EIGHT

Gil stopped for gas along I-81 at a place called Stephens City, Virginia. While he was wolfing down a hot dog, he noticed a poster for the Shen-Valley Flea Market in a place called Doubletoll. He inquired at the gas station’s mini-mart, and the lady told him it was just ten minutes down the road and it was open. Why not? I’ve got to stop and smell the roses, right? he thought. He pulled into the flea market and parked. It was cool out, but there was a building with vendors inside, and some vendors were under tents outside, too. There weren’t very many shoppers, though.

Gil wasn’t really a collector of anything, but he thought that maybe he could find something that would interest him. There was a good bevy of women hovering around a tent full of children’s clothing. A few old guys were chatting around tables full of old tools, knives, belt buckles, and other guy stuff. One vendor guy had collections of random items. He had a large collection of corks, a nice collection of cobalt-blue glassware, and fancy collections of canes and hatpins. This vendor had other interesting things as well, but one unique collection caught Gil’s eye. “People collect lawnmower pull cords?”

The vendor smiled, and was only missing one tooth in front. “Well, I did. It’s all about the handles. The wooden ones and the red ones with logos are worth the most. They’re not all from lawnmowers. Some are from outboard motors and Weed Whackers, things like that.”

Gil decided that he wasn’t going to be a collector. As he looked around at the various vendor booths, he realized that he didn’t know enough about Lili’s likes and dislikes to buy her anything. He decided he should go shopping with her a few times and pay attention, which would be easier said than done. Another thing he noticed was that a significant amount of antique items were things his family had when he was young. He himself was an antique, he realized. He enjoyed the flea market as a respite, but he soon got back on the road.

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GIL WOKE UP CONFUSED for a few seconds until he remembered that he was in a sketchy motel on the outskirts of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He was very weary, even though he’d slept okay. He stared at a water stain on the ceiling where some paint had fallen onto the carpet. There was no breakfast at this motel, so he got dressed, checked out, and headed out to find a diner.

There were two diners across the street from each other just down the road. One was packed and the other had only two cars parked in the lot. He went into the crowded diner and sat at the counter. He ordered decaf coffee, fried eggs, and corned beef hash, vowing to eat healthy food when he got home. He checked the news on his phone, and read about Putin planning to put nuclear weapons in Belarus. Gil was dispirited when he thought about the state of the world. After breakfast, he got back on I-81 and headed east toward I-78.

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MARTHA WAS MAKING COFFEE when someone knocked on the back door. Lili saw that it was only eight-fifteen, so she looked out the window, and it was Barbara carrying some food. Lili let her in. “I brought three quiches, two Lorraines and one spinach and onion.” Barbara stayed to help serve.

Martha wrote a note and handed it to Lili. “Would you go wake up the kids and tell them that breakfast will be ready in a few minutes?” Lili did that while Martha put some bread in the toaster and got some orange juice out of the refrigerator.

The kids didn’t speak much at breakfast, but thanked the women for their meals. They all looked nervous and sad. They went back upstairs to get their belongings ready for the next phase of their journey. Lili wanted desperately to know their stories, but figured they were told not to say anything to anyone because it was dangerous for them. A middle-aged woman named Nancy came for them at the back door, and they left by cutting through the back yard.

As they were cleaning up after breakfast, Lili said, “You know we’re going to have to tell the FBI about this.” Martha got upset and shook her head vehemently. “Martha, we don’t have a choice. Someone could be after you because of this underground network. Maybe you helped their child run away.”

Martha wrote, “If we tell the FBI, they’ll have to investigate the whole network! They’ll shut us down!”

Lili said, “Let me talk to Special Agent Elsayed, and see if we can come up with a way that won’t undermine the network. We have the advantage that the President and his administration would probably be in favor of keeping this network going.” Martha looked dejected, but nodded her head.

Barbara shrugged and said, “Well, I guess I’ll head back home. Is there anything you need from me?” Martha shook her head and wrote, “Thank you!”

Lili said, “I’m going to get my stuff together and head home. Is there anything you need before I go?” As the front door shut behind Barbara, Lili heard a loud thump at the front of the house, a gunshot in the distance, and then it sounded like someone fell. “Martha, lie down on the floor and don’t get up till I say!” Lili looked out the front window and saw Barbara lying still on the porch floor. She went to the door and there was a dent in it. Blood was splattered on the windows near the top of the door. She went back to where Martha was lying down on the living room floor, pulled out her phone and called 911.

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CARRICK LOOKED AT THE target through his scope to verify his kill shot. It went through her left eye, just a little off. He took a picture using his scope camera. He climbed down out of the tree, disassembled and packed his rifle, and checked the area for anything he might have left behind. In a minute, he was on his way back through the woods.