“What about me?” Hunter asked. “I’m supposed to meet Patrick at breakfast.”
“Not now,” Jimmy said. “We know where they are and they’re sure to know we’re here.”
“Yeah, but we’re moving. Who’s to say they aren’t moving, too? We might lose them again.”
“Damn it,” Jimmy cursed under his breath.
Molly glanced at Hunter who shook his head at her. Jimmy was stressed way out to be cursing. He looked back out the window. “Let’s find a new place first, and then you can hightail it over to that restaurant and scope things out.”
“Hightail?” Hunter asked.
Jimmy scratched underneath the front of his hat. “It’s something Dad used to always say. I think it means to go fast.”
Ginger hurried into the room with her eyes wide and a trace of panic in her voice. “Scout just left through the backdoor!”
The word “hightail” ran through Molly’s mind.
THIRTY-THREE
Hunter welcomed the warmth on his back from the rising sun as he led Jimmy, Molly, and Ginger to their new hideout. Tall shadows stretched before them in the crisp morning air, the ground sparkling white from the overnight frost. Hampered by his backpack and sleeping bag, Hunter also shouldered Scout’s stuff while Jimmy hauled Raven’s gear.
“That selfish little fucking shithead,” Jimmy muttered.
Hunter listened for five-blocks as every four-letter word imaginable and compounded spilled from Jimmy like acid on the pavement. Jimmy must have stored up for a big meltdown, and Scout had pushed the red button.
They turned up an alley, passed empty backyards, and entered through a gate to a beige two-story house; Hunter discovered the vacant house a couple days before when he was looking for a back-up hideout, just in case.
Hunter threw Scout’s stuff into a corner of the kitchen as he entered the back door. “What do you want me to do now?”
“Go meet Patrick for breakfast,” Jimmy said.
“What about Scout?” Molly asked.
“What about him?”
Molly frowned. “Shouldn’t we go after him or something?”
Jimmy rubbed the back of his neck. “We don’t even know where to start looking. Only he knew where they were holding Raven, and possibly Catherine. Now we have only one option left, and that’s Hunter meeting with Patrick.”
“Vanessa’s not going to like this,” Molly said.
“Vanessa’s not here!” Jimmy’s hands shook. He shoved them into his pockets and took a deep breath. “And she’d be the first one to punch her little brother if she were.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Hunter said, squeezing Jimmy’s shoulder on his way out.
“Hunter, wait.” Jimmy caught up with him in the backyard, his face tight and strained.
“I need to hurry,” Hunter reminded him.
“I know.” Jimmy’s eyelids fluttered. “Take care of yourself. Don’t do anything risky, all right? If things start going wrong, run back here and we’ll go home.”
Hunter rubbed the pokey stubble on his head. “Go wrong? You mean like now?”
Tears glistened behind the worry in Jimmy’s eyes. “I’m scared, Hunter.” A single tear slid down his cheek.
“I know. I found her before when I wasn’t even looking for her. I’ll find her again, I promise. We’ll have her by tonight.” Hunter held out his hand and Jimmy gripped it firmly. They quickly hugged and patted each other on the back.
Molly lined up behind Jimmy and hugged Hunter as well. She felt warm and soft. Hunter kissed her head and turned to leave. He hustled out of the yard and through the gate, leaving the two people he loved most in the world before things got more emotional.
Hunter ran along the broken sidewalks, reached a knot of kids casually walking in the same direction, and jumped off the curb to pass them.
“Hey, what’s the rush?” a boy asked.
“I’m supposed to meet Patrick at breakfast,” Hunter said over his shoulder. “And I’m running late.”
A gasp rose from the kids. “You better hurry,” the boy said.
Hunter picked up the pace and arrived at the cafeteria just as the doors were opening. All the early birds pushed their way inside, but Patrick was not among them. With time to spare, Hunter slowed his way to the entrance and stood at the back of the crowd.
Inside, he gave his last casino chip to the dirty-faced girl on the stool. Her angry stares from the night before were now sleepy and bored.
After receiving his plate of runny eggs and slightly rotted fruit, Hunter found a table to himself. The eggs tasted a lot better compared to the food he’d eaten last night, and he was surprised this city managed to keep enough chickens around to have eggs. He finished breakfast and waited.
Kids filtered in and out over the next hour. Hunter eavesdropped on a dozen conversations ranging from the quality of sleep, food, and life in general. Several kids contemplated leaving for the California coast now that it was almost springtime. They discussed the possibility of crossing the Rockies and finding Disneyland or even catching some waves in the ocean. A small boy asked what an ocean was and the group broke out in laughter.
“Well, what is it?” he asked again and wiped an indignant hand across his face, spreading a strand of snot over his cheek in the process.
Everyone at the table continued laughing as they gathered their trays and disposed of their trash. They handed their dirty plates over the counter to a thankless dishwasher and left to start their day. The little boy gazed at their backs with sad, hurtful eyes. Then he acknowledged Hunter’s staring interest by smearing snot across the other cheek.
Hunter smiled and waved the boy over. The kid looked behind him and then turned back and pointed at his chest.
“Do you want to know what an ocean is?”
The kid scooted off his seat and brought his tray over. “You’re the one that beat up Tommy the Perv last night, aren’t you?”
Hunter cocked an eyebrow. “Do you know what a perv is?”
The kid nodded vigorously. “It’s a person who does mean things to girls, right?”
“That’s right. What’s your name?”
“Billy. What’s yours?”
“Michael.” Hunter held out his hand and Billy shook it with his small, dirty one.
Then Billy eyed Hunter suspiciously. “So what’s an ocean?”
“An ocean is a large body of water. It’s what separates the continents from each other.”
“What’s a continent?”
Hunter frowned. “How old are you, Billy?”
“Nine,” Billy said. He puffed out his little chest and then it fell again. “I think. I lost track about a year ago when I was eight, I think.”
“Isn’t there a school here for the younger kids to go to?”
Billy’s snot-encrusted face went blank. “What’s a school?”
Hunter opened his mouth twice before he could find the answer. “A school is a place where you learn about
