Free All That's Missing by Sarah Sullivan Page A

any of those books in my bag,” Bernice told him.
    Arlo leaned his head against the window. “Thanks, but I’m a little sleepy,” he said.
    â€œBest way to make the trip go faster. Have yourself a nap. The rest will do you good.”
    Through cracked eyelids, Arlo watched Bernice go back to her cross-stitch. He must have fallen asleep after that, because the next thing he remembered was the driver’s voice coming on the intercom to announce the next stop.
    â€œWytheville,” he said. “Transfers here.”
    Wytheville was higher in the mountains, which meant the weather would turn cold earlier than in Marshboro. In a few weeks, these woods would look like bowls of hard candy, all yellow and red with the green of the pine trees mixed in.
    When they pulled into the station, Arlo checked the clock. In a few hours, he would be in Edgewater. As long as his dam held the water back a few more hours, everything would be fine.
    After Wytheville, they stopped at Roanoke. Traffic was heavy from there to the Lynchburg station, where one passenger got off and three got on. The fog lifted on the way into Charlottesville. The bus was nearly full by the time they pulled out of that station.
    â€œNext stop Richmond,” the driver announced as he levered the doors shut.
    Bernice reached into one of her shopping bags and pulled out little triangles of cheese wrapped in foil. She rooted around until she found a box of crackers in the other bag.
    â€œHungry?” she asked.
    â€œA little,” Arlo admitted.
    â€œHere. Have yourself something to drink, too.” She handed him a can of orange pop and some crackers and cheese.
    Where did she get all this stuff? No wonder those bags were so heavy. Next thing you know, she’d be pulling out her own refrigerator.
    â€œThank you,” Arlo said.
    â€œWon’t be long now.” Bernice handed him another packet of cheese. “Is your grandma meeting you at the station?”
    â€œMmpf.”
A lump of cracker lodged in Arlo’s throat.
    â€œMercy.” Bernice pounded Arlo on the back. “You all right?”
    â€œYes, ma’am. Must have swallowed the wrong way.”
    â€œThat’s OK. Just drink that pop slowly. I’d like to meet your grandma, if she’s not in too big a hurry.”
    Arlo choked again.
    â€œGood heavens, son. Put your arms over your head and count to ten.”
    Arlo raised his arms. He hawked up a chunk of cheese.
    â€œMust be the excitement of getting to see your grandma,” Bernice said.
    â€œYes, ma’am. I’m sure that’s what it is.”
    Bernice closed the cracker box and stuffed it in her bag. “Does she know what time your bus arrives?”
    Arlo started coughing again.
    â€œSon?”
    He shook his head.
    â€œYou got her number so you can call her, though, don’t you?”
    Arlo’s cheeks burned. He slid lower in his seat and let his face sink into his shirt collar.
    â€œRonald? I asked you a question. You have your grandma’s phone number, don’t you?”
    â€œNot exactly,” Arlo mumbled.
    â€œYou got some other family coming to meet you? Is that it?”
    Arlo tried to find some way not to look at Bernice, but it was hard because she was glaring straight at him.
    â€œRonald? Did you hear me?”
    â€œYes, ma’am. I heard.”
    â€œNow, I know you got some money left in that fancy wallet of yours, but it’s surely not enough to pay a taxi. How
exactly
do you plan to get to your grandma’s?”
    Arlo shrugged.
    â€œIs there something you haven’t told me?” A little edge crept into Bernice’s voice.
    Arlo shrugged again.
    â€œOh, Lordy. I know what that shoulder shuffle means. I’ve seen that business plenty of times. It means,
Well, Bernice, maybe this story I been telling you isn’t exactly the truth.
Isn’t that right, Ronald?”
    Arlo looked at the floor. Back home he