Page 52

"Our savings. We got paid for work around the foster home and summer jobs," I explained. "How much do you have?"

"Almost fifteen hundred," I said.

"Fourteen hundred and twenty now," Crystal reminded me.

"She's right. She's the banker," I agreed.

"Oh." She glanced at Crystal again. "Well, it looks like your money's in safe hands I don't think Pollyanna is the type who wastes a penny." "If you call me that one more time . . ."

Sunshine laughed.

"Please, don't tease her," I begged.

"Okay." She turned to Crystal. "I even like you . . what's your name again . ."

"Crystal. It's Crystal!"

"Well, that's like Pollyanna anyway, but okay, Crystal. I like you, too. Anyway, how did four orphans get a car like this? Not that it's any greatlooking automobile or anything."

No one said anything.

"Oh, I see. Crystal's not as lily white as she pretends to be, huh?"

"It wasn't very nice where we were," I explained, "and we didn't see any future for any of us there."

"It was called the Lakewood House and the owner's name is Gordon. He's a monster," Butterfly said. Crystal poked her to stop her from saying too much more.

"Yeah, he's a delight to be with," I said. "Anyway, we borrowed his vehicle to get away."

"I've done that," she said with a shrug.

"Done what?" Raven asked.

"Borrowed things. It's the way you survive on the road. There was this guy I knew in Vegas. That's a fun city, Vegas. Anyway, he borrowed a car, but he changed license plates on the way out of the city. Did you do that?"

"Change plates?" I shook my head.

"The police are looking for the license number. You switch plates with another car and you have a better chance. Most people don't even notice their plates have been switched."

"That's a good idea," Raven said.

"No," Crystal said. "We're not doing anything else that could get us into any more trouble."

"If the police catch you in this car, Pollyanna, you'll be in enough trouble anyway. Switching plates won't add much to it," Sunshine said.

"I don't know, Sunshine," Raven began.

"I'll help you," Sunshine broke in. "It's easy."

When my eyes shifted to the rearview mirror, I saw Crystal flash me a very worried look.

"We'll see," I said. "Let's take it a day at a time."

"Exactly," Sunshine says. "That's what I do. See," she said, turning to Crystal, "you're starting to live like me already. We're all going to get along great. We'll be like . . . sisters, sisters on the road."

We stopped for lunch at a restaurant that also had gas pumps in front of it. Despite its size and where it was located, it did a brisk business and filled up soon after we arrived. Crystal wanted us to be thrifty and order carefully from the menu, but Sunshine kept interrupting, telling us to order this and that.

"It's one of the cheapest stops on the road," she said. "Take advantage."