Page 40 of Heart of the Sun

I shrugged. “Yeah.” They were better, and they felt more supported in the sneakers I was now wearing that were mostly my size. But it would take time for the blisters to heal, and more walking wasn’t going to accomplish that.

“Hey, by the way,” he said. “Not only did we find food in these cars. I found something else.” He took a small bottle out of his pocket and handed it to me.

I pulled in a breath. “Tylenol. Oh my God. Oh my God.” I looked up at him. “I love you, Tucker Mattice.” I grinned, but then it slowly dissolved as we stared at each other, the moment thick with that complex tangle of history and bitterness and other things I just didn’t want to think about and served no one. And so I looked away. “Thank you.”

He handed me his water, and I took two of the tablets, washing them back and sighing as I recapped the bottle.

Charlie came stomping out of the bushes, and I had to pee, but I’d wait until we were in a spot a little farther away where there was more cover than some brambles. I was also eager to put some distance between me and the dead woman whose shoes I was now wearing. I refused to wonder if there were people at home waiting for her, having no idea that she’d lost her life on this stretch of highway.

It was a couple of hours later as we hiked through a rural area that clearly didn’t see a lot of traffic, as indicated by the few broken-down cars in the road, that I heard the very distant rumble of an engine. I stopped, putting my hand on Charlie’s arm and meeting his eyes. “Do you hear that?” We’d seen a few people as we’d walked, but they had all been quite a distance away and it was clear they were locals, likely as lost for answers as we were.

“Yeah.”

“Tuck!” I yelled. He’d traveled a short distance ahead, but now he stopped and looked back questioningly, and I saw the moment he heard the sound too. He walked quickly back to us and took my arm, pulling me to the side of the road just as a green vehicle came around the bend and started moving toward us.

Tuck stepped out into the road and started waving his arms and the car came to a rumbly stop before the driver’s window was cranked down.A man in a flannel shirt and a ball cap leaned out. “Howdy, folks. Where you headed?”

“California,” Tuck said.

The man laughed. “Quite a ways from home, eh? I’m Leonard.” He looked beyond Tuck and peered at me and Charlie.

“Tuck. And that’s Emily and Charlie.”

Charlie stepped forward. “You probably recognize me,” he said before running his hand through his hair and offering a large, toothy smile. It faltered, then dipped as Leonard looked at him with zero recognition. Charlie cleared his throat. “I’m an actor,” he said. “A…movie star?”

“I don’t get to a lot of movies,” Leonard said.

“Oh,” Charlie said. “Right. Hmm… Well…” He trailed off, obviously at a loss and deciding not to follow up with whatever he was going to say in the wake of Leonard showing absolutely no recognition.

“How is your car running?” Tuck asked. “All we’ve seen are disabled vehicles. They’re all over the highway.”

“Not sure, other ’n Bridget here don’t got but one electric component in her. I rebuilt the old girl myself, so I should know.” He smiled, showing a large gap where one of his teeth was missing, apparently exceedingly proud of Bridget. As well he should be as she was currently the only working vehicle for miles around. Apparently. “Got a buddy whose car works just fine too. A sweet Caddy. Course it’s been hard to find roads to drive on with all the broken-down cars and big rigs. It woulda been easier if this thing happened in the middle of the night instead of nearly rush hour.”

“Any idea what this thing was?” Tuck asked.

“Few guesses,” Leonard said. “But listen, I gotta be goin’. Traveling by night isn’t the best idea and I got a trek in front of me.”

I eyed his back seat. I could practically feel those soft cushions beneath my rear rather than the asphalt under my blistered feet. I stepped forward. “We can appreciate that, Leonard,” I said. “If you’d be so gentlemanly as to give us a lift, we could chat while you drive.” I smiled, showing him my teeth, which, even despite all the hardships I’d been through in the last few days, could be counted on to maintain their attractiveness. “I sure would love to hear your theories. Being that you were wise enough to build one of the only cars currently running, I’d imagine your guesses are pretty darn accurate.”

He let out a chuff, his cheeks coloring slightly as he looked away. He tapped his steering wheel for a moment before saying, “Aw, what the hell, you look harmless. Hop in and we’ll chat. I can’t give you a lift all the way to Cali, but barring any blockades, I can get you to Missouri.”

I held back my giddy squeal, grabbed Charlie’s hand and raced around the other side of the car to get in the back seat before Leonard could change his mind. Oh, sweet heaven. A vehicle. A ride. A break from walking.

Tuck appeared less enthused than me, but he still walked around the front of Leonard’s car, eyeing it suspiciously, before climbing into the front seat and pulling the door closed with a loud squeak.

“If we make it somewhere closer than Missouri where the power is on, we can get out there,” Tuck said.

“I don’t imagine that’ll be the case, but okay,” Leonard said before he gunned the engine and then took off.

“Is there a reason you’re heading to Missouri?” Tuck asked.

“Yup. I’m going to my brother’s place. He has a trailer out by a lake. I figure I’ll sit this one out.”

“This one?”

He glanced over at Tuck. “You realize we might be at war, right?”

“I’d considered it,” he murmured.

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