Aurora 08 - Poppy Done To Death by Charlaine Harris Read Free Book Online Page B

then?”
    “Uh, I went to the college campus—you know, the University of Memphis? And I found the Student Center, and I read the notices on the bulletin board.”
    I wondered how he had learned to do that.
    “And in those notices, there was one from two girls who needed a guy to ride with them to Birmingham. They were scared they’d have a flat tire or something, and I can at least change a flat tire. I think. Anyway, Britta never had one.”
    Britta. Hmm. “So they took you as far as Birmingham.”
    “Yeah.” If possible, Phillip’s face was an even deeper red. I was willing to bet those girls hadn’t known his true age, either, and I was thinking even more grimly that Phillip might need a blood test. “So from Birmingham, I just rode the bus.”
    “I’m glad you had the money left for that.”
    “Uh, Britta and Margery chipped in on it.”
    “You had a lot of adventures,” I said, smiling so I wouldn’t scream. He was lucky to be alive.
    “Yeah. I think, you know, I did okay.” He seemed to know that sounding any more boastful than that would get him a good slap on the wrist.
    “And all this time your parents haven’t known where you were?”
    He nodded.
    I could not even imagine how they were feeling.
    “How long has that been?” I asked in a voice I just barely managed to keep even.
    “Uh, let’s see. Two and a half days to Dallas, a half day to get the ride with Mr. Hammond, then the ride to Texarkana, where I helped him unload the truck, and then the other guy, the one in the pickup, that lasted about two hours, and I hid in the woods. . . .”
    I could feel all the blood draining from my face, and I sat down on the hood of Perry’s car, which was the closest.
    “Hey, Roe, don’t look so ... It wasn’t as bad as you’re probably thinking. I’d just. . . I’d never imagined . . . He probably wouldn’t have actually, uh, forced me. . . . I just freaked.”
    “That’s okay. That’s what people do when they’re faced with a scary situation. Hiding was the best way to make sure you were safe,” I said reasonably, thinking I would even try calling the Psychic Friends hot line to find out who this individual was who had ripped a hole out of my brother’s life. And then I’d rip a hole out of his.
    “Now,” I said briskly, “I think you’ve gotten up to four days?”
    “I think so. Anyway, I did get a ride with a chartered busload of people who were going to the gambling boats at Tunica— you know, right below Memphis? But I got them to drop me off in Memphis, because I thought I probably had a better chance at getting a ride in a city. And then I met Britta and Margery.”
    “So, your mom and dad haven’t known where you were for six days, give or take a day?”
    “Uh, well, I called them, you know.”
    I closed my eyes. Thank God.
    “I called them with my phone card, from pay phones. I’m almost out of minutes on it now. I just told them I was okay. I didn’t tell them I was coming to you.”
    And it had never occurred to them, because they hadn’t called me to ask me to be on the lookout. For some reason, that made me angry. My half brother is missing, and my own father can’t call me and let me know?
    I realized, looking up at his young face, that Phillip was exhausted. Though I hadn’t been around for much of Phillip’s youth, due to my father’s taking him far away from me—on purpose—when Phillip was in elementary school, I was sure that Phillip had had as sheltered and middle-class an upbringing as his parents could provide in Southern California.
    “Maybe they’ll let you stay for a while,” I said. “I sure would like that.”
    “I’m sorry they wouldn’t come to your wedding, or your husband’s funeral,” Phillip said miserably. “I really liked Mr. Bartell, when I met him. I tried to make them let me come by myself, but they wouldn’t listen.”
    “Hey, bud, that’s okay,” I said. Of course it hadn’t been, but his parents’ bad behavior