Page 77 of Shadowed Witness

“Oh right! You’re prepping for the festival, aren’t you? I’m looking forward to visiting your booth. Hold on and I’ll grab your prescription.” She rushed off before Allye could respond.

Maybe it was better that way. Wool Fest, as much as she loved it, was the least of her concerns at the moment. But she had no desire to go into the details of the last week and especially not in a public place.

“Here you go.” Michelle set a paper bag on the counter and stated the copay amount.

Allye paid, trying not to wince at the price. “Thanks, Michelle. I’ll look for you at the festival.”

“Can’t wait! See you there!”

Bag in hand, she headed for the front of the store. Her steps slowed as she passed through the candy aisle. She eyed the Ghirardelli squares. She really shouldn’t ... but she could use a bit of chocolate tonight. Grabbing a variety pack, she rushed to the checkout counter. The cashier waved off her apology for the late purchase.

“No worries, hon. It’s only five past.” She counted the change back to her and stuck the receipt in the bag. As she pushed it across the counter, she nodded toward someone behind Allye. “You’re not the only one still here anyway.”

Allye took the offered bag and slipped her prescription into it before turning in the direction the woman indicated. A young man, his face obscured by a baseball hat, lingered by an endcap featuring an assortment of protein bars. At that moment, he glanced up. Their eyes met, and his widened.

“Dion.”

Before his name left her mouth, he was darting for the exit. She ran after him, but he had a few seconds’ lead, and he was fast. By the time she cleared the doors, he was nowhere in sight. Had he circled the building? She jogged to the nearest corner and poked her head around.

Nothing.

She spent several minutes searching, even combing the lot to see if he’d taken cover behind a parked car, but it was no use. The teen had given her the slip.

Exhausted, she slumped against the building, chest heaving. She needed to call someone. Dion couldn’t have gone far. Maybe there was still hope of finding him if help arrived quickly. She fished her phone from her purse. For the briefest of moments, she wished Eric were here. He’d know what to do.

Should she call him directly? He’d probably come himself.But part of her shrank at the thought. She still wasn’t ready to face him. But that was selfish, wasn’t it? Dion was more important.

Steeling herself, she entered his number and held the phone to her ear. It rang. And rang. Finally, it dumped her to voice mail. She didn’t bother to identify herself. “I just saw Dion at the pharmacy. He ran when he saw me. Not sure which way he went, but he was on foot, so he has to be close by somewhere. Uh, that’s it.” She hung up.

Now what? Should she call 911? She glanced around to make sure the teen hadn’t come back into view. He hadn’t, of course. Wait. Wasn’t there a tip line? She pulled up a browser and searched for the alert she’d seen the other day. There it was. The instructions said to call the PD’s nonemergency line.

Should have thought of that first. She entered the number and identified herself. Her phone signaled an incoming call, and she pulled it from her ear long enough to glance at the screen. Eric. He could wait. Forever, for all she cared.

She gave the little information she had and was assured an officer would be dispatched. After the call ended, she dropped her phone into her purse. She could go now, but she hated to leave before an officer arrived. If Dion was merely hiding out, she didn’t want to risk him slipping away in the interim.

But she needed to get off her feet before her legs decided not to hold her any longer. She eyed her car. She could wait inside. Forcing herself to take the first step, she trudged across the lot and climbed in.

Please, Jesus. Help them find him this time.Her energy might be too depleted to continue searching, but she could pray while she kept watch.

Dion still hadn’t reappeared when Eric’s car turned into the lot several minutes later, but that was her cue. Time to go.

DION CROUCHED BEHIND A DUMPSTERthat smelled like something was rotting in it. He wanted to kick himself. He’d known it was a bad idea to show up in the pharmacy right before closing when people were picking up last-minute meds.

But he’d taken the risk because he was hungry and didn’t want to walk the extra half mile to the gas station. Stupid decision.

He glared at the protein bar in his hand. He hadn’t meant to steal it. But when Allye recognized him, he’d panicked and taken off. Too bad he hadn’t had time to pay for it—and a few more. It would have to last him until tomorrow at least.

He shoved the bar into his pocket, then peeked around the dumpster. Looked like the coast was clear. He needed to get out of here before someone decided to look a little closer.

Pulling his cap low, he emerged from his hiding place. He glanced around. A car that looked like Eric’s was parked in the pharmacy lot. No one inside. Maybe he was in the pharmacy asking questions. If so, Dion needed to be gone before he came back out.

He forced himself to walk casually until he was out of sight of the store and its parking lot. Then he broke into a sprint and didn’t slow until he reached a wooded area bordering the road out of town.

Once he caught his breath, he pulled out the protein bar and savored a few bites as he headed for his new home. The abandoned barn he’d found to stay in didn’t look like much, but it was a roof over his head and provided some protection from the wind. Too bad there were no vending machines like when he was camping at Kincaid Lake.

Soon, he’d have to find someplace else to stay. Winter was coming, and he wouldn’t survive without better shelter. Maybe he’d migrate south for the winter—once he figured out how to settle things with Bernie.

BACK HOME,Allye made a fresh pot of chamomile tea, then settled into her office with the takeout she’d picked up as a consolation prize on her way back from the pharmacy. Hopefully, she could lose herself in work and not spend any more time wallowing in disappointment—either over Eric or over losing Dion again.

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