No Plan B (Jack Reacher, #27)(11)

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Things got better once Jed was inside. The terminal building was spacious and bright. There were people standing in line for the ticket counter and others were sitting and sprawling on the rows of blue wire seats, but no one was paying him undue attention. He skirted around the edge of the room and made for the array of self-serve machines. The one he picked was slow. Its screen was smeared with some kind of oily residue but he still managed to navigate the menus and pick his destination and class of service. He took ten $20 bills from the wad he’d taken from his foster home and fed them, one by one, into the cash receptacle. He supplemented them with four quarters of his own. Started to panic when the machine seemed to freeze. Then relaxed when his ticket nosed its way out of its slot.

Jed ignored the vending machines and moved straight across to the food counter. He studied the menu. He was starving. He wanted everything on it. This was going to be his first meal as an independent citizen and he felt like he deserved a major splurge. The place had the same kind of choices as a McDonald’s, as far as he could remember. It was a while since he’d had fast food. His foster mother didn’t like him eating it. Or she didn’t like paying for it. He wasn’t sure which. But either way, it didn’t matter. He didn’t have to worry about her preferences anymore. But he did have to think about his cash reserve.

In the end Jed had taken the entire stash from his foster mother’s drawer. He had come to the conclusion that it would be illogical not to. Either he was entitled to the money, so it would be stupid to leave any behind. Or he was stealing it, in which case he was dooming himself anyway. After paying for the ticket he had $300 left. Accommodation for that night wouldn’t be a problem. Or for the next. He would be on the bus. He would sleep there. He had no choice. But he would need somewhere to stay on Thursday night. A hotel room, maybe, or a bed-and-breakfast. Those were probably expensive. He would need food and drink along the way. And he would need onward transportation on Friday morning. Quite a long distance. He wasn’t sure what form that was going to take, yet. He hoped he could find some random driver going the same way and pay him for a ride. If not he would have to take a cab. Either way it would cost. Probably a lot. So he decided to be sensible. He ordered a burger and fries, and a bottle of water for the road. He paid with a ten-dollar bill of his own. Slipped his ticket into one back pocket. Slid the rest of his money into the other. And waited for his food to come out.

It took Jed five minutes to finish eating. Then he spent twenty minutes watching the scrolling subtitles on a pair of silent TVs on the wall. One was showing news. The other was showing sports. He wasn’t much interested in either. He just wanted something to do until half an hour before his bus was due to leave. He figured thirty minutes would be about right to find its departure point and be on board early enough to get a good seat. When the time came he dumped his tray on a rack next to an overflowing trash can and then made a quick pit stop in the bathroom. When he came out again he saw a guy, standing by the wall, waving. Jed recognized him. The guy had been behind him in line at the food counter. He’d also eaten alone, a couple of tables to the side. Jed was about to walk by when he realized the guy wasn’t trying to attract some other stranger’s attention. He was waving specifically at him.

At first Jed thought they were about the same age but when the guy moved closer it was clear he was older. Maybe twenty or twenty-one. He was thin and tanned and he had a mess of blond hair that looked crunchy with salt, like a surfer’s.

“Hey, buddy.” The guy held out his hand. He was holding something. A bus ticket. “This is yours. You dropped it.”

That couldn’t be true. Jed had put his ticket away carefully. He was sure about that. He patted his pocket to confirm. And his heart stopped. His pocket was empty. His ticket was gone. He checked the other side. For his money. All his cash…which was still there. He was OK. There was no problem. But it was still a moment before he could breathe again.

The blond guy glanced at Jed’s ticket. “Route 1454? Cool. Same as me.”

“Thank you for finding it.” Jed took the ticket. His hand was shaking. “Can’t believe I dropped it.”

“No problem. Weird shit happens sometimes. So, you going to Dallas, too?”

Jed shook his head. “Got a transfer there.”

“Going farther?”

Jed nodded. “Jackson, Mississippi.”

“That’s a long way. You visiting family?”

“I don’t have any family.”

“Really? None?”

Jed thought about an honest answer. He didn’t want to lie. But neither did he want to get into the specifics. Not with a stranger. Not then. So he said, “Nope. Just me.”

“No parents?”

“Never knew my dad. My mom—cancer.”

“That’s harsh, man. No brothers or sisters? Uncles or aunts?”

“Nope.”

“So who’s meeting you when you get wherever you’re going?”

“No one. Why?”

“Just seems like you got dealt a tough hand, man, if you’re all alone in the world. I’m sorry about that.”

Jed shrugged. “You get used to it.”

“Tell you what—let’s ride together. At least as far as Texas. Keep each other company.”