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We headed into Brawley to an auto body shop that was housed in a converted gas station just off the main street My VW was parked in a side lot, surrounded by chain-link fence As we pulled into the service area, the owner eed from the office with a set of keys in hand He unlocked the padlock on the chain-link fence and rolled the gate back Dietz pulled into the lot and parked the car, placing a restraining hand on my arm as I moved to open the door

"Wait till I cooodthe way he positioned hi my exit The owner of the station didn’t see unusual in the interaction between us Dietz handed him a folded bill, but I couldn’t see what denoreed to meet us here on a day when the place was ordinarily closed

We circled e There was scarcely a spot on it that wasn’t affected in soood," the owner said to Dietz I didn’t know if he was referring to me or the vehicle I wrenched open the buckled door on the passenger side and eistration in asoline receipts I still had sos in the backseat: law books, a few hand tools, , a pair of shoes Many items had tumbled onto the floor in the course of the attack and were now sodden with the muddy water from the ditch I checked the ratified to find that nothing had been broken I loaded what I could into the trunk of Dietz’s Porsche What I didn’t ie cardboard box that the shop owner obligingly rustled up out of the shop I tucked the box of dishes into the larger box I wrote a check for the towing, arranging at the sa shipped to me in Santa Teresa I’d file a claih I couldn’t believe the car would netnorth on 86 As soon as ere under way, Dietz put a cigarette between his lips and flicked open a Zippo He hesitated, glancing over atpolite, but it didn’t make much sense What’s communication for if it isn’t to convey the truth? "Probably," I said

He lowered theon his side and tossed the lighter out, flipped the cigarette out after it, and followed both with the pack of Winstons fro unco"

"Just like that?"

He said, "I can do anything"

It sounded like bragging, but I could tell he was serious We drove ten miles before either of us said another word As we approached Salton City, I asked hiuy in the Dodge had caught up with me We didn’t stop-there wasn’t any point-but I didn’t feel I could pass the spot without some reference to the event

At Indio, we pulled into the parking lot of a s mall where a Mexican restaurant was tucked between a VCR repair shop and a veterinarian "I hope you’re hungry," Dietz said "I don’t want to stop once we hit the outskirts of Los Angeles Sunday traffic is the pits"

"This is fine," I said The truth was I felt tense and needed the break Dietz handled the car well, but he drove aggressively, impatient-every tihas only two lanes wide and his passing style hadto the chicken stick His attention was constantly focused on the road ahead and behind, watching (I surmised) for suspicious vehicles He kept the radio off and the dead quiet in the car was broken only by the thu wheel He had the kind of energy that set ht not have been objectionable in the open air, but in the confines of the car, I felt crowded to the point of claustrophobia The idea of having hith of tilass doors into a long, blank rectangular space that had evidently been designed for retail sales A clu area where a few tables had been arranged Through the doorway, I could see a stove and battered refrigerator that e sale Dietz told h to the rear, where he checked the back door

The place was chilly and echoed e scraped back our chairs to sit down Dietz angled hilass s in the front