Our bags back in the trunk, we got into the car and drove around to the front of the building.  I jumped out and ran the room key into the office and dropped it on the front desk and headed back out.  Once we were on the road and headed for the library, I asked Angel what her plans were.  She looked out the window for a minute before turning to me and saying, “Paul, I really don’t have any plans as yet. I need to contact my aunt and find out if she will take me in.  I can only hope that she will. If not, well, I guess I’ll head to the coast and try to find someplace to stay.  If I live frugally, I should be able to make the money last until I am old enough to get a real job and support myself. I just don’t know at this point.”  She turned back to look out the window again and started crying silently. Her shoulders hunched together as she withdrew into her pain again.  I could only drive on towards the library lost in my own thoughts about her, her situation and how much I had suddenly realized I had come to care for this poor child who had had her entire world ripped from her in a senseless act of violence.
      We entered the town and shortly pulled up at the library.  Angel got out and said she would only be a few minutes but I decided to go in with her thinking I might be able to help her contact her aunt.   By the time I was inside, Angel was already on a computer and tapping away at the keyboard.  I went to another computer and got online and started checking my various email accounts, bank balance, and message boards before turning back to look at Angel.  The tip of her pink tongue held between her teeth and the look of concentration on her face left me no doubt that she was in the middle of her email to her aunt.  I shut down the computer I was on and stepped to her side, leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Need any help?” then kissed her ear softly and allowed my tongue to slide along its shell pink edge.  Angel leaned her head over offering me her ear and moaned softly saying, “Mmm that feels so sexy but you better stop before someone sees what you are doing.  I’m almost done, we can get out of here in a minute.”  I stood back up and looked around the library and spotted the racks of newspapers.  I picked up the latest copy of the paper for the town nearest the truckstop where I had picked up Angel and began to scan the pages.  I found the follow up story on page 3.  A quick glance through it told me that we needed to get out of the state as fast as possible.  Angel had been spotted getting into a car at the truckstop.  The report continued with a very accurate description of the car (mine) and a rough description of the driver.  It wasn’t very accurate but it was close enough to make me realize that anyone spotting us together could easily make the identification. I got real nervous real fast as I looked around to see if anyone was paying particularly close attention to either Angel or myself.  No one was thankfully although the librarian looked at me and smiled as I glanced at her.  I wandered back to Angel and whispered to her to hurry, that we needed to get out of there fast.  Angel didn’t answer but nodded in acknowledgement as I turned towards the door and as casually as I could, left the building and returned to the car.  I had it running and had pulled to the door when Angel came out and got in.  I pulled away and headed back towards the interstate and away from the risks of being in town.  I didn’t relax until we were again headed west.
      Angel knew I wanted to know what she had written to her aunt and began to tell me about her email.  The condensed version of it was that she had told her aunt virtually everything including about being with “A wonderful older gentleman who had taken pity on her and was helping her to get away.”  When she had finished she looked at me expectantly waiting for some comment.  I kept my eyes on the road as I related the news story to her in as casual a manner as I could not wanting to alarm her. I failed miserably.  Angel went into a mild fit of hysteria demanding that I let her out of the car right then that she would make her own way west and try to throw any pursuers of the track if she was caught by telling them I had turned north towards Canada.  I let her talk on until she eventually ran out of steam and quieted down.  I looked at her and smiled and asked if she was finished.  She blushed slightly and apologized and said she would shut up.  I chuckled and reached out and took her small hand in mine and gave it a squeeze then told her to relax that I had everything under control.
      “First, we are going to continue west for a day then stop at a library so you can see if you have received an answer to your email.  We need to know what your aunt is willing to do for you, if anything before we make any further plans. Okay?”  Angel nodded as I continued.  “Let’s just take it one day at a time sweetie.  We can make real plans when we have enough information to make intelligent choices.  Now, help me watch for an exit so we can gas up the car and get some lunch.”  I leaned over and stroked her cheek with the back of my hand and glanced at her and smiled.  Angel looked back at me and nodded then turned her head to stare out the window in silence.  I glanced at the gas gauge and saw that we had less than half a tank and pulled off the interstate and into the first gas station I saw stopping at the pump.  While I filled the car, I cleaned the windows and checked the oil. As I entered the station to pay, I caught the tail end of Angels’ conversation with the young man who was tending the station. I paid the young man and asked about a motel in the area and a place to shop for clothes.  After getting directions to both, Angel and I headed back to the car and drove off.