Run into Trouble

always right.”
    “Thank you.” He didn’t mind sarcasm coming from her. “I know we’re supposed to meet for an introductory dinner, but I can’t make it.”
    “Quite right. I’m the doctor, and I’m prescribing bed rest. Alone. Fortunately, you and I have the only single rooms. The other nine teams are all lads, and teammates have to room together. I’m the lone girl in the race.”
    “I’d rather have you for a teammate than any male runner I can think of.”
    “Flattery is nice, but it won’t get me into bed with you. I’ve learned my lesson on that score. I’ll be back with ice and aspirin. And I’ll have dinner sent up to you.”

    CHAPTER 3
    Border Field State Park marks the United States side of the border with Mexico. The route for Running California starts here and wends its way north along the beach past the Oneonta Slough. Some wading may be necessary. The route continues along Imperial Beach and then across the narrow isthmus that separates the Pacific Ocean from San Diego Bay. It may be easier to run on Silver Strand Boulevard (Route 75) than the sand here. Stay on Route 75 and continue to the entrance to the San Diego-Coronado Bridge.
    ***
    The official Giganticorp bus was bright green with “Giganticorp” written on the side in large orange script. Below the company name the words “Running California” were painted on it in purple. The whole scene would have been impossible for Drake to miss, even if Melody hadn’t been standing beside the bus waving frantically at him. He limped over to her.
    She looked at him, not trying to hide her dismay. “Where were you? I rang your room, but you didn’t answer.”
    “Good morning to you, too. My first problem is going to be getting up these steps.”
    The initial step, especially. He’d had enough trouble negotiating a few much lower steps. Drake tried to lift one foot, but the pain in his back stopped him well before it reached the level of the step. If the bus had been able to pull up to the curb in front of the hotel, he might have had more success. The extra nine or ten inches of height from street level was a killer. He did no better with the other foot. His run of the California coast might end right now.
    “Could we have a boost here?” Melody called to Peaches who was sitting in the driver’s seat.
    Peaches got up and stomped down the steps. Without saying a word, he positioned himself behind Drake, grabbed his elbows, and lifted him up to the first step with about the same effort that it would take most people to lift half a dozen hardcover books from a table. It hurt to be lifted, but Drake squelched a groan. The other steps were lower, and Drake managed to escape further humiliation; he pulled himself up by grabbing the handrails and putting most of his weight on his arms.
    Ignoring the stares of the other runners, he stumbled along the aisle and fell into an empty seat.
    “Move over—if you can.”
    He laboriously moved over to the window seat as Melody sat down beside him. In contrast to his elephantine moves, she was so graceful that it almost looked as if she sat on air just above the seat. Peaches shifted into gear, and the bus started rolling.
    Melody looked at him. “I didn’t think you were going to show up. Maybe it would be better if you hadn’t. You’re fit for nothing but lying in a bed of pain.”
    “You always did have a way with words. But to answer your earlier question, I was on the floor stretching, and I couldn’t get to the phone when it rang. The pain woke me at four, and I spent the next three hours alternately icing my back and trying to stretch without killing myself.”
    “Did you eat?”
    “I had room service bring me breakfast. I figured if Casey could afford a million dollar prize, he could afford that. Tell me about the dinner last night.”
    “I met the runners I didn’t meet yesterday afternoon. Naturally, they’re completely discounting us.”
    Drake shrugged. “They’re not used to seeing women runners. That would work to our advantage, but because of the shape I’m in, they’re quite correct to discount us.”
    “There’s another thing.” Melody lowered her voice. “I’m the only one not from California.”
    Drake pondered that. “I think we have some questions to ask Casey. Did he make a speech?”
    “Actually, he did. He’s quite the orator. He talked about the glorious adventure we were embarking on and how much good it was going to do for the great state of