“Or somewhere in between. He’s got less than a two-hour head start.” Colt pulled onto US 75 South, weaving through Dallas on his way to I-35. It was dark, after 9:00 p.m., the traffic at a minimum. “With luck, we can narrow his lead.” Colt stepped on the gas.
“YOUSTILLHAVEN’Ttold me where we’re going.” Timmy stared into the darkness rushing past the window outside the pickup, a brand-new Chevy Silverado, as it rolled down the highway. It was the same color as its name.
Timmy had thought the truck was cool when his dad had picked him up. He’d thought it was great to finally meet his father. He’d been excited, eager to go with him, get to know him.
Now he felt like a rock sat in the bottom of his stomach and he just wanted to go home.
“We’re going on a trip,” his dad said. “Think of it as an adventure. You’ll get to see places you’ve never been before.”
“Like where?” His dad was a big guy, almost as tall as Colt, with brown hair instead of reddish blond like his own, but they both had blue eyes. His dad had tats. Timmy couldn’t believe his mom had been married to a guy with tats. He had to admit, they really made him look cool.
His father’s eyes cut away from the road, from the occasional set of headlights speeding toward them. “How would you like to see Mexico?”
His worry swelled. “Mexico? That’s a long ways away. I don’t think Mom would like it.”
“Your mom has been in control of your life far too long. It’s time you got to know your father. You’re growing up. There are things you need to learn that your mom can’t teach you. Things that will make you a man.”
Timmy said nothing. He wasn’t a man—he was still a kid. He didn’t mind that. He figured he’d grow up soon enough. That’s what Mom always said.
“How long will it take?” he asked. “To get to Mexico and back?”
“We’ll figure it out once we get there.”
Timmy fell silent. He didn’t say anything else for a while. He didn’t know his dad, but he had a feeling it wouldn’t take much to make him mad. Still, when his stomach started growling, he decided it was time to speak up.
“I didn’t have any dinner. Can we stop and get a burger or something?”
His father cast him a sideways glance. “All right, I suppose we can do that. I’ll start watching for a place to pull off.”
“I like Burger King or Jack in the Box. They’re the best.”
His dad’s gaze sliced back to him. “You’ll eat whatever I buy you and be damned glad to get it. Understand?”
A trickle of fear slipped down his spine. He swallowed. “Okay.”
“Good boy. I have a feeling you’re going to catch on real fast. You do that, we won’t have any problems.”
Timmy could feel his breath coming a little too fast. A couple of times he’d had asthma attacks, but the doctor had said they were mild. It scared him, though. First he’d started coughing, then it was hard to breathe. He sure didn’t want it to happen again.
They pulled off the road at a truck stop and went in to use the bathroom. Dad bought hot dogs and microwaved them, bought Timmy a Pepsi and himself a cup of coffee, and they got back on the road. The cheese on the hotdog tasted like orange rubber, but at least it filled him up.
“Why don’t you get some sleep?” Dad said.
“Okay.” He wanted to call Mom. He knew she would be worried when he didn’t come home, but when he’d tried to call her before, Dad had taken his phone away and hadn’t given it back.
Timmy closed his eyes and settled back in the seat, but his heart was thumping too hard for him to fall asleep.
It looked like he was going to Mexico.
He wondered how long it would take them to get there.
His eyes stung. He wondered if he would ever get home again.
CHAPTER SIX
LISSAWASNAPPING, the Mustang’s powerful engine lulling her into a restless sleep. As she awoke, yawned, and stretched, she caught a highway sign illuminated by the headlights. They were south of Austin, almost to San Antonio.
“I’ll drive for a while,” she said, adjusting the seat belt as she sat up straighter. “Give you a chance to catch a little sleep.”
