Mom handed me the long tube and explained quietly, "These are binoculars. They let you see things far away."
I took them, copied the way she held them, and looked down at the main road.
The view leaped closer and sharpened into perfect clarity.
In the middle of the road, Wade stood guard at the intersection with several burly men.
The sight of their tight blockade filled me with panic.
Then an idea flashed through my mind. I looked at Mom.
"Mom, you're a doctor. Do you have any powder that can give someone diarrhea?"
She stared at me, surprised. Then her eyes lit up.
"Molly, you're my little lucky charm!"
She immediately pulled a packet of white powder from her cloth bag and quietly assessed the situation.
"They've been guarding this place for a long time. There's no food or drin
