Runaways (Orphans 5)

and they split us up? Do you want to see that happen?

Do you?"

"Of course not," Raven said, "but . . ." "Then no buts. Just be patient, be prudent and

wait for another opportunity," Crystal said softly. "But you know what he's going to want and

when he finds out what we did . . ."

"What's he going to do, turn us in for throwing

away his cocaine?"

"I hate to think what he's going to do," Raven

said. She looked to me for help.

"For the moment, Raven," I said, "we have no

other choice."

"It's easy to say that now," Raven cried, "but in

a while Gordon Tooey will be coming through that

door." No one spoke.

The thunder of our own hearts filled our ears. It

was enough.

14 The Evil Men Do

Every time the door opened, our breath caught in anticipation of facing Gordon. After Mr. Glashalter left, the first person to come in, however, was the deputy who had brought us from the hospital. He carried bags of burgers and fries with some sodas under his arm. The delicious aromas made my stomach churn.

"I thought you girls might be a little hungry. Looks like you'll be here awhile," he said, putting the bags on the table. He stood back. "Go on, eat them while they're hot. Compliments of the county," he added with a big grin.

I looked at Crystal. She nodded and we passed the burgers and fries to each other. The deputy watched us a moment and I could see the wheels turning in Raven's head. I squirmed in my seat and glanced at Crystal, who looked just as anxious about her.

"Suppose you found drugs in someone's car but you didn't tell the police, is that a crime?" Raven blurted.

I think the mouthful of burger bun I swallowed turned to stone in my throat. "It's always a crime to withhold evidence or not report a crime you know is in progress," he replied. "Why?"

"I just wondered," she said.

"Are there drugs in that station wagon?" he followed. He would have had to be dumber than a rock not to have asked her, I thought.

"No," Raven said.

"Were there?" He waited. "If there were, there might still be some residue."

"And if there isn't?" Crystal asked. "You can't prove there were any, right?"

"Absent of physical evidence or an eyewitness, no," he said.

Crystal grated at Raven.

"I'm talking about another car," she said. "A boyfriend of mine back home."