Jared hung over the front seat again, getting a better look at the approaching town.
"Can we buy some toothpaste and a toothbrush?" Mel-anie asked. "How much can we spend?"
"Isn't that just like a woman?" Jared said to Andrew, slapping him on his shoulder as if they were best buddies now.
Melanie cringed, thinking an injured shoulder harnessed up like that must still hurt like hell, but Andrew didn't flinch. He didn't even move. He just stared ahead, like a robot. She hoped he wasn't falling asleep. Her bruised ribs couldn't take another car crash.
"Can we get some Tylenol, too?" she asked Jared.
She figured he owed her big-time for helping him tie up that farmer. She just kept reminding herself that the guy's wife would be home soon, and he'd be put out of his misery.
"That looks good. Pull in over there." He pointed to what looked to be a freshly painted Gas N' Shop. "Melanie, check the fucking glove compartment. I need a pair of sunglasses."
"Yeah, that's what I need, too. Can you pick up a pair for me?"
She dropped open the glove compartment and shoved the contents around-map, tire air gauge, matchbook, a pack of cigarettes and finally a pair of dark-lense glasses. She handed them to her brother as she hesitated in closing the compartment. She'd forgotten how wonderful, almost sensual, the scent of cigarettes could be. Her fingers wanted to grab the pack and tap one out. Just one. God! She'd love to have just one.
"Melanie, you fill up. Charlie, go take a piss but don't take forever. Melanie, did you hear what I said?"
"Can I go in and get what I need?" She turned and glared at him as though he hadn't heard her before.
"No, you're not going in."
"Oh, come on, Jared. I need some things, and I want some real food."
"I'll take care of things."
She scowled at him. "That's what you always say."
She had to be careful. She didn't want her whining to push him too far, to send him over the edge. He had never gotten angry enough with her to hurt her or Charlie or even their mother. But she had seen what his anger could do. And she found herself wondering if that's what went wrong in the bank. Did someone not listen? Did someone have a smart mouth?
"I'll get everything you fucking need," he told her. "Put the gas in the fucking car, and then you wait."
She saw Jared checking the gun, and suddenly she wasn't hungry anymore. He shoved it into the waistband of his jeans and pulled the T-shirt over it. He patted it, checking to make sure it was secure.
She wanted to tell him to leave the gun. It had already caused enough problems. She wanted to ask how the hell he could rob a bank and not take any money. Instead, she said nothing. So he'd rob a convenience store with a gun instead of a con. It was easy. It was cheap. She'd probably have done it, too, if she didn't hate guns so much.
One thing she did know for certain was that when you stuck a gun in someone's face they'd do just about anything. They'd beg and plead. They'd even cry like a little baby. Her father had. He'd started crying like a little baby when he realized his empty apology for beating the hell out of Jared and Melanie wasn't going to save him. There had been too many beatings, and it had been way too late for apologies.
"Everybody ready?" Jared asked, startling Melanie. Then he tapped Andrew on his harnessed shoulder again. "Ordinary Citizen Kane, you're coming with me."
CHAPTER 46
11:41 gum. Auburn, Nebraska
Andrew had been trying to block out their voices. The whine of their arguing felt like sandpaper on his brain. He wished he could disconnect, get inside his head and forget about everything around him. Sorta like when he was in a good flow of writing.
Unfortunately, as he had discovered this past year with his writing, it wasn't something he could control, like a switch he could turn on or off. If only it were that simple. If only he could access it right now. Go away for a while in his mind. Pretend. Isn't that what Tommy had told him was his problem? That he lived too much in the world of pretend rather than the real world?
When was that? Was it days ago that he and Tommy had sat on the porch at the cabin? No. Just yesterday. God! That seemed impossible. Then it occurred to him. It was Tommy. It had to be. Tommy must have gone back to check on him. That's how they knew. Of course, how stupid of him. If Tommy was on the case, maybe there was a way he could leave a message for him. But what? How?
"Let's go." Jared punched Andrew's shoulder. The pain shot down to his fingertips. It took all his effort to keep from flinching, but he wouldn't react. He wouldn't give this son of a bitch the satisfaction.
"Keep your cap on and your sunglasses," Jared instructed. "You stay close to me. We'll take our time. Go slow. Don't look like you're in a fucking hurry. When we see that Mel's finished filling up, you pay for everything with a credit card. They'll be tracking your account. It'll look like we're headed south."
Jared handed him his wallet, and it was the first time Andrew realized Jared had taken it. Of course he had his wallet. He had his bank card. Focus. Why the hell couldn't he focus? If only the throbbing in his head would quiet down. He needed to get his mind out of the spiderwebs. That's what it felt like-a lacy mess tangling up his thoughts.
"Did you get that? Hey-"
"Yeah, I got it," Andrew said in time to stop another assault on his wounded shoulder.
"And let me do the talking. You keep your fucking mouth shut."
"I really gotta pee," Charlie said.
"Okay, okay. Let's go then."
All four car doors opened almost in unison. Andrew took his time in an exaggerated stretch. It did feel good to get out and be on his feet. He used the time to examine the area around the convenience store. With the dark sunglasses on he could check out the side streets. His eyes darted all around, taking in as much detail as possible, including the newspaper machines out front. The Omaha World Herald headline shouted, Killers on the Loose. The Lincoln Journal's was simple and bold, Manhunt.
In the time it took to walk from the car door to the door of the convenience store Andrew contemplated his alternatives. Why not give Jared a quick shove and take off running? He was in good shape, at least up until he broke his collarbone. Andrew stood at least three inches taller, but Jared looked much leaner. Yet even with the throbbing in his head Andrew wanted to take his chances. What did he have to lose?
He took one last look at the side streets lined with houses. That was good, backyards and alleys. The main street was too open. To his back Andrew knew the highway separated them from a parking lot. Not good. And behind the convenience store Andrew guessed the slice of fence he could see probably ran along the whole lot. The houses across the street were his best bet.
Now he just needed to shove him hard enough to push him over. Maybe into the newspaper machines. That might slow him down. Andrew watched from behind his dark glasses. Jared was right beside him. A couple more steps. Already his heart banged against his rib cage in anticipation. One quick shove. He could do this.
That's when the door to the convenience store opened and a woman and her toddler came out. And Andrew realized he'd have to wait.
CHAPTER 47
11:46 a.m.
Detective Tommy Pakula found the house after driving in and out of about a half dozen culs-de-sac. He hated these new housing developments that were built on confusion and sold as privacy. He'd take his South Omaha home any day, where a neighborhood was still a block.
As he walked to the front door, he took a good look at the neighborhood and wondered how Tina Cervante could afford this huge split-timber. Even sharing the expenses with two roommates, the rent had be double what one of the higher-end apartments in the area would cost. He remembered the girl's autopsy, the pricey manicure and pedicure, the nose job. From what he had discovered about her parents-her father was a mechanic for a Dallas trucking company and her mother an assistant manager for a Red Lobster restaurant-he doubted that, although they made decent money, they had any to spare, especially with four more kids still at home.