Page 71 of Rage

“Ja.”

I nod, not sure what to make of that, but I pull out my notebook and write it down. “Why is she running away?”

“She got in with a bad crowd,” she says, lowering her voice to just above a whisper.

“Who?”

“I don’t know their names, but it’s been going on since she got that … dancing job over in New Philly.”

“The Cheetah Lounge?”

She nods, her eyes slipping away from mine.

“The people she’s running away from,” I say. “Are they Amish or English?”

She looks at me as if I’m nuts. “English.”

“Why is she afraid of them?”

“She won’t say. But I’ve known Wilma since we were kids. She doesn’t scare easily.” Her brows come together. “She’s in trouble and she won’t talk about it.”

“Do you think she’s in danger?” I ask.

“Maybe.”

“Do you know where she is?”

“No.”

I’m not sure I believe her, but I don’t press. Not yet. “You said she asked for money. Did you give it to her?”

“I told her I didn’t have any. That was the truth; I don’t. If I did, I’d give it to her just to make her happy again.”

“How did she respond?”

“She got mad. Not because she’s a bad person, but because she’s scared.”

We fall silent, tension pulsing around us.

“I know she was involved with Samuel Yutzy,” I say.

She opens her mouth as if to dispute the words, but doesn’t. Instead, she hangs her head and shakes it. “She knows the police are looking for her.”

“Naomi, I think I can help her, but I’m going to need your help.”

She raises her eyes to mine. “What kind of help?”

“I want you to text her and ask her to meet you here right now. Tell her you were able to come up with some money and you want to give it to her.”

“Oh.” Her eyes go wide and she shakes her head. “But that’s not true,” she says. “I can’t lie to her. She’ll never forgive me.”

“Naomi, two men have already turned up dead,” I say. “I want to make sure that doesn’t happen to Wilma, too.”

Her eyes widen. “You think they’d do that to her?”

“Wilma was involved with Samuel Yutzy,” I say. “Look what happened to him.”

Lowering her head, she closes her eyes tightly. “I’m afraid for her,” she whispers. “Now, you’re asking me to betray her. I don’t know what to do.”