Runaways (Orphans 5)

strands stuck to her forehead and ears. She was so

desperate she looked like she might leap into the path

of cars if one didn't stop soon. Two passed us by, but

didn't slow down to see what she wanted.

"Stop for her," Crystal said and I turned off and

headed toward her. She came running.

Raven rolled down her window.

"Oh, thank God someone stopped," the woman

cried. She wiped the rain from her face. "It's my

husband," she said. "He was feeling dizzy and pulled

off this exit. Almost as soon as we stopped, he

slumped over the steering wheel. My two little girls

are with him, but there's absolutely no traffic on that

road. I thought if I came back to the main highway, I

could flag someone down and get help, but you're the

first to stop and I've been trying for a few minutes." "Get in quickly and show us where he is,"

Crystal said in her take charge tone of voice. She

opened the door.

The woman got in and I drove to the exit. We

didn't have to go far after the turn. The recreational

vehicle was parked awkwardly on the right side of the

road, the right blinker light still going. A little girl was

sitting in the grass on the shoulder of the road, crying. "Denise, get up," the woman cried. She did so

slowly. "I told you to stay with Daddy."

"He won't talk," she moaned.

Crystal was right behind the woman and stepped up into the recreational vehicle. We gathered at the door. A man in his mid-forties was slumped over the steering wheel. His forehead was against the top of the wheel and his face was turned toward us, his eyes closed, his mouth twisted. I thought he

looked kind of blue, especially about the lips. Their other little girl, only about five or six,

was curled up on the sofa.

"George!" the woman cried. "Oh God, oh my

God."