The Missing by Beverly Lewis

Author:Beverly Lewis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC042000
ISBN: 9781441210425
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2009-09-01T04:00:00+00:00

chapter

sixteen

As usual, Martin Puckett was right on time that Saturday after dinner. Grace stood at the end of their driveway and Beechdale Road, waiting. It was time to buy in two weeks’ worth of groceries at Eli’s, as she often did on a Saturday when not working at the store. As Mamma and I always did. Using the van to haul the many store-bought items was the best way to handle the bi-monthly chore.

“Hullo,” she said when Martin greeted her.

“Looks like nice weather all weekend,” he said, bobbing his head.

She still couldn’t get it out of her mind that Martin had been the last person she knew who’d seen her mother. Somehow it made her feel tenderhearted toward him. “It’s goin’ to be mostly sunny, Dat says.”

Then, just as Martin reached to slide open the passenger door of the van, Yonnie came running down the driveway, waving his straw hat and calling, “Wait up. I need a ride!”

What on earth? Grace couldn’t hide her surprise as he hopped into the second-row seat right next to her. Why not up front with Martin?

She was taken aback by his bold, if not overly friendly manner. It was fine for him to help Dat with the lambs and her, with the birds . . . but hailing down the same van?

While Martin moseyed around to get into the driver’s seat, Yonnie asked, “Will ya go walkin’ with me tomorrow afternoon, Grace?”

Of all things!

She was befuddled, especially because he’d taken her walking several times last year before doing the same with a number of girls. He had spent more time with Becky than any of them, though.

“I’m busy tomorrow,” she said, thinking about her plans with Heather.

“Another day, maybe?” he asked, his expression hopeful.

If she waited long enough, Martin would open his door and get her off the hook—at least for now.

“Where are the two of you headed?” Martin asked as he climbed into the driver’s seat. He glanced over his shoulder at Yonnie.

“We’re not actually together,” Yonnie said, flashing her another quick smile. “I’m heading home, and I’m not sure where Grace’s goin’.”

Since Yonnie typically remained to help Dat till closer to supper, Grace was even more perplexed by his decision to head home early. Why? To ask her to go walking with him? How many girls does he need to walk with, for goodness’ sake?

Martin peered at them in the rearview mirror. “Since Yonnie’s house is on the way, we’ll stop there first. That is, after we pick up Miss Becky. She needs a ride to Eli’s, as well.”

Oh no! Everything Grace had said to assure her friend about Yonnie would be down the drain now. She was trapped—literally—between the window and Yonnie in the second row. And if Becky laid eyes on them sitting there, with Yonnie in back instead of up front, where most men sat when there was only one young woman in the van, Becky would never believe Grace.

They pulled in the Riehls’ lane and stopped at the back walkway.

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