"This is nuts." Before Tiel had time to process the command of her brain, she was on her feet.
"Hey!" Ronnie shouted. "Get back down."
Tiel ignored him, moved past him, and crouched down beside the suffering girl. "Sabra?" She took her hand.
"Squeeze my hand until the pain passes. That might help."
Sabra grasped her hand so hard Tiel feared the bones would be ground to meal. But she endured it, and to gather they rode out the contraction. When the girl's features began to relax, Tiel whispered, "Better now?"
"Hmm." Then with a trace of panic, "Where's Ronnie?"
"He's right here."
"I won't leave you, Sabra."
Tiel said, "I think you should urge him to call nine-one-one for you."
"No."
"But you're at risk and so is your baby."
"He would find us. He'd catch us."
"Who?" Tiel asked, although she knew. Russell Dendy.
He had the reputation of being a ruthless businessman.
From what she knew of him, Tiel couldn't imagine him being any less unyielding in his personal relationships.
Ronnie said brusquely, "Get back with the others, lady.
This is none of your business."
"You made it my business when you waved a pistol at me and threatened my life."
"Get back over there."
"No."
"Look, lady…"
He faltered when a car pulled off the highway and into the parking lot. Its headlights swept the front of the store.
"Damn! Hey, lady!" He walked over to the cashier and nudged her with the toe of his shoe. "Get up. Turn off the lights and lock the door."
The woman shook her head, refusing to acknowledge either him or the precarious situation.
"Do what he says," the elderly woman said to her. "We'll be all right if we just do what he says."
"Hurry up!" The car rolled to a stop at one of the gas pumps. "Turn off the lights and lock the door."
The woman came to her feet unsteadily. "I'm not supposed to close until eleven. That's still ten minutes."
If circumstances hadn't been so tense, Tiel would have laughed at her blind adherence to the rules.
Ronnie said, "Do it now. Before he gets out of his car."
She went behind the counter, her mules slapping against her heels. At the flip of a switch, the lights outside were extinguished.