Breaking Creed

42

Somehow Jason managed to slide his cell phone from his back pocket without moving his feet or legs. He caught himself holding his breath as he counted the phone rings. He thought he had used up all his adrenaline but he could feel it kick into full force.

“Come on, pick up,” he whispered as he watched the snake’s tail go perfectly still, standing straight in the air. Could it hear his voice?

“This is Creed.”

Finally!

“What do you know about coral snakes?”

“You hardly ever see them. They pretty much keep to themselves.”

“There’s one in Agent O’Dell’s car.”

Silence.

“It’s on the floorboard between my feet,” Jason continued, keeping his tone low and even, despite the panic jumping around in his gut.

“You know for sure it’s a poisonous one?”

“Red touches yellow, kill a fellow.”

“Stay completely still.”

“Already doing that, man.”

“Coral snakes are usually shy and docile. That’s why you don’t see them much. They like to hide. They’ll only strike if they’re disturbed or feel threatened.”

“I’d say being stuffed into a burlap sack and shoved under the car seat might have disturbed this one.”

“Can you see its head?”

“No, I think it’s still in the sack. Its tail’s sticking out, waving around.”

“That’s good. They do that sometimes. It’s trying to fake you out.”

“Fake me out?” Jason had to swallow a laugh and keep still. His nerves were wound tight. “Can you call the forensic team?”

“You’re not gonna be able to wait for them.”

“You are not very reassuring.”

“Just stay calm. We can do this.”

Creed’s voice reminded Jason of his sergeant’s just before the IED went off.

“Easy for you to say. You’re not in the son-of-a-bitchin’ car.”

“Not really easy. I’m driving about seventy miles an hour with one hand on the wheel and in pouring rain.”

Rain. Damn!

No wonder Creed had told him he didn’t have time for the forensic team. If rain started battering down on the car, would the snake feel even more threatened? For the first time, Jason risked taking his eyes off the snake to glimpse up at the sky. Still overcast and dark.

“Corals don’t tend to be aggressive,” Creed said, “unless you step on them or pin them down. Then you’ve got a problem. They don’t just strike once, they’ll strike over and over again, rapidly in a sideways motion. And if they connect, they hang on.”

“You’re not making this better.”

“I just want you to be prepared. They might look small but they are the most virulent. All they have to do is attach to a piece of skin.”

“Still not helping.”

“Is there anything in the car — blanket, towel?”

Only then did Jason notice that Agent O’Dell had left a lightweight jacket on the passenger seat.

“A very thin jacket.”

“Good. Listen to me carefully, because you’re gonna need to put the phone down in order to use your hand.”

Jason hadn’t even thought about his new disadvantage. Suddenly he became acutely aware of everything. He could feel the wet back of his T-shirt sticking to the vinyl car seat. He gauged the tight space between his thighs and the steering wheel. He’d never be able to move quickly enough. It didn’t matter how many hands he had.

“Jason.” Creed’s voice brought him back to attention.

“Go ahead.”

“Is the snake’s head still in the bag?”

“I think so.”

“This is what you need to do. Drop the jacket over the opening of the bag. Then open your car door at the same time that you lift up your left foot. Bring that foot all the way up to the car seat.”

“How the hell—” He had to stop himself to lower his voice and grab hold of some composure. “My leg’s never going to fit.”

“Sure it will,” Creed told him as calmly as if he were asking him to try on a new pair of shoes. “The open door will give you more room. Just do all of this slowly. Then lift yourself and slide over to the other side of the car. You’ll have to decide when to bring up the other foot.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. I’m not jumping out the door?”

“Not that door. You’re going out the passenger door.”

Jason looked at the gearshift and console that separated the seats. There was too much to get over. He’d never be able to do it. The car was too small. He wasn’t a big guy, but how the hell could he drag and bang himself all the way to the other side and do it faster than a snake that could crawl up and at him in a matter of seconds?

“That’s your plan?” he asked Creed.

“You got a better one?”

That’s when the first raindrop hit the windshield.