Stalker by Hazel Edwards Read Free Book Online

the chemist didn’t ask. Anyway, that’s one of the reasons they’re in Los Angeles now, sorting out the properties.
     
    Then it was time to leave my mark…
     

 
    6

    New Wheels
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Lights shone on the wet road, like snail trails. Lily drove cautiously. This was only the third car she’d ever driven. During her licence test, it took her four goes to park properly. But she wasn’t telling Bernie, the station manager that! At least this was automatic , so she didn’t have to plan gear changes. Vomit’s second gear was a grind and reverse was a battle. This car moved so smoothly it was like velvet. Lily felt pure pleasure.
     
    ‘Way to go!’ After the talk with Jamie, in the uni cafe, she’d felt really down.
     
    When Management offered a week’s test drive and CD trial, it seemed a gift from the universe. Really it was a guilt job by the local car-seller who’d had some bad press.
     
    What Bernie said was, ‘Management is concerned about you and these late shifts. We don’t want you going out into the carpark on your own.
    Call security and they’ll escort you. We’re even going to loan you this test drive car, for a week so you’ll be safer than on that bike of yours. It has an electronic locking device.’
     
    Lucky or what?
     
    ‘Thanks,’ Lily didn’t know what else to say. ‘What d’you want me to do?’
     
    ‘Monty’s the local car-dealers have offered it free for a week. They want you to be photographed for the daily newspaper… and for an in-flight magazine… they’re doing some feature on cars and media. Get a few shots in the papers about supporting community projects like the radio… to offset their bad publicity recently about the unhappy customer suing them. You’ve probably seen the coverage over the past few weeks.’ explained Bernie. Attracting sponsors was one of his jobs. ‘You can write something, so it doesn’t look too much like a freebie. Review the sound system, test the CD in the car.’
     
    ‘Fine.’ said Lily, trying to sound as though things like this happened all the time. Maybe they did on commercial radio. A few sample packs of peanut nibbles were the best you could hope for on public radio. That was her last freebie. ‘Is it insured?’
     
    ‘The car or the sound system?’ Bernie wasn’t joking.
     
    ‘I’ve only got a probationary licence… still on my P’s….’
     
    ‘Oh. Hadn’t thought of that.’ Bernie looked concerned, so Lily wished she’d kept her mouth shut. Maybe he didn’t know her age. Everyone said she looked older, probably because she was carrying a few kilos.
     
    ‘I’ve never had an accident, since I got my licence.’ said Lily. You couldn’t count slight bingles before being licensed.
     
    ‘Maybe we should have offered it to one of the others, but the owner said they wanted a young girl for the photo.Probably okay. I’ll check.’
     
    Bernie returned quickly. ‘Just as long as you’ve got it back for the photos.’
     
    ‘Thank YOU,’ said Lily.
     
    She’d been pumped to test-drive the sponsor’s car. ‘Supporters’ they called them on public radio stations. Taken delivery that day. Monty’s PR lady explained how the electronics worked and gave her the key.
     
    Beep Magically the door opened.
     
    ‘Fan-tas-tic!’
     
    ‘Didn’t you want to take some photos of the car and Lily in front of the studio?’ asked Bernie anxiously.
     
    ‘Tomorrow Lily. Wear something er… to contrast with red… not so student-ish. We’ll take some photos tomorrow.’ advised Monty’s PR car lady whose long red nails grasped the steering wheel like a tropical insect.
    She looked at Lily’s op shop pants and vest as if they should be returned.
    ‘Head and shoulder shots mainly.’
    ‘What time?’ asked Lily. ‘I’ve got a 9 o’clock lecture tomorrow.’
     
    ‘Eleven?’ Even her nails were colour-coordinated with the Red Peril’s wheels. ‘But you can drive it home tonight, Lily.