The Passenger

Dan stared through the rain slicked windows. This was where he was told to pick up the passenger, wasn't it? He checked his GPS then picked up his phone to send a text letting the person know their ride was here.

He jumped when someone knocked on the passenger side window just as he sent the text off. There was a man standing in the rain quickly getting soaked through. He opened the window and the man leaned in.

'Uber?' He asked shivering from the cold.

The driver unlocked the doors and motioned for the man to sit in the back.

'Yeah. Not the best weather to be stuck waiting for a ride, huh? Sorry about that. Got a little lost. GPS isn't always so great.'

His passenger gratefully settled into car and shook his head with a little smile.

'Don't worry about it. This area can be difficult to navigate, especially in this weather. I'm just glad to be somewhere warm.'

'239 Bayside Rd, right?'

'Yeah.'

'I feel like I've heard that address before.'

The man shrugged but didn't say anything.

He drove off the small street as his phone pinged. His passenger didn't seem that talkative. If anything he seemed tense but Dan didn't want to pry. The drive would be short anyway, maybe ten minutes.

Dans phone went off again. A call this time and he saw his passenger tense up even more.

'Don't worry. I'm not one of those people who uses a phone while they're behind the wheel. I can get it later.'

The man relaxed a little. 'Can never be too careful, right?'

Dan nodded. He knew the dangers of using a phone while driving first hand.

'I'm Mark by the way.'

'Dan.'

Mark met his eyes in the mirror as they came to a stop at a red light.

'Can I ask you a favor Dan? I'd like to do something for my little sister and I think you can help me. Can we stop at that store over there?'

The store in question was a small gift shop with a little parking lot on one side of the building.

'Not really supposed to but sure. Where's the harm, right?'

'Thanks. You have any family Dan?' The man asked in a conversational tone.

'No. Just me.'

Dan pulled into the parking lot and put the car in park while Mark thanked him again and then headed into the store. A few minutes later, he was scrolling on his phone when he heard his passenger get back in.

'Find what you were looking for?' He asked without looking up.

He heard a click and felt something press on the back of his head. He froze and his phone fell to the floor.

'I thought you didn't use your phone behind the wheel but we both know that's a lie, don't we?' Marks voice was cold and full of hatred.

Dan raised his now empty hands.

'I'm sorry.' If he could calm the guy down, everything would be okay, right? He contemplated making a run for it but knew he probably wouldn't make it. This was his only option for now.

'Are you?' His voice cracked. 'Are you sorry for killing that little girl too?'

Dans blood ran cold. He knew he had recognized that address. It was the address of the young girl he had hit eight years ago while he had been texting and driving.

'I told you I wanted to do something for my sister.'

The gunshot rang through the nearly empty parking lot.