Free Maverick Mania by Sigmund Brouwer

for him there. What’s he going to do, pull a gun?”
    Steve stopped. He rolled down the window.
    â€œCar problems,” Charlie Riggins said. From a crack under the blanket, I watched Mr. Riggins shine the flashlight into Steve’s face. “Thanks for stopping.”
    â€œI’m going to Parker,” Steve said. “I’ll send a tow truck back to help.”
    I tried not to sneeze from the dog hairs on the smelly blanket. Toys on the floor of the van pushed uncomfortably into my stomach and legs.
    â€œNo, you won’t,” Riggins told Steve with a sudden snarl. “I’ve seen you before. You’re going to tell me why you followed me from my house.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œDon’t but me, punk. Your left headlight is burned out. I first noticed you when you pulled out of my street. I want you to tell me why you’re following me.”
    That made me wrong about us being just another set of headlights.
    â€œBut—”
    â€œAre you the jerk who messed with my dogs last night?” As Charlie Riggins spoke, he played his flashlight beam over the inside of the van. I didn’t know it until later, but he stopped the beam on the newspaper article that I had left on the console in plain sight. The picture of the dead family must have leaped out at him.
    â€œGet this van on the shoulder now,” Mr. Riggins nearly yelled. He pulled a pistol from his jacket. “Or I’ll shoot you where you sit.”
    The gun, of course, made me wrong yet again.

chapter twenty
    Charlie Riggins stayed beside the driver’s window as Steve slowly drove to the shoulder of the highway. He didn’t give Steve a chance to hit the gas and escape. He didn’t give me a chance to talk to Steve.
    Steve put the minivan in park and turned on the flashers so no one would hit the van.
    â€œOut,” Mr. Riggins barked.
    â€œWh...wh...where are we going?” Steve asked.
    â€œYou’ll find out soon enough. Just like soon enough you’re going to tell me where you got that newspaper article.”
    Steve opened the door slowly. The interior light of the minivan flashed on. I held my breath and stayed under the blanket, shivering with fear. Why hadn’t I listened to Captain Briscoe and stayed out of this?
    Charlie Riggins didn’t notice me on the floor in the back.
    â€œYou made a big mistake, kid,” I heard him say as Steve stepped out. “If people here know about that car accident, I have nothing to lose. Which means you better not try anything stupid.”
    Because the driver’s window was still open, I heard them both walk to the truck. Once they were inside, I heard the Blazer drive away.
    I pushed up quickly, throwing the blanket off and gulping for breath.
    What could I do? If I followed, the burned-out headlight would give me away. If I turned around and went for the police,we might never find them. And even if we did, it might be too late for Steve, or Caleb.
    I grabbed Steve’s cell phone. As I checked for the signal strength, the battery went dead. I banged it against my head in frustration. Any other time, it would have been funny that Steve always ran his battery down.
    I watched those tall and skinny tail-lights get smaller in the darkness. Suddenly, they brightened as Charlie Riggins hit the brakes.
    Was he stopping to turn around? I got ready to dive under the smelly blanket again.
    No! He was turning off the highway, toward the lake.
    That helped my decision. But not much. Going back to Lake Havasu City for help—or even going the shorter distance ahead to the stores and restaurants near Parker Dam and calling back to Lake Havasu City—might take too long. Risky as it sounded, it seemed like all I could do was follow the truck on foot.
    I began to open the door. Then I remembered the interior light and froze. If Charlie Riggins saw it flash on, he might turn back.
    I waited for the truck’s taillights to