Untraceable

Survival Skill #36

When night hiking, make a note of any landmarks and use your five senses.

~

Billy’s voice squeaks. “What do we do now? We probably shouldn’t hang around here.”

Al cracks his knuckles. “I got a plan, don’t worry.”

“Shouldn’t we run everything by the boss first? We could get in some hot water and don’t need any more trouble.”

Al growls and grabs Billy’s collar, lifting him off the ground. “You on my side still? Because you don’t want to be on my bad side.”

Billy looks terrified. “I’ll do whatever you say.”

Al drops him to the ground. “Then let’s go. I want to find him before it gets too dark.”

My hands sweat. When were they released? My legs are cramped and start to tingle as they fall asleep. I shift from one leg to the other, and my toe grazes a tin can. It clinks across the asphalt.

Al snaps his head in my direction. “You hear that?”

I flatten my body against the pavement and slide under an Oldsmobile. My lungs burn but I refuse to take in air for fear they’ll hear me. I know things won’t go well if these guys catch me snooping again. From my position under the sedan’s oily belly, I can see their ankles.

Billy pipes up. “What do you think?”

Al grunts. “Probably just a raccoon.” He pulls a green bandana out of his pocket and wipes his brow. “Come on! Boss comes back, he’ll be more than pissed if we’s still hanging around here.”

After the men leave, I exhale through my nose and shimmy out from under the car. I try to make sense of everything floating around in my clouded head. I squeeze my eyes shut and replay every second of the scene, trying to pick out any additional clues. Who let them out? And what boss are they referring to? Then something clicks as I replay their short conversation. I want to find him before it gets too dark.

They’re probably going after Mo.

Energy pumps through me. I need to warn him before Al gets there first. I glance at my watch. He’ll probably be at the river. How can I get there without my bike?

I sneak out to the main drag and am about to cross the street when my phone rings. I immediately recognize the number and pick up, stepping back behind the corner. I keep my voice somewhat low. “Hey, Mama Sue. Did you find something?”

I’m still on the phone when Les walks out of the convenience store. He doesn’t see me as he heads toward his truck.

Mama Sue’s voice crackles through the fuzzy connection. “I sent the photos we copied to a custom boot guy I know in Tennessee. You’ll be happy to know he found a customer order and a name that matched that print by the truck.”

I slide out the picture I printed off Carl’s computer and smile into the phone. “Let me guess, Alfred Smith?”

She pauses. “Well, yes. How’d you know?”

“Lucky guess.” I watch as Les chucks some stuff into the bed of his truck. “Did you find out any more on the print at Station 19?”

“No, even if that one was custom made, it’ll be impossible to trace.”

I prop the phone against my cheek. “Even for you? Why?”

“The tread’s too light. Barely visible.”

My eyes follow Les. He trips then bends over to tie his frayed laces. When I focus in on his ancient boots, I almost swallow my tongue. “Let me guess. If the tread’s too light, the boot is old. Right?”