w feet.

"Litter," Kelly snapped over her shoulder. Clay raced for the patrol
car while Ben unshipped a portable warning light and rolled it down
the lane behind the patrol car. He flipped it to amber "caution" and
"pass." Blinking amber arrows pointed to the left and right of the
halted passenger vehicle and traffic in the blue lane began picking up
speed and parting around the obstructions.

By the time he returned to the patrol car, Kelly had the expectant
mother in the dispensary. She slammed the door in the faces of the
three men and then she went to work.

The woman's husband slumped against the side of the patrol vehicle.

Ben dug out his pack of cigarettes and handed one to the shaking
driver.

He waited until the man had taken a few drags before speaking.

"Mister, I don't know if you realize it or not but you came close to
killing your wife, your baby and yourself," Ben said softly, "to say
nothing of the possibility of killing several other families. Just
what did you think you were doing?"

The driver's shoulders sagged and his hand shook as he took the
cigarette from his mouth. "Honestly, officer, I don't know. I just got
frightened to death," he said. He peered up at Martin. "This is our
first baby, you see, and Ellen wasn't due for another week. We thought
it would be all right to visit my folks in Cleveland and Ellen was
feeling just fine. Well, anyway, we started home tonight--we live in
Jefferson City--and just about the time I got on the thruway, Ellen
started having pains. I was never so scared in my life. She screamed
once and then tried to muffle them but I knew what was happening and
all I could think of was to get her to a hospital. I guess I went out
of my head, what with her moaning and the traffic and everything. The
only place I could think of that had a hospital was Evansville, and I
was going to get her there come hell or high water." The young man
tossed away the half-smoked cigarette and looked up at the closed
dispensary door. "Do you think she's all right?"

Ben sighed resignedly and put his hand on the man's shoulder. "Don't
you worry a bit. She's got one of the best doctors in the continent in
there with her. Come on." He took the husband by the arm and led him
around to the patrol car cab hatch. "You climb up there and sit down.
I'll be with you in a second."

The senior officer signaled to Ferguson. "Let's get his car out of the
traffic, Clay," he directed. "You drive it.