Detour - 1945 1945

Lost in a haze of regret, Al replays the scene in his mind: the dingy nightclub where his fingers danced across the ivories, the hollow emptiness of the music reflecting the hollowness within. Then there was Sue Harvey, the nightclub's captivating lead singer, who had ignited a spark in his soul. But her flame flickered and died, leaving him behind when she chased dreams of Hollywood stardom. Fueled by a potent mix of heartbreak and determination, Al decided to chase after her, California bound, with only his hitchhiking thumbs and a meager amount of cash to guide him.

The open road stretched before him, a stark canvas upon which his anxieties played out. In Arizona, fate tossed a curveball in the form of Charles Haskell Jr., a bookie who offered Al a ride to Los Angeles. Haskell, a man shrouded in secrecy, popped pills like candy, his intentions as murky as the Arizona desert itself. As the miles melted away, Al found himself behind the wheel, Haskell slumbering uneasily in the passenger seat. A sudden downpour forced a pit stop, and Al's worst fears materialized. Haskell was lifeless, a casualty of a suspected heart attack. Panic surged through him. The image of an accusatory police officer flickered in his mind, and the weight of a potential murder charge settled heavily on his shoulders. Desperation, the mother of invention, kicked in. He stashed the body and donned Haskell's identity like a ill-fitting disguise. Money, clothes, and stolen papers became his new companions.

California beckoned, offering a glimmer of hope, but the past clung to him like a burr. A gas station near Desert Center Airport led him to Vera, a hitchhiker with secrets of her own. Initially quiet, she soon shattered his fabricated reality, revealing her run-in with the real Haskell and his dark advances. Al, trapped in a web of lies, confessed Haskell's demise. But Vera, a master manipulator, saw an opportunity and turned the tables. Blackmail became her weapon, her threat of exposing him to the authorities a constant reminder of his precarious situation. His stolen cash became her bargaining chip, fueling her greed. Hollywood, the supposed city of dreams, became a stage for their charade. An apartment, rented under a stolen name, served as a temporary haven, a fragile bubble about to burst.

The news that Haskell's wealthy father was on his deathbed, coupled with an impending inheritance, threw their twisted partnership into disarray. Vera, fueled by avarice, demanded Al impersonate Haskell, a ploy he saw through with a weary skepticism. Back at their rented haven, the facade crumbled. Alcohol fueled a fierce argument, Vera's drunken threats escalating the tension. A fumbled attempt to disconnect the phone cord ended in a horrific twist of fate – Vera, strangled inadvertently by Al in his desperate attempt to silence her.

As unfortunate the situation was it dimmed the prospect of getting back together with Sue. Back on the road, a fugitive once again, Al stumbled upon news reports painting him as an accomplice to murder. The diner in Reno, where the story began, became a symbol of his inescapable predicament. The melody from the jukebox, a haunting reminder of his past, now echoed the emptiness of his future. The open road, once a path towards a new beginning, now stretched before him as a desolate journey towards an uncertain end.

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