Shiver on the Sky

by David Haywood Young

  * * *

  Owen put the phone down slowly. He, Martina and Aaron had just gotten out of the car at On the Border when the cell phone rang in his pocket. The conversation with Gordon hadn’t taken two minutes.

  “Well?” Martina asked.

  “Carl didn’t show. Neither did Danny. Gordon and Faulkner are going to try to find them both, if Carl doesn’t answer at the numbers I gave them. They say if Danny has him stashed someplace and hears the police are looking for them both it might improve Carl’s chances.” And it might. Because that would make Carl a potentially valuable hostage.

  “Or hurt his chances,” she pointed out.

  “Yeah.” They stood silently for a moment. Who else would get hurt before this was over?

  “What’s he want us to do now?” Aaron asked.

  “Nothing.” Owen looked toward the mall. “Hide some more.”

  Aaron shook his head. Owen started to speak, but subsided. He agreed with the kid. But what could they do?

  They went inside and ordered a meal, though none of them were particularly hungry. An hour later, as they drove back toward the Port Aransas Marina, the phone rang again.

  ***