He tilted his head, obviously thinking it over. “We could do that, but we’ll walk. Don’t want my vehicle in the restaurant lot with plates that could be run by a cop who stops in for coffee. You’ll need a ball cap, too, for a disguise. If you don’t have one, I do.”
“For the warrant out on me.”
He nodded.
“Maybe we shouldn’t risk it,” she said, but then spotted all sorts of fluids dried on the walls. “But if you think it’ll be safe…”
“We can make it work. We’ll get a table in the back and make sure you face away from the door.” He smiled. “If I think there’s any risk, we won’t stay.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” She jumped to her feet. “I have a cap I can wear in my suitcase.”
He easily hefted her large bag and plopped it on a wooden table. “You don’t travel light.”
“I like to be prepared to leave if needed,” she said but didn’t explain how most foster kids were always prepared to depart from the home they were staying in. “I would rather put this in the car so it doesn’t pick up any odors, but I’m afraid it’ll be stolen while we’re gone.”
“The SUV has an alarm system, but you could be right, and it’s best to leave it here.”
She got out her cap that she’d bought when she’d been trying to avoid the police in Portland and tucked her hair inside of it then pulled the brim low over her eyes. “Ready.”
Dev produced a cap from his backpack, too and secured it on his head. Outside, they both lowered their heads to the deluge of rain. The rush and low hum of freeway traffic filled the air as they crossed the lot with litter skittering across the cracked pavement in the brisk east wind. The rumble of a broken muffler on a worn station wagon that pulled through the lot covered the road traffic. The back of the vehicle was stuffed with possessions. Looked like someone was living in their car in this parking lot. She’d learned a bit about being homeless before she arrived at the training camp, spending a night in her car. She couldn’t sleep a wink and had no idea how people did it.
Sirens wailed in the background, winding closer. She instinctually moved closer to Dev. How she wished it were Micha at her side. She would snuggle up against him for protection. Not that she didn’t trust Dev’s skills. She did. He could protect her.
She looked up at him. His gaze constantly roved the area. So did hers, landing under the bridge ahead, where a small homeless camp sat at the far end.
“Keep an eye out here,” he said. “Listen for any instruction I might give and do it without hesitating. Okay?”
“Yes, of course.”
They slipped under the bridge, and she appreciated the lull in the rain. The folks sitting around a cut-down barrel with a fire glanced at them but paid them no other attention. They were probably used to being invisible. She wouldn’t be one of the people who walked by without offering to help. She would buy four hearty meals at the restaurant and bring them back to the campers.
They cleared the bridge, and the giant red neon sign with an arrow announcing Fat Eddie’s Diner loomed above.
Dev stopped in the heavy rain. Scanned the lot filled with big rigs. She knew that was a good sign as truckers usually knew which diners were decent and avoided the bad ones.
“Okay, we’re good,” Dev said. “I’ll handle choosing the table. You just follow my lead.”
At the door, he pulled it open for her, and bells jingled above as the scent of burgers and onions frying on a griddle snaked out to welcome them. A long counter stretched the entire length of the building and chrome stools with bright red vinyl tops were affixed to the floor. Most diners were alone and sat at the counter. She counted five couples in booths near the windows that spanned the front wall.
“Welcome to Fat Eddie’s,” a young waiter with a nametag that read Braxton said, then offered a ready smile on a face with bad acne. His hair was shaved on one side and long on the other. He wore all black and an apron that sagged with his pants. “Go ahead and seat yourself wherever you want, and I’ll come get your order.”
They crossed the clean black and white checkerboard floor down the row of booths, also in red vinyl, to one in the back by the restrooms. Not the spot she would’ve chosen, but it was the only one situated away from the windows and where no one could surprise them from behind.
Dev pointed at the first seat. “You’re here.”
She slid in and had to admit she didn’t like having her back to the door, but she much preferred that Dev could see what was going on than her. If danger lurked, he was far more capable of warning her and handling it.
He grabbed menus and handed one to her. She was pleasantly surprised that the plastic beneath her fingers was clean and not greasy. She glanced down the page to the specials. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy with green beans. Yes, comfort food, and she didn’t need to look any further.
Braxton arrived with a coffee pot. Ava and Dev both turned over their cups.
“Looks like you got inside just before the rain really started.” Braxton tipped his head at the window where rain pelted against the glass, and he filled their cups with steaming black coffee. “Supposed to be a real toad-strangler out there. Supposed to last for three days.”
Not helpful for them in the least.
He set the pot down. “What can I get you?”
“Is the meatloaf good?” Ava asked.
