Small as an Elephant - Jennifer Richard Jacobson [52]
And he was starving. Unfortunately, they’d already passed through two towns with drive-throughs, and now they were back on a stretch of deserted road with very few businesses of any kind.
“Wyatt?”
Jack’s voice seemed to startle Wyatt out of a dream.
“Do you think I could borrow some money from you for food tonight? I promise I’ll pay you back — send it to you — when I get back home.”
“Or your grandmother could send it to me,” said Wyatt.
“Yeah, maybe.” He figured it wasn’t worth trying to explain the grandmother situation.
“What do you want to eat?”
A Big Mac was the first thing that came to mind, but Jack doubted they’d find a McDonald’s on this stretch.
“Anything,” said Jack. “Maybe there’s a store coming up. I’m sure I could find something.”
“Yeah, that’s the way to do it on the open road,” said Wyatt. “Just stop and see what life brings you.”
Yeah, life or the grocery truck, Jack thought, and instantly realized that that was what his mom would have said. He felt a burning in his chest and was grateful that they didn’t have to travel far before Wyatt pulled into the parking lot of a Citgo station with a convenience store.
“Here’s a ten. Let me know if you need more,” said Wyatt as they were hopping out of the van.
“Thanks,” said Jack. “I’m going to hit the men’s room first.” He entered the store and walked toward the back, keeping his head down and his cap pulled low.
He took one look at his bloody, scratched-up face in the mirror and wondered, What was I thinking? His face would definitely raise questions. He’d be stupid to try to buy something, especially since he was so close to getting to York. No. He’d figure out what he wanted and ask Wyatt to get it for him while he waited in the van.
He washed his face as gently as he could and then drank from the faucet.
As he left the restroom, Jack could hear Wyatt’s voice. Dang! If Wyatt was talking to someone, it would be hard to get his attention unnoticed. Jack stayed where he was, in a deserted aisle next to the Cheerios and cornflakes, hoping that Wyatt wouldn’t talk long.
“How far is York from Warren? Can you look it up?” Wyatt asked.
Jack listened for a response but didn’t hear anything.
“Holy cow,” Wyatt said.
He must be talking on his phone, Jack thought. Was he talking to Sylvie? He started toward Wyatt, planning to signal that he needed his attention.
“Search his name. See if his grandmother is offering a reward.”
A reward? Dang! Was Wyatt going to turn him in? And if he was, would he wait until after they’d arrived in York? Will he at least let me see the elephant first?
“Right there,” said a soft-spoken woman from somewhere behind him.
Jack looked up. There were round mirrors in the corners of the store. He moved forward until he could see two women behind the counter — one his mom’s age, one a teenager — both staring at the same mirror. Could they see him? Suddenly, whether Wyatt was going to turn him in or not didn’t matter anymore. He’d probably raised enough suspicion already, just standing frozen in the cereal aisle, to get himself caught. Jack casually backtracked to the entrance and bolted out the door.
Once Wyatt discovered he’d fled from the store, he probably wouldn’t be able to resist telling others that Jack was the missing boy. Maybe he hoped they’d still give him the reward, if there even was one.
So, how far was York from Warren? Jack wished he’d heard the answer. He must have run a