Domino Falls by Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due Page B

Mademoiselle dated the year before, and Kendra wondered how many times she’d flipped through the wrinkled pages. “No gas till Friday,” she said. “Probably Saturday, truth be told.”
    Kendra spotted the small ham radio under the counter. The black box–like device looked like a bulky CD player covered with knobs and windows.
    â€œDo you let people use your radio?”
    â€œDepends,” the woman said. “Why do you want it?”
    â€œTo call Devil’s Wake? I might have family there. It’s—”
    The woman glanced at the wall clock, an old glittering image of the Bay Bridge, something from a tourist shop. It was after seven-thirty. “Might be a little late for Max to be there,” she said, “but let’s give him a try.”
    The drumming began in Kendra’s chest again. Terry gave her a warning look— Don’t get your hopes up, he seemed to say. What was wrong with hoping?
    The attendant operated the radio for her, calling out with a cigarette-roughened voice. “This is CrazyLady, Domino Falls, California. Looking for Devil’s Wake,” she said. She waited a few seconds, and then repeated her call. “Devil’s Wake—do you copy?”
    Kendra’s chest felt tight. What if no one answered?
    The radio sputtered to life. “CrazyLady?” There was static. “You’re dropping out.”
    â€œNewbie asked me to give you a holler,” the woman said, and gave Kendra the handheld transmitter. “Quick, I might lose the signal.”
    For a moment, Kendra didn’t know where to begin. “My name is Kendra Brookings. Is there a . . . Stella Carver on the island?” She was so surprised to reach Devil’s Wake, she’d almost forgotten her great-aunt’s name.
    She expected a long wait while he flipped through records, but he answered right away. “Stella? Sure! The librarian.”
    Kendra froze, wondering if she was dreaming. Maybe that was it. She’d been dreaming since they first drove into Threadville. The attendant smiled, happy for her.
    â€œShe’s my great-aunt,” Kendra said. “Can you get her on the line?”
    The guy on the other end, Max, laughed. “Hey now, I’m not a phone operator. Doesn’t quite work like that. I’ll have her here at noon tomorrow, though.”
    The woman behind the counter shook her head, taking the mic from Kendra. “You know I’m dead air without the power,” she said. “I’ve got juice for another twenty minutes. Can’t you go run and get her?”
    Half of what Max said next was lost to static. “—your own personal valet service out here, Gloria, I shoulda been home an hour ago—” When his voice cut out again, Gloria’s mischievoussmile gave her away. She was interfering with his transmission.
    â€œWhat’s that?” Gloria said into the mic. “I didn’t copy that. So you’ll go run and fetch Stella Carver so she can talk to her surviving family? Her name’s Kendra.”
    This time, the radio buzzed with silence, and Kendra was afraid he was gone. Finally, Max sighed. “If Wales ever sends you out here on a goodwill mission or whatever, you better duck if you see me coming, lady. I’ll get her, but you owe me.”
    â€œHurry, Max—seriously, blackout in twenty minutes.”
    Max cursed, and the radio went quiet.
    For the first few seconds, Kendra held her breath as if she expected Aunt Stella to simply materialize. “Thanks so much,” she told the girl. “Will he really go get her?”
    â€œHe’s gonna try.” She stared at the clock warily. “Don’t know if he’ll make it.”
    Kendra’s heartbeat pulsed in her fingertips, so she squeezed Terry’s hand.
    â€œThanks so much for helping us,” Terry said to Gloria, the first to remember his manners. “Just the way