South of Superior - Ellen Airgood [22]
“Nothing! I didn’t have anything else to do so I came down to see Roscoe and Annie. I was mad because they cut off my credit at the grocery, I didn’t want to sit at the bar there in town and have one of the Bensons come in, I’d have probably lit into them. I mean, I have a kid to support, who do they think they are? So I came down here. Roscoe’s my cousin, you know. I knew they wouldn’t let Us starve.”
“Are you out of food at home?” Paul asked, and Madeline was impressed at how matter-of-fact he was about it, like a doctor asking about some humiliating symptom, impersonal and yet kind.
Randi shrugged. “We had that meat loaf and stuff Gladys sent, and it was real good, but it’s gone now. I’m just kind of sick of peanut butter on bread.”
“Lily said Emil Sainio’s the only one that came through today. She said he got some gas, bought a couple of things, more than an hour ago now. I wonder—”
“Emil Sainio is not going to kidnap Greyson!” Gladys snapped. “You’re wasting time. You’ve watched too much TV. How about actually doing something?”
Madeline wondered how Paul kept from bristling at Gladys. He even sort of smiled at her. “I know. But we’ve covered everything we think could have happened. So now we’ve got to look at what couldn’t, right?”
Gladys grudgingly nodded.
“So. What if Greyson stowed away with Emil, rode back Up the highway with him, and Emil didn’t know it?”
“He’s not going to do something like that,” Randi cried. “Why would he? He never wanders off from me, never. He’s real good.” Tears brimmed in her eyes.
This was almost Unbearable to Madeline. Of course the boy was good, he had to be, he was busy looking after his mother, who seemed about as reliable as the weather, but let him do something Unpredictable for once—Madeline wanted to cram the fact that all this was her own fault down Randi’s throat. Why act Upset now? Why not pay attention in the first place? Her stomach churned with anger.
“I’ll stay here with you while Paul goes and checks, Randi,” Gladys said. “Madeline, you take Arbutus home and then come back and fetch me.”
“No,” Arbutus said. “I’ll stay too. I’m fine.”
Gladys began to argue but Arbutus set her chin. “I’m staying and there’s no Use in arguing about it so you might as well not even start.”
But Madeline had to escape. “I’ll go with you.” Paul looked surprised but didn’t object, and she followed him to his car. It was big and old, muted red with shiny chrome.
Paul opened the passenger door and Madeline was startled but oddly touched. He checked she was well settled in before closing it with a firm assurance that surprised her again. She ran a hand over the upholstery—red vinyl with white piping trim.
“Genu-ine imitation leather,” Paul said, sliding into the driver’s seat.
“It’s nice. What year is it?”
“It’s a 1963 Ford Fairlane. Most of them rusted to pieces, I was lucky to find her.” He turned on the ignition and country music blared out the speakers. He switched the radio off. “It’s the only station I can get, so I play it really loud, hoping it’ll make me like it better.”
“That makes all kinds of sense.”
Paul smiled. A few miles down the road he said, “You’re pretty Upset.”
She kept her expression neutral with difficulty. “It’s scary, a kid getting lost.”
“I know, but I don’t think he is. Lost, I mean. He’s just not one to wander off.”
“Mmm,” Madeline said, thinking, Wake up. Anything could’ve happened.
“I really do think he’s okay.”
“I hope you’re right.” She stared out the window, not trusting herself to say anything else. They rode on in silence.
Greyson Hopkins had it pretty much figured out. He had to help his mom, who was worried about a bunch of stuff. The main thing was food—the mean people at the store said she couldn’t have any more. Old Mrs. Hansen had sent that box—the