Breaking Creed

55

Hannah was surprised that Amanda didn’t argue with her. Either the girl did still have a healthy dose of fear of the people she had run away from, or she was used to taking orders. And doing so with much urgency.

Ryder had convinced Hannah to take the girl and leave. Dr. Avelyn had been able to identify the spiders that had hatched on Hannah’s counter. She had come to tell them the news as soon as she recognized them. Ryder heard that they were poisonous — the most lethal of all spiders — and immediately he had been anxious and pushing for Hannah to leave quickly, as if a hurricane were coming ashore.

It didn’t help matters that Dr. Avelyn said these spiders were rare in the States. According to her, these spiders usually take refuge in clusters of bananas grown in Colombia. She guessed that this bunch hadn’t accidentally made it past inspectors, but rather had been especially picked.

Now Hannah worried that Ryder had something crazy and dangerous in mind, but she realized that staying would not change his plans. This time she knew she wouldn’t be able to talk him out of it. She recognized that look in his eyes when he told her to pack her bags. Actually, she already had one packed and in her car. She had done it the night Amanda arrived. Even then she knew she might need to leave at a moment’s notice.

She had convinced Amanda that they needed to change her appearance before they left. It was a five-hour drive and she didn’t want to take the chance that someone might be looking for the girl or happen to recognize her.

The box of hair color turned her into a brunette, making her look older, which seemed to please them both. Hannah thought she had done a nice job with the haircut — she kept the bangs and cut the rest chin-length to help hide Amanda’s face. As did the large-framed eyeglasses. Then there were the clothes — no more designer jeans. Hannah had borrowed from Andy — from her days as a vet tech — a blue smock uniform top and a pair of khakis. Even Amanda seemed surprised at the transformation. She no longer looked like an emaciated teenager but rather a young woman either coming home from or going to her job.

Hannah promised Ryder that she would call when they arrived at their destination. They had been on the road for only thirty minutes when they crossed the bridge over Escambia Bay. From the minute they’d gotten into the car, Amanda had been slouched in her seat with her earbuds in and her iPod on, but suddenly she sat up straight and asked, “Can we go see Pensacola Beach?”

“No,” Hannah told her. “We don’t have time for any sightseeing.”

“But it’s such a gorgeous day and I’ve been cooped up for forever. What will it matter if we’re a few minutes behind? We’re just going to some stupid hiding place.”

Hannah shouldn’t have been surprised that transforming the girl’s appearance would do nothing to change her attitude. She was still a whiny teenager.

“No,” Hannah said again.

The girl crossed her arms and pouted, staring out the window. Traffic on I-10 was crazy, as usual. No more than five minutes went by when Amanda sat up again.

“I have to pee.”

“Seriously?”

“I’ve done everything you asked me to do. Can’t you just stop and let me pee?”

Hannah checked her rearview mirror. With this much traffic it had been impossible to notice if anyone was following them. She took the exit for the first rest stop and kept her eyes darting back to her mirrors. Two vehicles followed them. She drove down the road designated for cars, slowed to a crawl, and watched as she passed several parking places. Both of the vehicles parked, but Hannah continued past the restrooms and headed back up the entrance ramp to the interstate.

“Hey!” Amanda twisted in her seat. “What are you doing?”

“I have to make sure no one’s following us. Don’t get your panties in a twist. There’s a truck stop just a mile up. I’ll stop there.”

This time only an eighteen-wheeler trailed them down the exit ramp. The truck stop was much busier, with three sets of gas pumps, a large shop that boasted showers for truckers, and a dine-in restaurant.

“I’ll top off the fuel tank,” Hannah told the girl.

If she had to stop she wanted to make sure they didn’t have to again anytime soon. She pulled alongside the pumps, satisfied that no one had followed them off the interstate. The shop door was well in her view. She nodded to Amanda, giving her permission, then watched the girl. For someone who had to pee, Hannah thought she sure was taking her sweet time, doing more looking than hurrying.