The blond woman thought a second and didn’t see a threat. She nodded at Kelly, “Go ahead.”
“Thank you.”
The blond woman showed a faint smile, then ignored the girl as she opened a paperback by Ace Atkins and began to read.
The other girls had already moved away from the faucet, so she had time to clean the jar. The water felt cool, and the remains of the peanut butter inside the jar didn’t clean well, as it left oily smears on the insides of the jar that Kelly couldn’t remove. She only had water and her fingers to use, and that didn’t work.
She put the jar on the ground, wiped her hands and filled the jar with water. It tasted slightly of peanuts and oil, leaving her tongue feeling coated, but wasn’t bad. Kelly screwed on the blue plastic lid and took the water to her corner in the barn, placing it behind a broken one-by-six leaning against the metal wall, just in case she needed it. You never know, is what her mom often said. The thought made her throat constrict and wetness fill her eyes, but she shook it off knowing she had to concentrate, to figure out a way to escape and get back to her mother.
Movement outside the barn doors drew her attention as the black-haired woman returned to talk to their guard. They weren’t looking in the barn, so Kelly edged her way along the inside of the structure until she stood close enough to the opening to hear.
The tattooed woman said, “Kit, I swear, if we make enough money this trip, I’m going to Aspen and roll bare-assed in some snow. I don’t think I’m ever gonna cool off again.”
Kit shook her head, the straight, jet-black hair moving like black wheat in a breeze, and said, “You ain’t going nowhere, Nadine, until I say so.”
“That’s what I meant, when you say so, I’ll go.” Nadine didn’t want any trouble with Kit Hardee, nosiree.
Kit pulled a silver-handled knife with a long blade from her waistband and pared her fingernails. Kelly watched the two women under the scant shade of a mesquite’s feathery leaves that didn’t block much sun.
Nadine asked, “Where’d Carl go?”
Kit angled her head in a direction and said, “San Angelo, we need some more supplies before the plane comes. Call me when he gets back here.” She turned and walked toward the small house nearby.
San Angelo. Kelly felt her heart beat a little faster. She’d been to San Angelo before, just last year with her mom. So now she knew about where she was. It was a long way from home in Del Rio, but at least she knew.
Consuela came to her and said, “One of the girls stole my sandwich.”
“Which one?”
She pointed across the barn, “The tall one, and her friend.”
The two girls looked at Kelly and smirked, as if daring her to do something.
Kelly sighed and handed Consuela her spare sandwich, “Here. Stay with me while you eat it.” The tall girl and her friend saw the sandwich and whispered to each other.
Consuela said, “they’re planning something.”
The two girls watched as the tall one and her f
riend started toward them, walking like they meant business.
Kelly said, “Come on,” and Consuela didn’t argue, but clutched Kelly’s arm and pressed herself close, never taking her eyes off the tall girl, who picked up speed toward them.
Kelly tugged Consuela with her as she went toward the barn doors, straight toward Nadine. The tall blond stopped for a second, then hurried to intercept them.
Kelly almost made it out the door when the tall girl grabbed Consuela’s hair and jerked her backward. Kelly staggered, but held on to Consuela’s arm as the smaller girl shrieked at having her hair pulled.
Nadine looked up from her book, saw Kelly was involved, and walked to the group, scowling the entire way. “The hell’s going on here?” She said.
Kelly said, “They’re trying to hurt Consuela.”
The tall girl said, “We were just playin’.”
Nadine looked from each girl to the next, coming to rest on the tall one. “You settle down, you hear?” I have to get up again, I’m kickin’ some ass, startin’ with you.”
The tall girl and her friends nodded, then scurried away, and Kelly called to Nadine as the woman walked to her chair, “Thank you, Nadine.”
She stopped, “How do you know my name?” She looked suspicious.