Tuck had paused the folding of his sleeping bag, but now began moving again, wrapping the tie around it and pulling tight. “He was nice,” he said. “But he was also scared. And alone. I heard him get up and leave this morning, but I thought it was for the best. He must be good with animals, because the horse didn’t make a sound when he led her off. I can only figure that he swiped the map last night while I was discarding the animal guts.” He glanced at Charlie’s feet. “And I obviously didn’t see him switch out the shoes before he left.”

I groaned. “Abram expected us to take good care of the horse. I hadn’t even named her yet.” Which was obviously for the best now as she was no longer ours. “Do you really think Isaac will take good care of her?”

“As well as he’s able. But horses, like cars, attract attention. That attention isn’t always good.” Tuck swung his backpack over his shoulder. “Honestly, she was slowing us down. We can walk faster.”

Charlie let out a bark of laughter. “We can walk faster? Oh great. We can walk faster. Except that I have no fucking shoes! Because of you!” He jabbed his finger at Tuck, and I stilled at the look on Tuck’s face, worried that Charlie was pushing him too far. In a minute he was going to walk out of here and leave us behind. “This was your fault,” Charlie said. “You wear those—” he pointed at the ruined shoes on the ground “—and give me yours.”

“I’m not giving you my shoes.”

“Give me your shoes and I won’t report you for the drugs.”

Tuck laughed bitterly, his eyes narrowing. “Go ahead and tell the authorities. In fact, be my guest and go right now.” Tuck’s voice was cold and even, and I detected a warning in it.

I was tempted to step between their argument like I’d done each time, but I didn’t. I’d already decided Charlie and I didn’t have a future after this journey from hell was over, and likewise, I’d never see Tuck again once he delivered me to my parents, so what was the point? Let them solve their own issues like men if they needed to.

Tuck walked straight up to Charlie’s outstretched finger, his chest bending it back so that Charlie dropped it. “The only reason you care about that horse being gone is that you want a free ride,” Tuck said, his voice as steady as his gaze. “Most entitled piece of shit I’ve ever met.”

Oh. My eyes darted to Charlie.

“Excuse me?”

“Things have changed, Charlie. And I know you don’t like it. But there are new rules, and if you don’t want to play by them, then you can fuck off.”