Read Online Empty by Suzanne Weyn - Free Book Online

“Did you just come up from the city with that?” she asked Luke.
    â€œNone of your business where we got it,” Luke told her, though he appeared to be in a good mood. “We’re going to make a bundle on this.People are so desperate, they’ll pay anything, especially over in Marietta, where they can afford it.”
    â€œIsn’t what you’re doing illegal?” Gwen asked.
    Luke looked to his two friends, a tall, skinny guy in motorcycle leathers named Mark, and a wider, muscular guy with long, black hair who they called Rat. They faced Gwen with serious expressions before bursting into laughter. “Gee, I guess it could be, Gwen,” Rat said mockingly through his hilarity. “Are you going to call the cops on us?”
    â€œOf course not, stupid. I just wanted to know.”
    â€œYou don’t have to know anything,” Luke said, his laughter subsiding. “Just keep your mouth shut and don’t say anything to your friends.”
    â€œDon’t worry. I don’t have any friends.”
    â€œWhat about the boyfriend that you sit around and howl at the moon with? What’s his name? Horace?”
    â€œHector—and he’s not my boyfriend.”
    â€œYeah, well. Don’t tell him anything about what I do. You haven’t already, have you?”
    Honestly, Gwen couldn’t remember what she’d told Hector. “Hector is cool. He doesn’t care what you do. Tom at school knows. Remember, you sold him the gas that day?”
    â€œWell, tell him to keep his mouth shut about it.”
    â€œYou tell him,” Gwen snapped, but then thought better of it. The last thing Tom needed was for Luke to be on his case. “He won’t say anything,” she added.
    â€œHe’d better not.”
    â€œGwen, why aren’t you at that thing at the high school?” Rat asked.
    â€œWhat thing? The bonfire?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œThat’s not for me,” she answered dismissively. “I don’t really get the whole team spirit thing.”
    â€œYeah?” said Rat. “What’s your kind of thing?”
    â€œHelping my brother move illegal gasoline,” Gwen replied sourly. “Isn’t it obvious?”
    â€œYou know what I read?” Rat said. “Oil is the biggest business in the world. Can you believe that? In the world! Do you think all those rich oil guys got so fat by doing everything legally?” He laughed scornfully. “Don’t bet on it.”
    â€œDon’t worry about this being illegal,” Luke said, pushing the canisters to the back of the porch to make room for more. “I could make a bundle because I’m willing to take the risk. No guts, no glory.”
    â€œYeah, well, what about me?” Gwen argued.
    â€œYou’re eating, aren’t you?”
    â€œThat’s not what I mean. What if you get arrested? I land in foster care.”
    Luke waved her away as he headed back toward the door for more canisters filled with gasoline. “I’m not getting arrested.”
    â€œYeah? Well, I’m not going into a foster home,” Gwen insisted. “I’ll run away first.”
    Luke turned at the door and faced her. “Shut your trap and be useful. Pull the blinds and curtains so everyone in town doesn’t know our generator is going. Then help us get the rest of this gas.”
    â€œIs it safe to store gasoline in here?” Gwen questioned. “I don’t think you’re supposed to store it in milk containers, either.”
    â€œJust get going, would ya?”
    Â 
    Gwen lay supine on her lower roof, staring at the stars. Carrying all those canisters of gasoline onto the front porch had made her muscles ache.
    Breathing out, a vapor cloud formed in front of her face. She pulled the zipper of her black sweatshirt up as high as it went. Soon, she’d need some kind of winter jacket. Would Luke sell enough black market