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"Well, that was sain He was standing ten feet off to the side with his hands in his pockets, looking at the ground "What about your friend?"

"Danny was the one who found us We heard hiood for you, Danny I’d say that e a darting, sidelong glance His face bore no expression at all "Okay"

"Why can’t I see what’s in the stadiuain

A look passed between April and Kittridge: Not a good idea

"Never mind about the stadiue "Have you seen anybody else?"

"Not for a while That doesn’t mean there aren’t any"

"But you don’t think so"

"Probably it’s wisest if we assue could see where this was all headed An hour ago he’d been riding down the side of a building, fleeing for his life Noas facing the prospect of looking after two kids and a man who couldn’t even meet his eye But the situation hat it was

"That your bus, Danny?" he said

The man nodded "I drive the blue route Number twelve"

A se had the feeling thewithout it "Feel like irl’s expression hardened "What e was taken aback; he hadn’t considered the possibility that the three of the, you put it that way I guess you’d have to invite me"

"Why can’t I see?" Tim whined

April rolled her eyes "For fk’s sake, Tim, just shut up about the stadiu!"

"And who are you going to tell?"

The boy was suddenly on the verge of tears "Don’t say that!"

"Listen," Kittridge cut in, "this really isn’t the tiht left I don’t think ant to be anywhere near here after dark"

Which hen the boy, sensing his opening, spun on his heels and bolted up the rae said "Both of you stay here"

He took off at a hobbling run, but with his leg, he was in no condition to close the gap; by the ti in the openduh Kittridge snatched him from behind and hoisted hiainst hiht Why had he let the kid get the jump on him like that?

By the ti a sound that was half hiccup, half whiround in front of April

"What do you think you were doing?" Her voice was thick with angry tears

"I’ off like that, you can’t" She shook hi "I’ve told you a thousand tie had round with his hands in his pockets

"They were really all alone?" he asked quietly

"Consuela ith them," Danny stated "But she left"

"Who’s Consuela?"

He gave a loose-li "She waits with Tim at the bus sometimes"

There wasn’t much else to say on the subject Maybe Danny wasn’t all there, but he’d rescued two helpless kids whose parents were ale had done

"So how about it,up that bus of yours?"

"Where are we going?"

"I was thinking Nebraska"

Chapter 11

They left an hour after dawn Grey took whatever he could find in the kitchen that still looked edible-a few re cans of soup, some stale crackers, a box of Wheaties, and bottles of water-and loaded it into the Volvo He didn’t have so much as a toothbrush of his own, but then Lila appeared in the hall with theeled suitcases

"I took the liberty of packing you some clothes"