The gas station came into view. It was a pool of white light in the dark. His headlights swept across the lot. It was empty. There was no figure by the pumps, and no shadow under the awning. His chest tightened a bit as the engine idled. He honked once, absurdly, as if she might appear.
He parked and stepped out. By now, he was feeling a little nervous. The air smelled of wet asphalt and oil. “Adeline!” he called. Nothing. The attendant inside barely looked up from the counter. “You saw the woman here earlier?” Richard asked. The boy nodded slowly. “Yeah. She walked off that way. Was crying. Looked upset.”