Page 7 of Einar (The Brigands of Ruk #2)

Chapter Seven

ROWAN

Time and miles pass by as Ruby drives through the night.

As we pass through the town of Waverly , an older model SUV catches my eye. Apparently , Ruby sees me do a double-take, because her next words are full of apprehension, her eyes darting to the rearview mirror as she asks,

“ What is it?”

“ Turn around, there is an older SUV for sale back there.”

Nodding at my explanation, she whips a U -turn in the intersection at the next red light, and heads back the way we just came from. Just as we pull up to take a look at the SUV , an older man in an armed forces cap comes walking out of the house. I grab the edges of my hood and yank it back over my head, hiding my face from view.

“ Just stay in the car. The last thing we need is to have to explain those bruises of yours. How much can I safely spend on this? I have like five hundred on me, but that’s it.”

“ I have almost seventy thousand stashed in here. Let’s just say it’s several years of severance pay for all the times he sold me during our marriage.”

Frustration is written all over my sister’s face as she looks at me before exiting the car. I see her facial expression change to a friendly smile before she turns to greet the older man walking toward us. I don’t want to be unaware of what’s being said, so I reach over to crack the driver’s side window and mine on the passenger side, being cautious to keep my face hidden beneath my hood.

Ruby doesn’t beat around the bush as the first words out of her mouth are about the car and not pleasantries. “ Hi there, saw your car here as we were passing by. What’re you asking for it? Is there anything wrong with it mechanically?”

The older man’s voice is rough as he replies, “ Asking four thousand. It’s a solid little ride that I would trust to take me anywhere. It was my daughter’s and she used it to get back and forth to school because it was easy on gas. She just got a big promotion and doesn’t need it any longer.”

“ I can give you thirty-five cash right now if you have the title handy.”

Her prompt words make me duck my head a little further and turn slightly as I see the older man look over toward me in the Civic . His next question has a bit of suspicion in it.

“ Don’t you want to drive it first?”

“ I’ll take your word for it.”

I can hear how firm her tone is and it makes me wince just a bit.

Way to be obvious, Ruby .

“ Many wouldn’t, but it seems you girls are in a hurry. Are you in some sorta trouble, Miss ? Nothing wrong with asking for help if you are.” Just like that, the suspicion is gone, and genuine concern takes its place. Maybe there are good men left in this world. I just didn’t get lucky enough to find one.

“ Nahh , we're good, sir. Simply wondering about the car is all. Are you going to take that deal, or not?”

Ruby is trying to reassure the man, but I can see her body start to slump as she starts to turn around before the older man’s next words stop her.

“ Cash , huh?”

“ Yeah , I have it with me.”

“ Go get your money youngin and I’ll get the title. My daughter has already signed it, so all you have to do is take it to the title agency to get it transferred over.”

“ I’ll meet you back here in a minute, then.” I watch as the man just nods his head and turns to walk back toward the house. Ruby watches him for a brief moment before turning and hurrying back over to her car. I reach down and unzip the bag at my feet, quickly counting out the money we need to buy ‘the new to us’ car. Rolling the window down the rest of the way, I hand the necessary funds to Ruby , speaking as I do.

“ I’ll take your car and meet you at that Walmart we passed a few miles back. You’ll find me parked out back near their service area.”

“ I’ll be there as quick as I can, Rowan .”

Plan in place, I climb over the console and into the driver’s seat. Turning the key in the ignition, I start the car and after looking both ways, pulling out onto the highway headed to the Walmart . Thankfully , driving is like riding a bike because it’s been years since I’ve been behind the wheel of a car.

I refuse to get cocky, so I drive cautiously. I can’t afford to be pulled over for something stupid like speeding, or failure to yield. My eyes dart around for any sign that we may have been followed. I know I’m being paranoid, but I don’t care. Very few people can understand the depths of hell I’ve lived in for almost the entirety of my marriage. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks about how cautious I’m being. Ruby understands, and that’s all that matters.

The trip back up the road to Walmart doesn’t take long, and I breathe a sigh of relief when the vehicle service bay comes into view. It doesn’t take me long to find a parking spot under a light, ensuring Ruby can spot me easily.

Thankfully , I don’t have to wait very long.

Spotting Ruby in our new wheels, I pop the trunk on the Civic and get out of the car. Ruby must have seen me the open trunk because she pulls up directly behind her soon to be old car. The hatch on the back of the small SUV is slowly opening as Ruby gets out and grabs the bags out of her car.

Walking around the Civic , I open the passenger side door, grab my little bag, shut the door and walk back over to the SUV , tossing my bag in the back as I go. Glancing at the license plate on Ruby’s car, I realize we will have to do something about that. We can’t leave an abandoned car here that is directly attached to Ruby’s name, nor can we be driving around in an SUV that doesn’t have a plate on it at all. Kneeling down, I see a dime on the ground and pick it up. I take it as a sign that I’m doing the right thing.

Using the dime, I painstakingly turn the screws holding the license plate on until I have it completely loose. Moving over to the back of the SUV , I put the Civic’s plate on the empty spot on its bumper. Hopefully , Ruby and I don’t give a cop a reason to run the plates because they won’t match at all.

Something to worry about later, if it even happens.

As we get in the SUV , I see Ruby shoot a small, melancholy glance at her car. Regret fills me; she wouldn’t be in this mess if I had listened to her about Robert . Her next words pull me from my musing.

“ Hey , Rowan ? I almost forgot to ask, but do you have your meds with ya?”

“ Yes , I have them tucked in the bottom of this bag. Should have enough to last me a few months if I don’t have a bad attack.”

I don’t know if I’m trying to reassure myself, her, or both of us.

“ On the way here, I noticed a gas station up ahead. I’m gonna pull in and get us some snacks and a burner phone. Instead of driving in no particular direction, I need to make a few calls.”

Reaching down into my bag, I pull out an old flip phone. It’s ancient, but it should work. I found it in a junk drawer the servants in the house kept, and along with the phone, there had been a solitary charge card to add minutes to the phone. There’s no clue who it used to belong to or who tossed it in that drawer to be forgotten. No one knows it exists, especially Robert .

“ Wow , that is a magic bag, isn’t it?”

I’m sure she wants to get some sort of reaction from me that isn’t negative, but I just don’t have it in me.

“ I’ve had a lot of time on my hands, Ruby . This is all I’ve got; the rest is up to you.”

The low murmur of my words makes her face crease with unease. She’s not used to me being so soft-spoken.

And .

Well .

Broken .

“ Well , then dial this number and give me the phone.”

I watch as she pulls a receipt out of her pocket and hands it to me. Peering down at the haphazardly written numbers, I power the flip phone on and dial the number. The moment it starts ringing, I hand the phone over to Ruby . Tension fills me as I watch her. Surely someone should have picked up by now.

Ruby starts to pull the phone away from her ear when a tinny voice on the other line says a faint hello. Ruby uses her thumb to click the volume button all the way up so I can hear both sides of the conversation.

“ Is this Janet ?”

“ Depends on who is asking and where you got this number!”

I jerk a bit at the brusque, no-nonsense voice barking out of the phone.

“ My name is Ruby . I found your number on an old phone book … me and my sister are in trouble.”

“ Then yes, I’m who you’re looking for. Just so you know in advance, I’m one for being cautious because many depend on me. Do you understand?”

“ Yes , ma’am I do.”

“ I have no idea where you’re at, but I have multiple places we can meet up. Are you coming from the north or south?”

“ We’re leaving Ohio right now, so tell me where to go and we’ll be there.”

“ There’s a place called The Truck Stop on I -40 right outside the Texas border. Call this number when you get close, and I’ll meet you there. Don’t do anything to bring attention to yourself. As a matter of fact, there is probably no way you can make it that far today. I want you to head toward a roadside motel in Arkansas called JJ’s . It’s also next to a truck stop, and it should be about halfway. I have friends there that I’ll let know you’re coming.”

“ Thank you, Janet ,”

“ Don’t thank me yet, let’s get you here first. Pay attention to your surroundings and no matter what, stay away from crowded places. There are eyes everywhere and you can trust very few of them. See you tomorrow.”

Ruby and I share a glance.

Time to go.