Hideout by Kathleen George

Author:Kathleen George
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

FIVE

WEDNESDAY

JENSEN’S WINDUP ALARM CLOCK rings at four thirty, and Jack springs to life. He’s never had to get up in the dark to go someplace. He almost likes it. “Ryan.” He shakes his brother. “Hey, man. If I walk it now, I’m late.”

His brother groans and opens his eyes. “There is no coffee in this place.”

“I know.”

“You’re going to have coffee where you work, you lucky fuck.”

“When I get paid, I’ll buy coffee. There’s a pot here. I saw it.” He tries to figure out a way he could slip a cup of restaurant coffee to his brother, but it’s too dangerous. Somebody might see the truck coming in close. Or see his brother sneaking up to the back door of the restaurant for a Styrofoam container. It just won’t work. “Look,” he says, “just get up, okay?”

Ryan sits up, then puts his legs over the side of the single bed. “It’s dark out.”

“Well, yeah.” He leaves the room while Ryan dresses. His brother has taken to wearing one of Jensen’s old flannel shirts, but Jack isn’t wearing any of the owner’s clothes himself.

Downstairs on the way out to the truck, when they pass the pathetic bag of rolls he’s brought his brother, he wishes he’d filched some ham or cheese.

It’s damp and cool. There are still stars visible, and something from the woods smells fantastic. The truck is wet with dew.

Ryan grunts as he starts up the engine.

Nobody passes them on the road until they leave Sugar Lake. When a car finally does go by in the other direction, the driver doesn’t look. “Leave me off pretty soon, edge of town, and then get back up there right away.”

“You’re telling me you don’t want me to nick coffee and a brekky from the Country Store?”

“That’s what I mean.” He points up ahead a block. “See that building? Yellow brick? If I get in trouble or I can’t walk it, if I don’t get home tonight, when it’s dark enough, come look for me there. In the back.”

“What is that place?”

“Library. We need a pickup spot. You know a better one?”

“No.”

“So if for whatever reason I can’t get home—”

“Like what? Since you’re so keen on keeping the truck hidden?”

Like … police after him because of the wallet and cell phone. Though he wonders, too, if he can make the whole trek again. “Make sure you keep the truck around back.”

Ryan lets him off.

He starts walking toward the café and after a moment turns to be sure his brother is heading back to the house.

* * *

ADDIE WAKES AT FIVE, a bit before her usual time. Some mornings she reads a little in bed, getting her bearings. But this morning, there’s too much on her mind. Her jewelry drawer. Jack. She will call Emma as soon as it’s late enough. And Tom Jensen is on her mind, too. Today is when he said he would come up to Sugar Lake, barring difficulty.

She gets up, shaking off the usual aches. She’ll tell Tom about the messed-up jewelry drawer.

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