up in the morning.”
Although it already is morning, Ali thought.
“You’re sure you don’t mind?”
“Not at all.”
Ali knew Crystal was frightened and upset. She had come to get the girl, and Ali was prepared to be sympathetic and understanding, but Crystal’s adamant refusal to speak to her father was puzzling. Still, the warmth in the vehicle had worked its magic. At least Crystal’s teeth were no longer chattering.
“You should have talked to him,” Ali said. “You put your whole family through hell, Crystal. He just wanted to hear the sound of your voice so he could tell for himself that you were all right. Are you going to call your mom?”
“He’ll call her,” Crystal said defiantly. “Can’t we just go? Do we have to sit here all night?”
“You need to fasten your seat belt,” Ali reminded her.
“My mom doesn’t make us wear seat belts,” Crystal replied.
By then, Ali’s sympathy was pretty much stretched to the breaking point. I can’t help it if your mom’s an idiot, Ali thought. “Either fasten your seat belt or get out and walk,” Ali said firmly. “It’s up to you.”
“But you told my father you were taking me home,” Crystal argued.
“Yes, I did, but seat belt use is required in this state, and it’s nonnegotiable. I won’t break the law by letting you ride in my vehicle without one. So you choose. It’s either use your seat belt or get out. Which is it?”
With an exaggerated sigh, Crystal flung herself around in the seat, located the seat belt, fastened it, and then settled back into the seat. “Satisfied?” She scowled.
Ali shoved the Cayenne into reverse. Moments after exiting the deserted parking lot, they were back on the freeway. As they headed south, Ali wanted to know more about what Crystal had been up to, and since kindness didn’t seem to work, maybe a touch of toughness would.
“Whose house did you break into?” Ali asked evenly.
“Who says I broke in?” Crystal returned.
“Do I look stupid to you?” Ali wanted to know. “You weren’t standing around outside dressed like that the whole time you were waiting for me, and if you’d been loitering over by the gas station, somebody would have called the cops.”
There was a pause. “I didn’t hurt anything,” Crystal said finally. “I was cold and hungry, and I didn’t have any money. Only there wasn’t any food in the house. Not even crackers.”
Since being tough was working, Ali didn’t let up. “Well, boo-hoo-hoo,” she said with zero sympathy in her voice “Everybody should leave some food lying around the house so whatever burglars happen to break in won’t have to go hungry. Why did you run away?”
“You’re not a cop. You can’t ask me all these questions.”
“No, I’m not a cop,” Ali agreed. “I’m just the poor dope who’s spending a couple of hours of her beauty sleep saving your butt from freezing to death. So consider this a replay of the seat belt situation. Answer the questions or I’ll stop the car and let you out.”
There was another long period of silence. Finally Crystal said, “I wanted to come see my dad. I wanted to come live with him.”
“But you wouldn’t talk to him on the phone just now.”
“He’s mad at me.”
“If you wanted to come live with him, you should have asked; you should have discussed the custody situation with the adults in your life instead of running away.”
“There wasn’t any use in asking,” Crystal said. “Mom wouldn’t let me.”
“How did you get here?” Ali asked. “It’s a long way from Vegas to Mund’s Park.”
Again there was a pause before Crystal answered. “I hitchhiked,” she said at last.
Ali was appalled. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?”
“I didn’t have enough money for a bus ticket,” Crystal explained. “And the guys who gave me rides were mostly pretty nice. The one who gave me a ride from Boulder City even bought me lunch in Kingman.”
“For
Although it already is morning, Ali thought.
“You’re sure you don’t mind?”
“Not at all.”
Ali knew Crystal was frightened and upset. She had come to get the girl, and Ali was prepared to be sympathetic and understanding, but Crystal’s adamant refusal to speak to her father was puzzling. Still, the warmth in the vehicle had worked its magic. At least Crystal’s teeth were no longer chattering.
“You should have talked to him,” Ali said. “You put your whole family through hell, Crystal. He just wanted to hear the sound of your voice so he could tell for himself that you were all right. Are you going to call your mom?”
“He’ll call her,” Crystal said defiantly. “Can’t we just go? Do we have to sit here all night?”
“You need to fasten your seat belt,” Ali reminded her.
“My mom doesn’t make us wear seat belts,” Crystal replied.
By then, Ali’s sympathy was pretty much stretched to the breaking point. I can’t help it if your mom’s an idiot, Ali thought. “Either fasten your seat belt or get out and walk,” Ali said firmly. “It’s up to you.”
“But you told my father you were taking me home,” Crystal argued.
“Yes, I did, but seat belt use is required in this state, and it’s nonnegotiable. I won’t break the law by letting you ride in my vehicle without one. So you choose. It’s either use your seat belt or get out. Which is it?”
With an exaggerated sigh, Crystal flung herself around in the seat, located the seat belt, fastened it, and then settled back into the seat. “Satisfied?” She scowled.
Ali shoved the Cayenne into reverse. Moments after exiting the deserted parking lot, they were back on the freeway. As they headed south, Ali wanted to know more about what Crystal had been up to, and since kindness didn’t seem to work, maybe a touch of toughness would.
“Whose house did you break into?” Ali asked evenly.
“Who says I broke in?” Crystal returned.
“Do I look stupid to you?” Ali wanted to know. “You weren’t standing around outside dressed like that the whole time you were waiting for me, and if you’d been loitering over by the gas station, somebody would have called the cops.”
There was a pause. “I didn’t hurt anything,” Crystal said finally. “I was cold and hungry, and I didn’t have any money. Only there wasn’t any food in the house. Not even crackers.”
Since being tough was working, Ali didn’t let up. “Well, boo-hoo-hoo,” she said with zero sympathy in her voice “Everybody should leave some food lying around the house so whatever burglars happen to break in won’t have to go hungry. Why did you run away?”
“You’re not a cop. You can’t ask me all these questions.”
“No, I’m not a cop,” Ali agreed. “I’m just the poor dope who’s spending a couple of hours of her beauty sleep saving your butt from freezing to death. So consider this a replay of the seat belt situation. Answer the questions or I’ll stop the car and let you out.”
There was another long period of silence. Finally Crystal said, “I wanted to come see my dad. I wanted to come live with him.”
“But you wouldn’t talk to him on the phone just now.”
“He’s mad at me.”
“If you wanted to come live with him, you should have asked; you should have discussed the custody situation with the adults in your life instead of running away.”
“There wasn’t any use in asking,” Crystal said. “Mom wouldn’t let me.”
“How did you get here?” Ali asked. “It’s a long way from Vegas to Mund’s Park.”
Again there was a pause before Crystal answered. “I hitchhiked,” she said at last.
Ali was appalled. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?”
“I didn’t have enough money for a bus ticket,” Crystal explained. “And the guys who gave me rides were mostly pretty nice. The one who gave me a ride from Boulder City even bought me lunch in Kingman.”
“For
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