“I never said that,” the sheriff said. “Highway traffic was a mess in both directions, but I only managed to talk to people who were traveling from the east. Several I tried to wave down didn’t stop—people are less than reasonable when they’re trying to get to loved ones. Can’t blame ’em. What it did make clear was that we need to set up a patrol at the borders of our town. That starts this evening. You three were the last unchecked visitors here. We simply don’t know what’s coming and can’t be complacent.”

My head was reeling. I was having a hard time grasping this. But the sheriff was right. There was no room for complacency in a situation where the scope might be…too colossal to imagine. He was right to protect his town in whatever way he could.

“How are we going to get a ride out of here?” Charlie asked. “Do you have a vintage car we can use? I’ll purchase it from you.” He dug around in his pants, pulling out his wallet, and holding up a credit card. “You can write down the number and charge it once the power’s back up.”

The sheriff’s gaze held on him a beat. “Sorry, son, I don’t have a vintage car and anyone in town who does is gonna want to hold on to it. You can understand that, I’m sure.”

Son. Under other circumstances, Charlie’s offended expression would have made me want to laugh. But I couldn’t muster so much as a chuckle at Charlie’s expense. And hadn’t he just heard what the sheriff said about dwindling fuel and the main highway at a standstill? Even if we could find a car like Leonard’s, we’d be out of gas after a couple of hours. Not to mention that it’d been made clear to us that a vehicle was in high demand and quickly becoming a dangerous possession. My thoughts halted and then sped, moving in every direction randomly.

Emily’s gaze darted from Charlie to me, hanging there as she blew out a huff of breath. We could ask the sheriff if we could stay here. The town seemed like it was making do and banding together in the ways they were able. Maybe they’d allow us to stay, especially if we had something to offer. I was strong and fit and suddenly realized that all the workouts I’d done in prison to keep myself occupied could be put to a greater use. A small trickle of purpose made me straighten my spine. A disaster. This was a clear disaster, perhaps of epic proportions. Sharp minds were necessary to figure out how to get by until normalcy was restored. Able bodies would be needed. I could barter with my physical and mental assets.