bone at the cold temperatures outside. I must have left something in the back of the van because the stench inside was enough to make me gag. No sooner had I started the van and cranked the heat did someone stick his head between the seats.
“What’s up, Gabster?”
I screamed and clutched my heart. That’s when I got a good look at the “intruder.” I lowered my hands and my racing heart slowed. “Henry? What are you doing? Why are you in my van?” The smell. I should have known.
“I don’t have anywhere else to go. The FBI is looking for me.”
I gave him my best “duh” expression. “You think? So you thought you could hide in my van? Where’s Sierra?”
“I don’t know. I was hoping you could help me find her.” He smacked his bubble gum. I didn’t even want to know where the freegan got that. Underneath a desk?
I swiveled so hard in my chair that my neck nearly twisted off my head. “What do you mean? What do you know, Henry?”
He shrugged, and I noted that he looked just as unshaven and homeless as ever in his oversized coat and faded ball cap. “I know she’s in trouble.”
Irritation pinched my spine. “Yeah, I gathered that also. Why’s she in trouble? What did you get her into?”
He threw his hands in the air as if I was the crazy one. Was it my imagination or did some wilted lettuce and soggy tomatoes fly out of his sleeves at the action? Just where had he been dumpster diving now? “I didn’t get her into anything. I’m just as clueless about all of this as you are.”
“I have a hard time believing that’s true.”
“It is. I just want her to be okay.” His eyes softened, but I didn’t buy it. The action looked too purposeful and not all that natural and sincere.
“I’m pretty sure you were the last person to see her. That makes you my first suspect.”
“I’d never hurt Sierra. Never. I did meet with Sierra for a while yesterday. It wasn’t to bomb any buildings or burn down any housing developments, though. We were going to go protest at a pet store. She canceled on me at the last minute. Said she had to go meet with someone.”
I sat up straighter as my internal clue-o-meter began registering. “Who?”
“She didn’t say. I haven’t heard from her since then. But she wasn’t acting like herself.”
“That’s all you can tell me?”
“It’s all I know.”
I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, wondering how much time I was wasting by having this conversation. “I’m going to do a job right now, Henry. I can’t take you with me. I can’t even let you stay in my apartment because I, for starters, don’t want to get arrested. Secondly, I’m still not sure I believe you.”
“I’m innocent, Gabby. You’ll see.” He grabbed the door handle. “I’m going to run now. I’ll be in touch, though.”
He disappeared out one side, as Riley slipped into the other.
Riley froze, as if contemplating whether to chase the person who’d just escaped or check on me. His eyes shifted back and forth in confusion and suspicion. Finally, in an even tone, he asked, “Who was that?”
I bit my lips a moment. “That was Henry.”
“Henry?”
I nodded. “Yeah. He thinks Sierra is in trouble, too.” I relayed our conversation.
Riley’s eyes met mine. “I don’t like this, Gabby.”
The weight on my shoulders felt even heavier just then. “I don’t either. I don’t either.”
***
Riley paused in the center of the dimly-lit living room, his gaze scanning the crime scene around him. A heaviness seemed to settle over him at the sight. The spot where a life had been taken from his earth could do that to a person. “You were right, Gabby. This scene is grizzly.”
I paused from my spot on the floor where I worked a scrub brush with enough skill to make a custodian jealous. “I warned you.”
“That you did.”
I leaned back on my heels, concern for Riley spreading over me. Not everyone was cut out for this, not even tough guys. I
“What’s up, Gabster?”
I screamed and clutched my heart. That’s when I got a good look at the “intruder.” I lowered my hands and my racing heart slowed. “Henry? What are you doing? Why are you in my van?” The smell. I should have known.
“I don’t have anywhere else to go. The FBI is looking for me.”
I gave him my best “duh” expression. “You think? So you thought you could hide in my van? Where’s Sierra?”
“I don’t know. I was hoping you could help me find her.” He smacked his bubble gum. I didn’t even want to know where the freegan got that. Underneath a desk?
I swiveled so hard in my chair that my neck nearly twisted off my head. “What do you mean? What do you know, Henry?”
He shrugged, and I noted that he looked just as unshaven and homeless as ever in his oversized coat and faded ball cap. “I know she’s in trouble.”
Irritation pinched my spine. “Yeah, I gathered that also. Why’s she in trouble? What did you get her into?”
He threw his hands in the air as if I was the crazy one. Was it my imagination or did some wilted lettuce and soggy tomatoes fly out of his sleeves at the action? Just where had he been dumpster diving now? “I didn’t get her into anything. I’m just as clueless about all of this as you are.”
“I have a hard time believing that’s true.”
“It is. I just want her to be okay.” His eyes softened, but I didn’t buy it. The action looked too purposeful and not all that natural and sincere.
“I’m pretty sure you were the last person to see her. That makes you my first suspect.”
“I’d never hurt Sierra. Never. I did meet with Sierra for a while yesterday. It wasn’t to bomb any buildings or burn down any housing developments, though. We were going to go protest at a pet store. She canceled on me at the last minute. Said she had to go meet with someone.”
I sat up straighter as my internal clue-o-meter began registering. “Who?”
“She didn’t say. I haven’t heard from her since then. But she wasn’t acting like herself.”
“That’s all you can tell me?”
“It’s all I know.”
I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, wondering how much time I was wasting by having this conversation. “I’m going to do a job right now, Henry. I can’t take you with me. I can’t even let you stay in my apartment because I, for starters, don’t want to get arrested. Secondly, I’m still not sure I believe you.”
“I’m innocent, Gabby. You’ll see.” He grabbed the door handle. “I’m going to run now. I’ll be in touch, though.”
He disappeared out one side, as Riley slipped into the other.
Riley froze, as if contemplating whether to chase the person who’d just escaped or check on me. His eyes shifted back and forth in confusion and suspicion. Finally, in an even tone, he asked, “Who was that?”
I bit my lips a moment. “That was Henry.”
“Henry?”
I nodded. “Yeah. He thinks Sierra is in trouble, too.” I relayed our conversation.
Riley’s eyes met mine. “I don’t like this, Gabby.”
The weight on my shoulders felt even heavier just then. “I don’t either. I don’t either.”
***
Riley paused in the center of the dimly-lit living room, his gaze scanning the crime scene around him. A heaviness seemed to settle over him at the sight. The spot where a life had been taken from his earth could do that to a person. “You were right, Gabby. This scene is grizzly.”
I paused from my spot on the floor where I worked a scrub brush with enough skill to make a custodian jealous. “I warned you.”
“That you did.”
I leaned back on my heels, concern for Riley spreading over me. Not everyone was cut out for this, not even tough guys. I
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