"Fine how? Is?—"
"You'll have to ask Enzo, or even Lyndall herself."
"Well, I can't. I have you. I don't want to speak to your creepy stalker friend."
"I'll give him idiot, but not creepy. Talk to him. Where are you? Just because we got her back doesn't mean you're safe."
I dig my heels in. "Enzo is the danger. Enzo."
"And the man with the gun?"
His words slap at me.
He's not wrong. At all.
The man with the gun wasn't Enzo. And Enzo wouldn't kidnap his sister, and he certainly wouldn't throw her around, either.
"I don't know him. And I'm sorry that happened. I didn't mean..." I stop. "I wish I could trust Enzo, but I can't. He violated my trust."
"Lola, please. It's not safe."
"I'm glad Lyndall's okay. Tell Enzo I never meant harm to his sister." I look down the highway.
There are some trucks coming along, and I know I have to hang up and lose the phone.
I don't think he can track the burner, but I don't want to call anyone associated with Enzo on the burner I have, the one in my backpack.
"Lola, I refuse to be the middleman between you and Enzo. You can sort that other shit out later, but safety is paramount."
"I can look after myself."
"Yeah, well, kid, if you want to know anything else, call Enzo, okay?"
I hang up on him.
Crushing my hand around the phone, I put my thumb out.
Four trucks go by.
I'm not reaching out to Enzo. I'm not spending time with him or speaking to him. I don't even want to see a photo of him.
Not now.
Not for a very long time.
The sixth truck pulls over, and the female driver pushes open the door. "Get in, honey, I'll take you as far as I can."
"Thanks. I'm Kate."
"Penny." She winks at me. "You don't mind punk, do ya?"
Conversation with Penny, when we can fit words around the loud old-school punk, is nice.
She doesn't ask me about me, just tells me where she is heading and offers three spots to drop me off. She also tells me if I want to talk about anything, she is there for me, and if I don't, we have the music.
The sun is setting when she pulls up in front of the motel.
"Damn cheap, no questions. Cash. No ID." That's what Penny tells me before bidding me goodbye and good luck.
