Read Online Dead Highways: Origins by Richard Brown - Free Book Online Page A

park.
    Before I could respond, she jumped out and jogged up to the front door.
    A moment later, she disappeared inside the house.
    “Should we get out?” Peaches asked. “Go in?”
    “I don’t think that would be a good idea. Her father is not here. But her mother might be, and if she is . . .”
    I met eyes with Peaches in the rearview mirror.
    “Gotcha,” she replied.
    The next time I looked in the rearview, I saw someone else. They were standing behind the car at the foot of the driveway. Standing there and staring at us. I turned around and looked back just to make sure I wasn’t going crazy.
    Nope.
    Not crazy. Not yet.
    Peaches turned to look as well. “Who is that ?”
    I slid my hand down the side of the seat and felt around for Sally. “Don’t know. Should we say something?”
    He beat us to it.
    “Hello,” was all he said.
    I shut off the engine. “Let’s go.”
    As I got out of the car and approached the stranger, I instantly felt better about leaving the gun in the car. This guy looked about as threatening as a hand puppet. He was short and chunky, and wore a faded jean jacket that could have been in style in the 90s. I couldn’t remember. He was probably in his mid-thirties, so it made sense. He also wore thick-framed glasses and had a forehead the size of a football field.
    “Hello,” he said again, softly, shyly.
    “Hi,” I said. “What’s your name?”
    “Name’s Jerry.”
    We shook hands. His were cold and dry.
    “Jimmy. Nice to meet you. This is Peaches.”
    “Hi,” Peaches said. She shook his hand and then faded back behind me.
    “What are you folks doing here? You know Naima?”
    “Sort of. Came to drop her off. You live around here?”
    “Yeah, across the street.” He turned and pointed to a tan house behind him.
    Jerry’s house also had a car in the carport, but the lawn wasn’t nearly as well kept.
    “Shame what happened, eh? The virus and all.”
    “Sure is.”
    Naima came out the front door, interrupting our stimulating conversation. She walked down the driveway toward us.
    “Well,” I said.
    She stopped next to Peaches. “They’re not here.”
    “Hello, Naima,” Jerry said.
    “Hey, Jerry. Good to see you’re okay.”
    Jerry smiled. “You too.”
    “How are your parents?”
    “They’re . . . not okay.” He had an embarrassed look on his face. “See, I live with my parents.”
    I shrugged. “I live with my grandma.”
    “Where you headed now?” Jerry asked.
    “I don’t know.”
    “You’re not gonna just leave me here are you?” Naima said. “I know that was the deal, but . . .”
    “Don’t worry. We’ll help you find your parents.”
    “Hey, you know I spoke to your dad earlier,” Jerry said.
    “Really?” Naima said. “What did he say?”
    “Um, well . . . I saw him carry your mom to the car. She looked . . . well, you know. He said he was going to the hospital.”
    Naima’s face sunk into a frown. “So . . . my mom . . .”
    “Yeah, he told me to tell you if I saw you.”
    Her eyes began to fill with tears, but still she looked to be handling the news better than I did. She bowed her head. Peaches put a hand on her shoulder.
    We stood in silence for many moments, not sure what to say, when Naima finally raised her head. “That doesn’t make sense. I wasn’t supposed to come home. Why would you see me?”
    Jerry was clearly ruffled by the question. He took a few seconds to respond. “Hell, I don’t know, Naima. Maybe in case your friends here dropped you off.”
    “But he doesn’t even know them.”
    Jerry sighed. “I’m sorry. Perhaps I’m mistaken. Happens sometimes.”
    “But you’re sure he was going to the hospital?” I asked.
    “I’m sure that’s what he said. Yes.”
    I looked back at Naima. “Then I guess we go to the hospital.”
    “It’s not far,” Jerry said. “Just down the road, off US-1.”
    I nodded. “I know where it is. Thanks for your help.”
    “Sure, yeah, anytime,” Jerry replied.
    The three