There’s a stranger sitting at Cade’s normal table tonight. I’ve never seen him before. He’s as big as Cade with close-cropped hair and pale gray eyes.
He looks like he was in the Army, and he’s wearing camo pants and a gray T-shirt with dog tags around his neck.
He drank his two beers and ate stew and hasn’t said a word to anyone. So I’m surprised when, at almost closing time, he waves me over.
“Is everything all right?” I ask him. He’s been perfectly polite, but I keep my distance. He’s an unknown quantity, and you never know what a man will do.
“Yeah. Thanks. I have some questions if you got a minute.”
I blink in surprise. Then glance around at the folks lingering in my section. They’ve all had their food and drinks and are simply hanging out until closing. They don’t need my attention. So I say, “Sure,” and I take the empty chair at his table. “I’ll help if I can.”
“I’m looking for my brother. I got word he might’ve been moving in this direction, so I thought he might’ve stopped here on his way.”
“Oh. Maybe so. Is there anything you can tell me about him?”
“He’s traveling with a gang of rough types. They were on motorcycles last I heard. One of the guys with him has a shaved head and an eagle tattooed on his scalp.”
“Ah!” I now know exactly who he’s talking about. “Yeah, they came through here a couple of weeks ago. There were about ten of them?”
“That sounds right. My brother looks a lot like me.”
I try to think back about the group. They were loud and obnoxious and sat in Sarah’s section. One of them got grabby, and Trevor had to toss him out. “Okay, maybe. I think there was a guy like that with them. Could he maybe have grown out a beard?”
“Yeah. That’s definitely possible. So you think you might’ve seen him?”
“Yes. There was one guy with a beard who had eyes like you. I bet he was your brother. So you’re looking for him?”
“He took off with that gang, and he’s gonna get in big trouble. I know he is. So I’ve been trying to follow his trail for a couple of months now. You don’t know which way they were headed, do you?”
“No. But hold on. Let me go ask Sarah if she heard anything when they were in her section.”
“Thanks.”
He’s a big, solid, serious guy, and he’s not nearly as rough as he looks. I feel bad for him chasing his brother like that. Talk about a doomed cause.
I find Sarah in the kitchen, ask her what she remembers, and then come back out to report to the man.
“Sarah says they were talking about heading south to a town they’d heard hadn’t been looted yet. I don’t think they’ll have much luck with it. Take the old highway—460—east and turn south at the big abandoned church. It’s down that way about thirty or forty miles.”
“Okay. Thanks. That’s a big help. I appreciate it.” He reaches into his pack and pulls out a small bag of fruit candy. “This is all I got that might work for a tip. Is it okay?”
“Okay? That would be amazing! I haven’t had candy in more than a year. But you don’t have to give that to me. I didn’t do that much.”
“You were nice to me. I won’t forget it.” He hands me the candy as he stands up, pulling his pack with him and hooking it over his shoulder. He has an empty holster on his belt and a rifle strap without a rifle. Like everyone else, he had to leave his guns at the door. “Thanks. What’s your name?”
“My name is Jill.”
“I’m Cole. If I’m back in this direction, I’ll stop in again.”
“You should. Until then, be careful. I hope you find your brother.”
I wave once more as he walks out. Then Danny sidles over with a sly grin. “So you’re taking my advice then?”
“What?” I blink at him in confusion.
“Checking out other men.”
I roll my eyes, which is all the response his teasing deserves.
