Page 28 of Second Start: Family
Dan turned another page, then slowly lifted his head, the steady regard disinterested. Hall gestured for him to come out.
His son hesitated, expelled a short, deep sigh then slouched off the bed and out to where Hall waited. It didn’t seem like a kid should be able to slouch like that when the line of his shoulders was as tight as a banjo string.
“I’m going out for a while. I’ll lock up before I go, and you can go to sleep, but I want you to know I’m not in the house.”
Dan gave him a short, sharp look. For once Hall could read his son’s expression. And he wished he couldn’t.
What difference does it make to us if you’re in the house or not?
“Keep an ear open for the younger ones waking up.”
“Yeah.”
Dan slouched back into the room.
*
Hall was still stewing about his son’s responses as he braked in front of Vicky’s trailer.
Not the spoken response — but he knew Dan would look out for his little brother and sisters. It was the unspoken one that gave the truck door that extra push that slammed it loudly in the stillness.
One light came from the left end of Kenzie Smith’s trailer — the opposite side from the steps and the door, so probably the bedroom.
He turned his head sharply toward Vicky’s trailer. The light over the steps was on, along with one dim light from deep inside. That didn’t look good, but he went up these steps and knocked on the door anyhow.
The last rap hadn’t yet faded when a sound pulled his attention back to the other trailer.
Kenzie stood with one foot on the ground and the other still on the last step leading to her trailer’s door, which was open behind her. Lights now traced a path through the trailer. She wore sweatpants and a long-sleeved sweatshirt, with a small multicolored blanket wrapped around her shoulders. He hadn’t bothered to add a jacket to his shirt — if she was cold now it was going to be a long winter for her.
“Sorry to disturb you Miss Kenz— Ms. Smith.” He spoke up right away, not wanting a repeat of that first night when he’d scared her. “I’m looking for Vick.”
She squinted against the light behind him. He stepped forward to make it easier for her to see who it was.
“Oh. Mr. Quick — Hall…” She backed up to have both feet on the bottom step. “She must not be back yet. I thought you might be Vicky … but when I heard the truck door. I didn’t know who it was.”
He’d moved close enough now to see her face. “You shouldn’t have come out if you’re worried — not without a shotgun.”
Her mouth pursed.
“You don’t own a gun.” It was a statement, not a guess.
“No.”
“You should.”
“Mr. Quick, I don’t—”
“Oh, hell, I don’t have time to talk about this now. Though prairie rattlesnakes can be found around here. More important, they can find you. Anyway, I’ve got an emergency. Do—”
“An emergency? What—?”
“—you know how to make a cake?”
“What?”
“A cake. Do you know how to make a cake?”
“Acakeis your emergency?”
