I approached the clapboard house as if I thought a big, feral dog was about to come charging out of it. August was home; I had to walk right past his Ford F-150 on my way to the porch.

I didn't belong in this hollow. I had no relatives out this way. Even now, I could feel stares on me from surrounding houses. All around, mountains collected the early evening shadows.

Before I had a chance to reach August's front door and knock, it opened. I froze on the porch steps, my hand gripping the railing. 

He stood behind the screen door, regarding me. "I know you." His eyes narrowed a bit, and he moved a toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other. "You work at that market on Bridge Street."

I smiled, strangely pleased he remembered me. "That's right." With my free hand, I tucked a springy curl behind my ear. "I'm Dove."

August didn't return my smile. "Well, Dove, you're a long way from Bridge Street. And I assume you know who I am. So what are you doing here?"

As he folded his arms over his chest, I sneaked a glimpse at his tall frame. He wore a wife beater shirt and faded jeans. His hair, a lighter blond than my own, was thinning, but that did little to detract from his looks. On the few occasions I'd rung him up at the store, his face had been open and friendly, his blue eyes bright. Now, he didn't appear nearly as welcoming.

I'd chosen to wear a sundress that evening, a decision I almost immediately regretted. The bodice was too tight, the neckline too low. Since I'd recently gained weight, a lot of my clothes were no longer flattering. And unlike August, I didn't have a healthy tan. Standing before him, I was embarrassed about my pale legs.

"I, uh..." Looking around, I tried to recall what I'd planned to say to this man, but my mind went completely blank. Finally, I blurted out, "I need you to help me find my friend."

August's eyes narrowed even more. "Yeah? And what makes you think I'd do that?"

Though the sun had almost sunk behind the mountains, I still broke into a sweat. "I have money." As I spoke, I clutched my purse tighter to my side.

"That so?" His scowl changed into something like interest. I didn't know whether to be relieved or terrified when he opened the screen door for me. "Come on in, and we'll have a chat."

I stepped into a small living room, with its dated carpet and wood paneling. It had the same layout as many other houses in these parts: the kitchen was directly behind the living room. A doorway on the left opened onto a short hallway. The bathroom was between two bedrooms, one at the front of the house, and one at the back. 

"Have a seat." August nodded toward the couch, and I quickly sat down, making sure to smooth the skirt of my dress beneath me. "Want some pop? Or a beer?" On his way to the kitchen, he stopped and looked over his shoulder at me. "Wait, how old are you, anyway?"

"Just turned nineteen, and I'll take a pop if you don't mind." 

Once I was alone in the room, my stare drifted to the television. Wheel of Fortune was on. I had to smile; I wouldn't have guessed August enjoyed game shows.

He returned with a beer for himself and a can of Coke for me. Instead of sitting in the nearby recliner, he sank onto the couch, leaving a cushion between us. After taking a swig of beer, he turned my way. "First of all, how much money you got?"

I looked at my purse in my lap. "Um, five hundred dollars?"

August laughed. "You don't sound so sure."

"No, I have it," I insisted. "It's what I've managed to save since I started working full-time at the store. I'd planned to use it to get the hell out of here, but it's not enough." I felt the corners of my mouth pull downward, as if tiny weights had been attached to them. "It'll never be enough."

August was quiet a moment, long enough to make me raise my head and meet his stare. Unlike the vast majority of people in these mountains, he hadn't been born and raised here. It was only a few years ago that he'd shown up, having inherited his grandparents' old house. People in town gossiped, saying he was probably hiding out, trying to avoid trouble he'd made for himself elsewhere. 

There was other talk, too. Talk I'd overheard while behind the store counter. For a price, August could take care of problems for people. The man had no steady job, but he never seemed to want for money. 

It was one of those conversations that got me thinking he might be able to help me.

"Tell me about your friend," August said. Then he reached for the remote and turned off the television.

I took a deep breath, and then a swallow of the soda, before I started. "Her name's Tanya. We've been friends for pretty much our whole lives, and..." When I realized I was fiddling with the zipper on my purse, I quickly stopped. "She recently met some guy. He's older than us, maybe your age?" I wasn't exactly sure how old August was.

"Mid-thirties?" he said.

"I think so. Tanya always dodged the question when I asked, so he could be in his forties, for all I know. I only met him once, when they came into the store while I was working." I didn't bother to hide my grimace. "I thought he was a creep, flashing his money around and telling her she could buy whatever she wanted. But it was easy to see she'd fallen for him." Feeling August's stare on me, I tugged at my sundress, trying to pull up the bodice. No doubt about it—my boobs were too big for this outfit.

August leaned back against the couch. "So she ran off with him, is that it?"

"Yep." My tone was flat, betraying none of the anguish I felt at my friend's absence. "I mean, she told me she was going, and I tried to talk her out of it, but she said there's nothing for her here. I couldn't really argue with that. Still, I made her promise to keep in touch with me, to let me know where she'd be staying. She swore she'd text or call every day."

"When's the last time you heard from her?"

"Two weeks ago, the day after she left. She sent a text telling me she was in Franklin. She said things were great." I released a shaky breath. "Since then, not a word."

"The guy she's with, what's his name?" August sat up again. As he waited for my answer, he drummed his fingertips on his left thigh.

"She just called him Rick," I said. "He's not from around here. Tanya met him when he was passing through and he stopped in at the restaurant where she worked." My voice was full of apology. "I know it isn't much to go on."

"You're right, it ain't." August finished off his beer, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Look, I understand you're worried about your friend, but girls your age..." He shook his head. "Oftentimes, when they start seeing someone new, they tend to get fixated on the relationship, you know? They ignore their friends, their family."

I did know that. And it wasn't just girls my age. My mom was the same way. I shuddered at the thought of her new boyfriend, who was constantly at our house, and whom she constantly fawned over.

Whenever Mom's boyfriend caught me alone in a room, he went out of his way to make me uncomfortable. Just last night, I'd been in the kitchen, microwaving leftovers, and he made a point to crowd me. If I took a step, he did the same, shadowing me until I was practically pinned against the table. 

"Relax," he'd said through a sneer. "I'm just on my way to the fridge. Besides, I don't go for heifers."

The insult, spoken low enough so my mom couldn't possibly hear it from where she sat in the living room, made my face burn. I was used to being the larger girl; both Mom and Tanya were petite, almost delicate. But I hadn't been teased about my weight since high school.

"Fuck you," I'd shot back.

Mom's boyfriend raised an eyebrow in warning. "Watch your mouth, girlie, if you know what's good for you."

Of course, he turned on the charm when Mom was around. Again and again, she asked me why I didn't like him. I told her he made my skin crawl, but she only rolled her eyes.

August drew me back to the present with his next words. "Before you throw money away searching for your friend, maybe you should give it another week or so."

I shook my head. "Something's wrong. I know it is." Now I was the one turning to face him. "I heard you have, uh, connections. You know a lot of people, right? Franklin ain't that big of a place. You could find out if anyone has seen Tanya." Reaching into my purse, I withdrew my phone. "Here she is." I showed him a picture Tanya and I had recently taken, our faces pressed together as we flashed huge smiles.

August studied the photo, his brow furrowed. "Five hundred ain't gonna get you much. I can drive to Franklin and ask around. Some folks might be willing to talk to me. But I can't make any promises, and I'll keep your money all the same."

Without thinking, I placed a hand on his arm. "Thank you so much, August. I really appreciate it."

My gratitude didn't have a noticeable effect on him. "I'm gonna need the cash upfront," was all he said.

I'd come prepared for this. My hands were trembling as I withdrew a wad of tens and twenties from my purse. August wordlessly accepted it, then counted the bills. Once he nodded, I leaned toward him. 

"Can I come with you?" I asked.

He looked at me like I'd started speaking Greek. "Now why would you want to do that?"

I shrugged, because I didn't have a good reason. More than anything, I wanted to find Tanya and make sure she was okay. If she was happy with Rick, then I'd wish her the best and return to my shitty life here. But I just had to see her.

"Maybe I could help," I told August.

That made him smirk. "I highly doubt that." When I started to argue, he held up a hand. "But it's your money, Dove. As long as you stay out of my way and don't try to stick your nose where it doesn't belong, I'm fine with you tagging along."

I had the crazy urge to throw my arms around this man. A man who was practically a stranger, and one I didn't know if I could trust. Instead, I asked, "When do we leave?"

August glanced at the clock on the wall. It was quarter till eight. "No time like the present."

My eyes widened. "Right now?"

He was already climbing to his feet. "Sure. Why not? Franklin's just a couple hours from here."

"But wouldn't it be a good idea for you to call your... contacts there? Before you make the trip?" I was scheduled to work at the store tomorrow; my shift would start at seven in the morning. 

"Some discussions should take place in person, face to face," August said. "Now, if my timeline doesn't suit you..."

"It does." I quickly stood, watching as he strolled from the room. My mind was busy tallying up the amounts for two motel rooms, meals, gas for August's truck. The five hundred I'd saved would be gone in no time. A bitter smile twisted my lips. How had I ever thought I could save up enough to move out of my mom's house, and out of this town?

"We can stop by your place if you want," August called to me from his bedroom. "So you can pack an overnight bag."

"That's okay," I said, way too quickly. "I already have one in my car."

He poked his head back in the living room. The wife beater was gone, and he was now pulling on a regular T-shirt. "My, my, you are chomping at the bit to go, aren't you?"

I averted my eyes from his bare chest. I wasn't about to tell him I'd had that bag in my car for months, since Mom's boyfriend started hanging around our place. I wanted to be ready in case I ever needed to leave in a hurry. 

While lingering in August's living room, I called Mom and told her I was spending the night at a friend's house. Though she knew Tanya had left town, she didn't bother asking who I'd be staying with. 

"Alright, honey," my mother said. "Just remember you gotta work tomorrow."

My stomach lurched at the reminder. My next call was to the store manager, Lucille. "I'm sorry," I told her. "Something's come up, and I'll have to miss work tomorrow."

"Dove, you were out two weeks ago!" Lucille's exasperation was clear in her voice. "Don't try to tell me you're sick again."

"No, I..." Turning toward the living room window, I pressed a hand to my forehead. "It's a family emergency."

It wasn't a lie, I told myself. What was Tanya if not family?

"I'm afraid that won't cut it," Lucille said. "If you're not at the store tomorrow morning, I'll have to let you go."

My knees got a little wobbly, and I suddenly wished I was sitting down. I sensed August behind me, keeping a respectful distance. I hated that he was hearing this conversation. 

"I'm sorry," I said again. "But I can't be there." 

I ended the call before Lucille could respond.

Slowly, I turned to face August. I was sure I wasn't imagining the way his expression had grown grim. He wasn't from around here, not originally, but he knew jobs were hard to come by. Even shitty-paying jobs like the one I'd had at the store.

I half-expected him to tell me I should call my boss again and promise her I'd show up for my shift. Maybe I would have listened to him. Maybe I'd have seen reason and agreed he should go to Franklin on his own.

Instead, August slung his bag over his shoulder and held up his keys.

"Ready?" he asked.