Chapter 345

THE RIDE TO THE PRACTICE SPOT eight or nine miles north of the volkaane settlement took nearly twenty minutes. During the drive, the weather changed three times—from heavy rain to light showers and back to heavy rain. It was during the period of lighter rain that Leesa spotted something along the side of the road that she wanted.

“Pull over,” she told Cali. “Right here.”

Cali slowed down carefully on the slippery pavement and eased the car over to the shoulder.

“What is it?” she asked. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. There’s something back there I want. Back up a bit, please.”

Cali backed up slowly, thankful the rain had lightened, making visibility much clearer.

“That’s good,” Leesa said after they had backed up a hundred feet or so. “Stop here.”

Cali took her foot off the gas. She tried to look out Leesa’s window to see what it was that interested her friend, but all she could see was a piece of discarded furniture. It looked like an old, round wooden end table.

“Don’t tell me we