Old Joe mentioned a deer.”

Donnie nodded. “That’s what we’re going with, coming around Broke Man’s curve, deer was there, he didn’t react fast enough. It was a pretty violent crash, Chief. I can’t believe he walked away from it.”

“Yeah. You aren’t kidding. Any ... uh, identification on the vehicle.”

“Frame is still hot,” Donnie replied. “We didn’t see anything in the glove box. Plate was burned beyond recognition.”

“How about the vin?”

“We are going to try to salvage it. We’re hopeful.”

Russ nodded. “The kid said there was someone in the car with him.”

“That’s what we heard. We’ve been searching.”

“Could he have been thrown?” Russ asked. “Back at the curve and he’s not been spotted? You’re too young to remember, but in seventy-six, three weeks after that accident they found the body of the other passenger.”

“True, but …” Donnie said, “In 1976 no one survived to say there were two people in that car. We know. We’re looking. Once it’s light, we’ll be able to see what we can find.”

“Good boy.” Russ gave a swat to Donnie’s arm. “I knew you guys would be …” his words slowed down when he finally saw her standing on the side of the road. “Excuse me for a second.”

Shaking his head in a bit of disbelief, Russ walked over to Marjorie Baker.

She stood on the berm looking down the embankment. Her arms were folded tight to her body, as if she fought off a chill.

Everyone, including Russ, really liked Marge. She was just a good woman with a big heart. Marge was younger than Old Joe by a good ten years. But Russ always said she was one of the wisest, kindest people he had met. Just looking at her was a welcoming sight. A fuller built woman with auburn-brown hair styled in a way she hadn’t changed in decades. Her smile was genuine and gentle. She was the person everyone wanted around when things went bad. Always the one to give them ‘mama style’ hugs that took it all away.

It was no surprise she was there.

Marge was so focused staring out she didn’t see Russ approach.

“Morning, Marge.”

“Oh.” She jumped a little, her hand shooting to her chest. “You scared me.”

“What are you doing out here at four in the morning?”

Her eyes went forward again. “Praying. You know. Making sure our workers are safe and …” she sighed heavily. “Praying for the other person in the car. That they find him.”

“You know your husband is convinced it was Jesus in the car.”

“Oh, no doubt Jesus was in that car in one capacity or another. Look at it. Look at that car, Russ. It’s destroyed. No one should have walked away from that, and I fear if there was another physical human being in the car, he wasn’t as fortunate as that young man.” She glanced at Russ. “I keep thinking about the infamous crash of seventy-six.”

“Me, too. Marge … was it you who called it in?” Russ asked.

“Yes. I called. Joe took him into the hospital. It was closer and faster than calling for an ambulance. Plus, we knew, or at least it looked like he didn’t have any life threatening injuries.”

“I know this is a tough one to ask you,” Russ said. “Do you think he was on something? Joe said he looked like he had no fear of getting hit by your car.”

“On something I don’t know. All I saw was someone so lost.”

“And he was conscious when he got in the car?”

Marge nodded. “When we put him in, yes. He kept saying someone was with him. Someone was in his car.”

“Anything else?”

“He said ‘Thank you.’”

“Huh. He wasn’t angry? Out of control?”

Marge bit down on her bottom lip as she shook her head. “Why?”

“Well, he’s being pretty brazen now, combative. By any chance, did he give you his name?”

“I don’t think he knows his name. He didn’t know much. Trust me. This accident was traumatic. It took the wind out of him physically and mentally.”

“We’ll figure out it,” Russ said with confidence.

“I know you will. I have a feeling, just a feeling, that young man is gonna need more help,” Marge said. “Than just figuring out his name.”

SEVEN

“I got you.”

Jonas didn’t know the voice, but it was a part of his dream as he woke up. The room was sunny and bright, a slight cast of yellow peeked through the window, letting him know it was morning. It felt like it.

But that was all he knew.

The events of the night before were a blur, in fact everything was a blur. Where was he? How did he get there? Who … was he?

It was like trying to remember a name, one of those ‘tip of the tongue’ feelings, but it wasn’t simply about a name. It was about his life.

He turned his head from the window to look at the other side of the room, never even knowing a nurse was there fixing a tube that ran into his arm.

She gave a closed mouth smile and finished her work. “Would you like some water?” she asked.

Jonas nodded. His mouth and