From Pharaoh's Hand by Cynthia Green Read Free Book Online

for her. It does draw some attention away from the robbery, though. Two hours from now, we’ll be in the clear. They will never find her. 
                  Elizabeth had not come out of Waffle House. He was parked right in front of the building. She had not even returned from the restrooms. He would act quickly, corner her in the little hallway, and have a little discussion about her predicament. She would go with him, he was sure of it. He would promise her safe harbor. He would promise her whatever she wanted. But she would go with him.
                  Catfish left the engine running and went inside. He made his way back to the restrooms unnoticed by the busy waitress. Beth was exiting when he grabbed her arm, pushed her against a wall, and blocked her passage. The restrooms were around a corner. No one could see. He would just have to back off if someone rounded the corner. Beth gasped in surprise, then fear overtook her.
         “ What do you want?”
              “ You’re that runaway from Jackson aren’t you? I just heard it on my radio,” he spoke in low tones.
         “ What? How...”
               “ They are looking for you. Weren’t too smart to stay this close to home last night. They’ll find you for sure.”
         “ But...how...I mean…no one knows I’m gone.”
              “ They do now. And everyone’s looking for you. You’re in a heap o’ trouble, missy. What you gone and done?”
          “ Nothing...I… they’re going to kill me.” Beth was hyperventilating now what he was said sank in. “My parents must be worried sick. I have to get home.”
              “ If you go to the bus station, they will recognize you.  They will call the police. Even if you’re going home, you’re going to cause everyone a lot of trouble. The police won’t be happy with you for wasting their time. Why don’t you let me drop you off in Jackson?  I’ll drop you at the mall. You can then explain to your parents without having to have the police haul you in, in front of all the news and camera crews.”
         “ You’re right. My parents will just die.  I am so stupid.” She was crying now, grieving at what she knew the plan had cost her. She had taken a fast track to hell, and it just kept getting worse.
               “ Now straighten your face up, Missy. I’ll get you home where you belong. Just walk out like me and you’s is buddies. No one will know the wiser, especially since you’ve changed outfits.”
                  Elizabeth dried the tears on the sleeve of her navy sweat suit. She wished she had a hat, or some sort of jacket with a hood. But the weather was too warm, so she had left her coat in the car, along with her Wal-Mart vest and her purse. She took only her wallet and cell phone and had put both of them in the backpack she now carried, which she was thinking now, was way too conspicuous. Together they walked out casually and got in the truck, which was still idling,
                  Beth had to slam the door of the truck twice to get it to stay shut. The floorboard was littered with beer cans and trash, the ashtray loaded with old butts, the seats were ripped and torn. She looked out the dirty windows and sighed.
         “ What will we do if we get stopped between here and home?” she asked.
               “ Well, I sorta doubt they will be looking for traffic coming into Jackson. They probably will be checking the traffic leaving town.  If you kinda get down in the floor there, we’re not likely to be stopped.” Catfish answered.
                  He, too, had already wondered what the plan was. If he could just make it the Law Road exit outside of Jackson, he could hit Highway 412 to Lexington, go through Parsons, and be well on his way to Perry County in no time. The most dangerous leg of the journey would be on the Interstate from the