Page 17 of Nomad

“So they say.” He reached down and opened the air vents to let in some fresh air. “It’s quiet, too. So quiet you can hear somebody comin’ from a long ways off. I mean if it’s an engine.”

“I knew what you meant. You’re not gonna get into trouble for this.”

Cann snorted. “How do you figure that? If your daddy wants to claim I kidnapped a minor, he’ll do it. And who do you think people are gonna believe? Me? Or a Texas Ranger?”

“They’re not like almighty virtue, you know.”

“Doesn’t matter. Public perception is what matters. Once again. Who do you think people are gonna believe? Me? Or him?”

She stared hard at Cann’s profile. “I think they’ll believe me.”

He barked out a derisive laugh. “Really? And what are you gonna tell ‘em, little girl?”

“I’m not a little girl. When I get the chance, I’m gonna tell the truth. That you’re this baby’s hero. That he owes you his life. He or, um, she.”

Cann could tell by her ragged intake of breath that she meant what she said. And for a second or two, it felt to Cann like time froze in place. The last thing that he’d ever expected to be called in this life or any other washero.

Of course he knew Molly felt that way, but it was just a vague idea of loving him no matter what. Not the kind of thing the girl meant.

“I’m no hero. I’m just a guy who happened across a runaway girl.”

“That’s what makes you a hero, Johns. People come across runaways every day and just keep walkin’. Not you.” She watched his profile illuminated by the dashboard lights and repeated, “You’re different.” He glanced out the driver’s side window and almost missed what she said next because it was so quiet. “Special.”

He didn’t know what to think about that or feel about it either. Cann knew he wasn’t the world’s most educated guy, but if there was one thing he did know, it was that he wasnotspecial. Different, maybe.

After they’d ridden in silence for a while, Bud said, “You want me to pour you some coffee?”

Cann nodded. “Yeah. That’d be good.”

“Are you sleepy?” she asked.

He smiled. “No. But I probably will be before we get there.”

“You want me to drive?”

“I’ve seen the way you drive, sugar. You’re not getting behind the wheel at night on the roads between here and Big Bend. We need to go as fast as we can without getting stopped and the two-lane blacktops have surprises at night.”

“What kind of surprises?”

“Cows that get out. We’d definitely survive that in this dually, but we don’t want to be left by the side of the road with a cow carcass and a disabled vehicle. Other animals wander out onto the road sometimes. Deer that…”

“Get caught in headlights?”

They both laughed.

“Yes. Sometimes signs are down right before you get to a hairpin curve. One time, way out near where we’re goin’, I saw twin mountain lions by the side of the road. Babies. Not more than a few months old. Damnedest thing.”

“Mountain lions?” She sounded alarmed.

“Told you it’s wild out there. And remote.”

“But mountain lions?”

“They gotta live somewhere and they have no appreciation for city planning.”

“Ha. Ha. Are there lots?”

“Lots of mountain lions?” He smiled wickedly. “At least two.” She looked out into the darkness. “Not here. We just left Austin. Bet you can get somethin’ on the radio.”

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