No Ordinary Day by Tate, Harley (best large ereader .txt) 📕

much the same.” She checked the hose leading from the pump to the handle. No visible cracks or tears. Everything appeared in working order. She reached for the padlock bolted above the handle. “We won’t know until we get this off, though.”

John turned and opened the driver’s-side door, leaning across the console to pop the glove box. He returned with a slim black case. “Give me a minute and we’ll know for sure.” He opened the little case and fished out two long, slender pieces of metal. He set to work on the lock, using one of the pin tools as a stabilizer and one as a shim, fishing it back and forth to catch the lock. Within a minute, the padlock popped open.

He pulled it open with a tight smile. “We can lock back up when we’re done.”

Emma nodded before lifting the handle. She turned toward the Jeep and stuffed the handle into the tank before flipping up the latch. The pump flipped on, mechanical gears rolling the rotary numbers as gas filled the tank. It wasn’t the ideal situation, stealing from some farmer in the middle of Alabama, but what could they do?

She thought about their supplies. “We should leave something in exchange. Maybe a case of water or canned goods and a note?”

“Guys?” Holly called out from the edge of the grass. “Hey, guys?”

Emma didn’t look up, concentrating on the gas pump in her hand. “Almost done!”

John cursed and shifted beside her. At last, Emma glanced up. A woman stood twenty feet away, rifle pointed straight at her. Emma stepped back, releasing her hold on the gas pump as she lifted her hands in the air.

“Not another move or so help me, I’ll shoot you where it hurts.”

John stepped in front of Emma, but she swatted at him until he moved aside. “I’m sorry, ma’am. We have been trying to find gas for miles. We’ve got to make it all the way to Mississippi as soon as possible. We were planning on leaving a case of food and water in exchange,” she offered with a hopeful smile.

The woman’s frown deepened. “Sure you were, now that you’ve been caught. Didn’t see you looking for the owner of this here gas before you broke in and started using it. If I hadn’t come along, you’d be on your way with a full tank and no one else the wiser.”

“I suggest you lower that rifle.” John’s tone wasn’t friendly in the slightest.

Emma glowered at him. “Don’t mind him, he’s a bit grouchy.” She tried again. “I meant what I said. We don’t have cash, but we do have food and water.”

The woman with the rifle nodded toward the vehicle. “I don’t see anyone rushing to unload.”

Emma swallowed and glanced at John. Muscles ticked in his jaw and his hand hovered above the gun tucked beneath his shirt. She sucked in a deep breath. The last thing Emma wanted was a shootout with an innocent woman just trying to protect a neighbor’s resources.

The Explorer coasted to a stop on the road and the passenger door opened. Pringles hopped out, giving his body a head-to-toe shake before running up to the stranger. She jerked her head, rifle rotating in a wide arc as she sidestepped away from Pringles.

Gloria climbed down from the Explorer calling Pringles’ name. She smiled as she approached the woman, ignoring the rifle pointed at Emma and the others. “I’m so sorry. He’s been cooped up in this car all day. Never met a human he doesn’t like.”

“Get him away from me before I shoot him.”

Gloria scooped Pringles up without so much as a shiver. “I’m sorry if my friends here are taking your gas without permission.”

The woman nodded in appreciation, graying hair falling across her pale eyes. “I appreciate that. Doesn’t change what they did though.”

“No, it sure doesn’t, but I’m more than willing to pay the going rate.”

“Cash is no good here.”

Gloria smiled. “That’s good because we have more food than cash. Canned chicken, tuna, some beans. Fair bit of rice, too. How about we make a deal?”

“What seems to be the trouble?” A new voice sounded from behind Emma and she spun to find a man standing a few paces back, face obscured by the shadow of a cowboy hat.

The woman lowered her rifle a fraction. “Mayor Samson, didn’t expect to see you here.”

“You know I’m always ready to deal with local disputes.”

“This ain’t local. These strangers came and stole some of Marty’s gas. Cut the lock.”

“No, we didn’t.” John held up the intact lock as proof.

The mayor tipped his hat. “If you didn’t cut it, how are you pumping it?”

Emma’s cheeks heated. John crossed his arms across his chest. “We unlocked it.”

“Did Marty give you permission?”

“No.”

“Then it seems to me y’all have been stealing. That’s an offense punishable by a stint in the town jail.”

Gloria stepped forward, smiling as she tossed her brown curls over her shoulder. “Like I told your constituent here, we have more than enough to trade. Food, water, what is it that you all need the most of?”

The mayor lifted his hat for the first time and Emma glimpsed a pair of dark brown eyes deep set in a tan face. He raised an eyebrow in Gloria’s direction. “Well, that seems like a reasonable deal, don’t you think, Suzanne?”

The woman with the rifle started to argue, but one tip of the mayor’s hat and she stopped. “If that’s what you want, Mayor.”

“We do have a whole ton of mouths to feed back at the community center. With everyone sheltering in place until help comes, we can use all the supplies we can get.”

Emma’s eyes widened. “Is your whole town there?”

“Yes, ma’am. We’re sheltering in place as we wait for word from the state. Can’t imagine the power will be out more than a few more days and then we’ll get back to normal lickety-split.” He smiled. “We’ve got an organized daycare for the kids, school during regular hours, plenty of socializing