“What? I can learn, right?” Allie smiled.

  “Of course you can. Now hand me that screwdriver.” Ben laughed. He was glad to see her taking an interest in fixing the Jeep. The day might come when she had to do things for herself, although he wouldn’t have faulted her for resting while they had the chance. She had been driving all morning, just like Sandy. And in this heat, that could take it out of a person.

  No sooner had Ben removed the old hose than Emmett returned.

  “I think I found just what we need to get you fixed up.” Emmett held out a length of black hose and wiggled it, causing the two hose clamps around his finger to jingle together. In his other hand, he carried a large jug of engine coolant at his side.

  “That just might do it, Emmett.” Ben couldn’t believe their luck. Not only had the man found what looked like a piece of heat-rated rubber hose and new clamps to fasten it, but the coolant they needed, too. It was certainly more than Ben had hoped for. Joel smiled at him from across the engine. Apparently, he was in as much disbelief about their good fortune as Ben was.

  Ben’s solution to the Jeep’s problem was going to be nothing more than a Band-Aid, something temporary to get them to the next town that still had a parts store standing or at least one that was intact enough to search. What Emmett had come up with might get them all the way back home or, at the very least, give them the luxury of time to find the part that would.

  Emmett joined them down on the lower level once again and laid the parts out on the fender, but then he stopped as if he’d remembered something. “Say, uh, Joel. Would you mind closing the gate? I forgot it’s still open.”

  “Sure.” Joel set down the old piece of hose and started toward the lumber yard.

  “Just wrap the chain around a couple times,” Emmett called out. “I forgot it was open, but I guess that’s how you guys got in here.” He laughed to himself.

  “We had no idea anyone was here. I was just trying to get us out of sight and off the road when I noticed the lumber storage buildings. Figured it would be a good spot to work on the Scrambler,” Ben apologized again. He didn’t want anything to interfere with getting this hose on the Jeep.

  “It’s no problem. My fault, really.” Emmett used a pair of metal shears to cut the hose down to the proper length and handed it to Ben.

  Just then, Amelia reappeared with a bowl in her hand. She walked over to where Brad and Emma were lying on the ground and set the bowl down. “Help yourselves. There’s one in there for you and your boyfriend, too, dear.” She winked at Allie.

  “Dad!” Brad held up what looked like a bright orange Good Humor creamsicle ice pop. Emma pulled one out as well, the thin plastic wrapper already dripping with condensation.

  “Better hurry up and eat ’em. They won’t last too long out here. I brought enough for you guys, too.” Amelia glanced at Sandy, then at Ben.

  “I appreciate it, but the kids can have mine.” All Ben wanted was a drink from his Nalgene. Besides, his hands were covered in grease, and he didn’t want to stop until the Jeep was fixed.

  “Thank you, but the kids can have mine as well,” Sandy said.

  Amelia looked disappointed, and Ben hoped they hadn’t offended the woman. The kids chimed in with a chorus of thank-yous before he could think about it anymore, then tore into the frozen treats like it was Christmas morning. By the time Joel came running back around the corner, they were almost finished with the ice pops, including the two extras.

  “Hey.” Joel saw what was going on, and for a moment, Ben saw the teenager he’d lost a couple thousand miles ago.

  “Here you go.” Allie tossed him an ice pop.

  “Yes. Thank you.” Joel opened the wrapper eagerly and nearly swallowed the neon-orange pop in one bite. To his credit, it was already half melted and he had little choice in the matter. “Oh, brain freeze, brain freeze.” He hopped up and down, overexaggerating his reaction.

  Brad and Emma laughed at their brother’s antics while Allie looked on with amusement and shook her head. Ben found himself smiling and forgetting about the miserable day they’d all had so far, even if it was just for a little while.

  “That looks like it’s going to work out pretty good.” Emmett watched Ben tighten the last clamp and stepped back to admire the repair.

  Ben gave the new section of hose a tug to check its sturdiness. “Looks good to me.”

  Emmett held up the funnel while Ben replaced the coolant they’d lost. There was only one thing left to do.

  “Allie, care to do the honors? Just be ready to shut it off in case the hose doesn’t hold,” Ben asked.

  Allie nodded and hopped into the driver’s seat. Ben watched the engine jump to life and settle into a gentle purr. It was just as smooth as the day they’d pulled out of Jack’s. And the best part? No leaks. They let it run for a few minutes to make sure all was well, and the repair proved solid.

  The sound of the Jeep running brought the dogs around to investigate. Ben was pleased to see all six of the dogs seemed to be getting along just fine. There was the usual jockeying for position and a minor argument between Sam and Gunner over a tattered rope toy. But otherwise, the pack seemed content and well-watered, judging by the copious amounts of drool hitting the floor.

  Emmett offered Ben, Joel, and Allie a couple squirts of pumice soap to help get the grease off their hands and invited everyone inside the store. Amelia led the way, with Samson and Delilah never more than a few feet away.

  When they got inside, Emmett closed the large overhead door and made his way over to a series of dark gray panel boxes on the far wall. He proceeded to throw several red-handled levers that he claimed electrified the fence and the metal frames of every single door and window in the place.

  Ben had been right about them having power, and Emmett showed him the wires leading up to the roof-mounted solar panels. Emmett had the system installed six months ago and was planning to do the same at their house but never got around to it. And that was why they were living in the store.

  They’d salvaged some items from their house before losing it to the fires that swept through town. And as a result, the center of the store more closely resembled a living room than a hardware store. There were a couple of couches and lounge chairs mixed in with some other furniture, including a dining room table, a king-sized bed, and enough appliances to constitute a functional kitchen.

  The place was well laid out and organized over an assortment of fancy area rugs. A row of tinted skylights washed the interior in a warm orange hue that was punctuated by pencil-sized shafts of sunlight. Ben noticed more than a handful of places where the exterior walls had been perforated by gunfire.

  Emmett apologized for the solar panels’ inability to produce enough energy to run the air-conditioning and the electrically charged security system at the same time, at least not at these temperatures. In his opinion, the latter was more important due to recent attacks. But they could get away with a few strategically placed fans that made the heat and stale air tolerable.

  It was a nice enough setup, but Ben felt something was off. Maybe it was the fact that the shelves were full of goods he considered rare these days. Or maybe it was the way the personal belongings failed to mesh with the commercial environment. Whatever the reason, the place didn’t exactly give him any warm, fuzzy feelings.

  His uneasiness might have also been caused by the seemingly constant gaze of the two hundred-plus-pound shadows Amelia called Samson and Delilah. The pair looked fit to guard the gates of hell. Their mannerisms were calm and somewhat aloof, but their sleek black coats and piercing golden eyes reminded him of panthers on the prowl. Their stoic features and sharply cropped ears gave the impression that the two very serious-looking canines were plotting something sinister.

  Ben was grateful for the help with the Jeep, especially for the parts Emmett had provided. And Amelia couldn’t have been any more hospitable, but he couldn’t shake this uneasy feeling. The couple insisted they stay awhile, at least until the heat subsided to a more reasonable temperature. Sandy and the kids readily accepted before he had a chance to say anything otherwise.

  What was he supposed to do? Suggest they all head back out into the blistering-hot wasteland for more punishment? Besides, he had no real reason to push leaving here. All he had were his own unfounded suspicions. Sandy and the kids would think he was being paranoid. Maybe he was.

  They couldn’t get back on the road right now, anyway. Doing so would be asking for another mechanical failure from one of the vehicles. They couldn’t expect to travel with any success until things cooled off. The reality was they were prisoners by design, and until conditions improved, they were stuck here.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  The kids seemed content to talk quietly and lounge around near one of the large floor fans Emmett had set up for them. Ben and Sandy shared some of what they’d encountered on their road trip. The older couple was very interested to hear how the rest of the country was doing and a little disappointed to learn the answers to their questions.

  Ben didn’t go into too much detail about Vince and Cloverdale, but Emmett and Amelia were concerned about the biker gang that had taken over the town. According to Emmett, Cloverdale was only about sixty miles from Paris, Illinois. A sobering fact to be reminded of, considering how much effort they’d put into traveling the last couple of days.

  They hadn’t had any organized attacks on the hardware store per se. A few bikers had given them trouble a while back, but the couple was able to fend them off, as well as the others they’d encountered. Most of the problems they were having were from individuals or small groups of looters trying to gain access to the property and whatever goods they had stored inside.

  Amelia was sure things were getting worse. The news came as no surprise to Ben; it went along with his theory on how things would devolve over time and aligned with what they were experiencing out on the road. People were becoming more and more desperate. And even those who were semi-prepared with some food and water in reserve were probably running low by now. It had been nearly three weeks since the grid went dark and supply chains ceased to operate. Ben wasn’t sure what Emmett and Amelia were eating or where they were getting their food, but they looked like they were doing well, along with their dogs.

  They made small talk for about an hour or so before the couple excused themselves to the area of the store clearly intended to be a bedroom. All three of their dogs followed, joining them in the makeshift room. Emmett pulled a series of drop clothes strung up with cable and shower curtain rings around the area, creating a privacy screen, and disappeared.

  Ben didn’t mind the couple so much, but he was glad to get a break from the big black dogs’ penetrating stares. He looked to the other end of the couch, and Sandy was well on her way to falling asleep. That was good. She might have to drive again later; there was no telling how this day would go. And there wasn’t much else to do. Even the kids were dozing off. It was hard not to with a slight breeze blowing and the constant, dreary humming of the four oversized fans.

  Ben leaned back on the club chair and put his leg up on the ottoman. Julia would be proud of him for remembering to elevate his knee. He closed his eyes, but he couldn’t stop thinking about their current situation. Was he being paranoid because of all that had happened today already? The others seemed perfectly at ease staying here. If they weren’t, no one had said anything.

  After a few minutes, Ben gave up on trying to rest. He checked his watch and saw that it was a little after two in the afternoon. He couldn’t help but wonder if the temperature was showing any signs of backing off.

  Easing his leg off the ottoman, he did his best to get up off the leather club chair as quietly as he could. The kids were all sleeping now, but the main reason for his attempt at stealth was moving without alerting the two hellhounds.

  Ed’s dog, Max, was well-trained like these two, but Max was different. Samson and Delilah watched Ben and the others like they were on the menu, and it was unsettling at best. He glanced back toward the living area to make sure he hadn’t disturbed anyone. Gunner’s head lifted off the floor, his eyes only half open. Ben held up his hand and signaled for the dog to stay until his head dropped back down.

  Satisfied he was on his own, Ben continued through the well-stocked aisles of goods on his way toward the loading dock. He wanted to check the temperature on the thermometer outside but quickly remembered the doors and windows were electrified. He thought about throwing the switches but figured it would make too much noise.

  He also didn’t feel right tinkering with Emmett’s system. They were guests, after all. This was another man’s castle, and that deserved Ben’s respect after the hospitality he’d been shown. But the realization that they were basically trapped inside the hardware store only served to add to his anxiety, even if it was temporary.

  Ben adjusted his knee brace while considering his options. It wouldn’t do any harm to look around the place, would it? There was no point in trying to rest. His body was tired, but his mind was too busy to sit still.

  PAINT AND ELECTRICAL.

  Ben read the overhead sign and took a right. He hadn’t chosen the aisle for any particular reason other than it led away from the side of the store where the couple had made their living quarters.

  Walking between the rows of new, packaged goods was surreal. The only thing out of the ordinary was the thick layer of dust that covered everything. His eye caught something of interest. Ben crouched and pulled a one-gallon paint can from the shelf. Blowing the dust off the label, he held it up and read quietly. “Thermoflex technology cool guard.” It was a can of roof sealer boasting eighty-nine percent heat reflection and an insulation factor guaranteed to reduce the heat of painted surfaces.

  Ben thought for a second. If Emmett would be willing to part with the paint and a roller, painting the roofs and hoods of the vehicles might be worthwhile. If this was the type of heat they would be up against for the foreseeable future, it couldn’t hurt to give the stuff a try.

  He thought about what to offer Emmett in trade for the gallon of sealer, the roller, and the brush he was now searching for. He quickly found a roller handle and settled on a thick napped cover and large brush that would spread the sealer out fast and thick.

  Emmett would probably be happy with some silver pieces or maybe ammunition. The man had mentioned to Ben that he had several weapons, but he was running low on ammunition. Ben didn’t bring up the fact that they were traveling with an excess of it, and he was glad none of the others had, either.

  Emmett and Amelia seemed nice enough, but Ben was never one to share unnecessary information. And as far as he was concerned, the couple didn’t need to know the details of what they were carrying. It was enough that they’d seen what was in the Jeep. That much couldn’t be hidden, unfortunately.

  Ben set the can of roof sealer and other supplies down on the floor; he’d come back for it. There was more of the store to explore yet, and who knew what other useful things he might find? For the most part, this was a fully stocked hardware store. He might not get the chance to do this again for a long time, maybe ever.

  He went to the far end of the aisle and looked down the row to see if he could spot an outdoor or camping section sign. He couldn’t really think of anything they needed, but that would be a good place to start.

  OUTDOOR SUPPLIES, STORAGE CONTAINERS, GARDENING. Ben headed for the overhead sign with a big red arrow on it. Maybe he could find something to replace the jerry can that had been shot full of holes. When he reached the sign, he turned in the direction of the arrow and found himself staring at double doors that led to an outdoor retail area.

  He stood a couple of feet away, wondering if Emmett had these doors wired into his electrical systems as well. The outdoor section was fenced in and covered with a roof, so Ben figured it wasn’t.

  He touched the handle of the door quickly and pulled his hand away, but nothing. He touched it again, slower, and let out a sigh of relief. The door wasn’t wired. And now he had to question the validity of Emmett’s claim about the other doors. He wasn’t willing to test those doubts just yet, though.

  The filthy glass door opened with a creak that made Ben tense his shoulders. Emmett had access to an entire hardware store, and he couldn’t put some WD-40 on those hinges? Visions of Samson and Delilah coming to investigate the squeaky door filled his head. The last thing he wanted to do was meet up with those two alone while wandering around in their territory. He was sure it wouldn’t end well.

  Ben held the door still for a little while as he listened, but he didn’t hear anything. Satisfied that his unauthorized shopping spree had gone unnoticed, he continued on. Careful to close the door very slowly, he headed off through the outdoor section.

  The air was dead still in the half-covered courtyard, and Ben started to sweat almost immediately. The large mesh panels that hung overhead and once blocked the direct sunlight from reaching the more delicate plants were ripped and tattered, no longer providing much shade in some places.

  Dead houseplants hanging from ornate pots lined most of the outside walls, but there was a small area of bright green in the middle: a thriving garden. Tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and green beans filled cages and climbed wooden stakes in defiance of all the dead and dying plants surrounding them. The irrigation system of rubber tubing weaved through the open trusses above still dripped from the last watering. And Ben was reminded that they should try to top off their water before they left, if the couple would allow it. Something else to consider when making his offer to barter for goods.

  He continued past a row of wheelbarrows and push mowers. The sign at the beginning of the aisle indicated that there were containers at the other end. Ben would be happy with anything they could use to carry fuel, as long as it had a secure lid and could hold at least five gallons.

  There, straight ahead, he spotted an assortment of bright red plastic gas cans, and on the floor below them were a couple of five-gallon metal jerry cans. Ben hurried to the end of the aisle and grabbed one. He’d carry it out and set it by the paint, then work out the details with Emmett later. He didn’t want to seem too presumptuous by taking the stuff, but he was pretty sure the couple wouldn’t mind, especially if he offered a small can of .223 in exchange for the items.