Page 11 of Shelter for Martina

“What did he want her to tell him?”

Adams shrugged. “You’ll have to ask him.”

“But he’s missing.”

Adams rolled his eyes and threw his hands up. “Iknow! Y’all should be lookin’ for him instead of askin’ me questions!”

“We’re hoping our questions help us find him. So you have no idea what he was talking about?”

“Nope.”

“And where did they go when they left?”

“I dunno.”

“Were they still arguing when they left?”

“Yep.”

“Did you see either of them again after that?”

“Nope.”

He wasn’t sure why, but Bud got the distinct impression that Phil Adams was lying to him. Maybe it was Martina’s insistence that he was nothing but a liar. That would probably do it. Bud stood and made his way to the door. “Well, okay, Mr.Adams. If that’s all you’ve got, I’ll leave you alone, but I may need to talk to you at some point in the future.”

“Knock yourself out, gray boy.” The door slammed before Bud got a chance to thank the man, but he was pretty sure it didn’t matter. He was positive he wouldn’t have gotten ayou’re welcomeout of him.

He stopped at the store in Fordsville and put some gas in his car. Several cars sat at the far edge of the parking lot, and he knew what that was about. They were still out in the woods looking for MartyBurgess. The pump’s card reader wasn’t working, so he went inside to pay. Before he went to the register, he walked around the store for a minute, looking at various items, and finally picked out a package of chocolate cream-filled cupcakes and a soft drink. On his way to the register, a conversation in the next aisle stopped him cold, and he hurriedly pretended to be looking at the boxes containing bottles of pain relievers there in front of him on the shelf.

The voices were those of two women. “But he said they left together.”

“I heard they didn’t. I heard he took her out in the woods after Marty left.”

“To do what?”

“Heclaimsto go four-wheelin’.”

“But why in the world would she go four-wheelin’ with his dad?”

“See? That’s what I wanna know too. I mean, did she have some kinda thing for him or somethin’?”

“Ewww! It’s Marty’sdad, Rochelle! Get a fuckin’ grip!”

“I know. It don’t make no sense, but that’s what I heard.”

“You need to quit spreadin’ gossip, girl. That’s a sin.”

“So is fuckin’ DennyMorris, but you’re doin’ that every night.”

“Shut up!” There was a lot of giggling and Bud figured the conversation was over. Sure enough, they moved on to talking about vaping and some concert they wanted to see.

He made his way to the front of the store, paid for his items and gas, and drove away. Somebody was saying that Marty left without Renita, and she and Phil had taken his four-wheeler out? That made no sense. None at all.

But when he got to the office, he’d write down everything he’d heard. Somewhere, in all the shit they were gathering, he was sure there was a tiny shred of truth. He just hoped he’d recognize it when he saw it.

* * *

He wasnervous when he dialed the number, but it only rang once on his end before a soft voice said, “Hello?”

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