True Crime

Men were dying in Florida. Truck drivers were warned: don't stop for a certain hitch-hiker. Richard Mallory cruised his Cadillac down Interstate 4 through the warm Florida night, on his way to Daytona from Tampa. He was in no real hurry; he felt too apathetic and depressed. His electronics business was going badly, he was heavily in debt, and he had just broken up with his girlfriend. He had been drinking, and was about to light up a 'reefer' of marijuana. Suddenly, a figure appeared in his headlights, thumbing a lift. Mallory slowed down. He saw that it was a woman of medium build, carelessly dressed in cut-off jeans, T-shirt and baseball cap, and carrying a shoulder bag. Mallory felt the need of company. If it was a woman, so much the better. Drinking and driving The woman drawled that if he was on his way to Daytona, that was fine. As they moved off, Mallory asked her if she minded him smoking the reefer. She laughed and told him he could do what he liked. She accep...