“It wasn’t stolen, and earthly possessions are nothing but obstacles standing in the way of our spiritual enlightenment.”

“Is that so?”

“Lucy said her mother died. When was that?”

“About six weeks ago. The woman never had any sense. She was driving drunk.”

“What about the girls’ father?”

“Fathers. Lucy’s father was a one-night stand. The Demon’s father was Sandy’s last boyfriend. He died with her.”

“That must be why Lucy’s so hostile. She’s trying to cope with her mother’s death.”

“I don’t think so. My bet is that Sandy died for Lucy a long time ago. I think she’s mainly scared, but doesn’t want anybody to see it.”

“It’s nice of you to watch out for them, especially since you don’t seem too fond of children.”

“Nothing wrong with those little girls that some good concrete blocks and a real deep lake won’t fix.”

She smiled. People always put on their best faces for her. It was nice to be around someone so cheerfully perverse. “What do you do for a living? When you’re not driving around children who don’t belong to you, that is.”

He took another sip from his root beer and set the can back down before he answered. “I work in a steel mill.”

“Where?”

“Pittsburgh.”

She settled back into the seat, thoroughly enjoying the novelty of chatting like an ordinary person. “Is it interesting? Working in the steel industry?”

“Oh, yeah. Real interesting.” He yawned.

“What do you do?”

“This and that.”

“It’s incredible the way the industry is reviving despite competition with the Japanese. It’s strange, though, to realize Indiana is our leading steel producer now instead of Pennsylvania. And Pennsylvania isn’t even in second place.”

He was staring at her, and she realized she’d revealed too much. “I read about it in the National Enquirer,” she said quickly.

“The National Enquirer?”

“Maybe it was the Philadelphia Inquirer.”

“Maybe.”

A stab of resentment shot through her. She’d spent too many years watching every word she said, and she didn’t want to have to do it now. “I have a photographic memory,” she lied. “I know all kinds of trivia.”

“Too bad you couldn’t remember your car keys.” He took another swig of root beer. “So Pennsylvania’s number three?”

“Number four, actually, after Ohio and Illinois.”

“Fascinating.” He yawned again.

“Would you like me to drive so you can nap?”

“You ever drive one of these things?”

She’d driven tanks, both American- and Russian-made. “Something similar.”

“Maybe I will. I had a lousy night’s sleep.” He slowed and pulled off onto the shoulder.

“What’s going on?” Lucy called out from the back.

“I’m taking a nap. Come up here and torture Nell for a while so I can have the bed. You can teach her all the dirty words you know.”