the ticket counter. “Let’s do it. We’re better off on the bus than hanging around in downtown Denver at night. When we get to Fort Collins, we’ll get a motel room. I’ll bring you back to Denver tomorrow.”
After buying the tickets, Lynnette, with Grace in tow, walked to the snack bar and sat at a table. Blue joined them a few minutes later. “Get the tickets?” she said.
Grace nodded. “I still don’t want to go. Can’t you come up with a better idea, Blue?”
“I don’t think so. And after that smart-aleck remark about me dumpster-diving, I’m having second thoughts about helping you.”
“See?” Grace said, poking Lynnette on the arm.
Lynnette pulled away. “Stop it, Grace. I can’t think with you two sniping at each other. Blue, if you’re a college student, you need to act your age.”
“What kind of college student are you?” Grace asked. “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Blue crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back. “I have two majors. I’m studying a lot of different things.”
“Like what?” Grace said.
“You’re one nosy kid, aren’t you?”
Grace looked at the table and made a face that clearly said, “Whatever.”
C HAPTER 10
----
Denver, Colorado
Wednesday, January 22
By the time Lynnette and Grace finished eating, they had less than an hour to wait. Lynnette still had to figure out the best way to get herself and Grace to Los Angeles. Grace expected her father to return from Afghanistan on Sunday, or so she said. They could continue to leave messages on his cell phone and answering machine, but Lynnette had a feeling they would reach Grace’s mom first. What if the woman called the police? Or worse, what if she threatened to call the police if Lynnette didn’t escort Grace to Florida at Lynnette’s expense?
Lynnette stared at the tickets she’d laid on the table. “I wonder if this is a good idea.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea at all,” said Grace. “How do you get anywhere from Fort Collins, Colorado?”
“That’s not it,” Blue said. “She’s still trying to ditch her old man. She’s afraid he’ll find her easier if she goes to a small town.”
“Look it up on the Internet,” Grace said. “Maybe there’s a way to connect up with the train from there. That’s how I figured out the best way to get to Los Angeles. Amtrak’s on there. And Greyhound. All the airlines.”
Lynnette studied Grace’s expression with concern. “You figured it out? Grace, did you buy your own ticket or did your mom do it?”
Grace laughed. “My mom doesn’t know how to use the Internet except for email. The only other thing she does on the computer is play Minesweeper.”
“Your mother does not know where you are, does she?”
“Yes, she does. She watched me while I made the reservation and she filled in the credit card number herself.”
“She took you to the airport gate and watched you get on the plane?”
“Yes.”
“But she never talked to your dad to confirm he planned to meet you at the airport.”
“I told you. They don’t talk.”
“This is so farfetched,” Lynnette said.
Grace widened her eyes and let her jaw drop as though she couldn’t believe Lynnette would doubt her word. Blue laughed out loud.
“When is your mom supposed to get back?” Lynnette asked.
“Monday.”
“And by then your dad would be home.”
“Honest, Lynnette, she’s not going to check on me.”
“And what if she did? What if she decided to call your dad and make sure you arrived safely?”
Grace didn’t answer.
Blue looked on, intensely interested in the exchange, but said nothing.
The kid was beginning to get on Lynnette’s nerves. When Grace had told her earlier that she lived on her own a lot, Lynnette had not believed her. Now she wondered. She could be in a whole lot of trouble if anyone stopped Grace and questioned her. “The facts, Grace.”
“Everything I told you is true.”
“Did you leave a message for
After buying the tickets, Lynnette, with Grace in tow, walked to the snack bar and sat at a table. Blue joined them a few minutes later. “Get the tickets?” she said.
Grace nodded. “I still don’t want to go. Can’t you come up with a better idea, Blue?”
“I don’t think so. And after that smart-aleck remark about me dumpster-diving, I’m having second thoughts about helping you.”
“See?” Grace said, poking Lynnette on the arm.
Lynnette pulled away. “Stop it, Grace. I can’t think with you two sniping at each other. Blue, if you’re a college student, you need to act your age.”
“What kind of college student are you?” Grace asked. “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Blue crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back. “I have two majors. I’m studying a lot of different things.”
“Like what?” Grace said.
“You’re one nosy kid, aren’t you?”
Grace looked at the table and made a face that clearly said, “Whatever.”
C HAPTER 10
----
Denver, Colorado
Wednesday, January 22
By the time Lynnette and Grace finished eating, they had less than an hour to wait. Lynnette still had to figure out the best way to get herself and Grace to Los Angeles. Grace expected her father to return from Afghanistan on Sunday, or so she said. They could continue to leave messages on his cell phone and answering machine, but Lynnette had a feeling they would reach Grace’s mom first. What if the woman called the police? Or worse, what if she threatened to call the police if Lynnette didn’t escort Grace to Florida at Lynnette’s expense?
Lynnette stared at the tickets she’d laid on the table. “I wonder if this is a good idea.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea at all,” said Grace. “How do you get anywhere from Fort Collins, Colorado?”
“That’s not it,” Blue said. “She’s still trying to ditch her old man. She’s afraid he’ll find her easier if she goes to a small town.”
“Look it up on the Internet,” Grace said. “Maybe there’s a way to connect up with the train from there. That’s how I figured out the best way to get to Los Angeles. Amtrak’s on there. And Greyhound. All the airlines.”
Lynnette studied Grace’s expression with concern. “You figured it out? Grace, did you buy your own ticket or did your mom do it?”
Grace laughed. “My mom doesn’t know how to use the Internet except for email. The only other thing she does on the computer is play Minesweeper.”
“Your mother does not know where you are, does she?”
“Yes, she does. She watched me while I made the reservation and she filled in the credit card number herself.”
“She took you to the airport gate and watched you get on the plane?”
“Yes.”
“But she never talked to your dad to confirm he planned to meet you at the airport.”
“I told you. They don’t talk.”
“This is so farfetched,” Lynnette said.
Grace widened her eyes and let her jaw drop as though she couldn’t believe Lynnette would doubt her word. Blue laughed out loud.
“When is your mom supposed to get back?” Lynnette asked.
“Monday.”
“And by then your dad would be home.”
“Honest, Lynnette, she’s not going to check on me.”
“And what if she did? What if she decided to call your dad and make sure you arrived safely?”
Grace didn’t answer.
Blue looked on, intensely interested in the exchange, but said nothing.
The kid was beginning to get on Lynnette’s nerves. When Grace had told her earlier that she lived on her own a lot, Lynnette had not believed her. Now she wondered. She could be in a whole lot of trouble if anyone stopped Grace and questioned her. “The facts, Grace.”
“Everything I told you is true.”
“Did you leave a message for
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