by Amy Brent
“Here you go,” I said as I gave the trucker and his muffin. I want to ask him if he’s sure that he doesn’t want to eat. He’s been here for twenty minutes, and that’s his fourth muffin and cup of coffee. Its not my place. I have more tomloose than just my job. A home too. Rosie pays me a subsidized rate because I live above. I have no bills, and this type of lifestyle suits me. But I know that I can’t do it forever. Nothing lasts that long.
The oversized trucker just grunts and greedily starts sipping on the coffee and shoving the muffin in his mouth. He doesn’t look at me or even thank me. Like he did when I gave it to him the first or second time.
I turn and shrug at Rosie. She ushers me to go. I need to go to the bathroom. I keep going peeing today. I know that my period’s due. Well, it was due over a week ago. I keep expecting it to happen, and then nothing. Just more cramps. It’s kind of weird. Then again seeing my ex-being shot in front of me isn’t a normal occurrence. I read an article that said stress could cause periods to slow down or at times stop.
I wonder if that’s the reason for nothing going on down there?
Even when I was with Spencer, I always had my period and that must have been one of the most stressful moments in my life apart from now. I wasn’t regular, but it didn’t stop completely. I have this nagging feeling like I’m not myself, as I head to the pharmacy to figure out what’s going on. I’m sure that I bumped into Mr. Price the night. The night that my life went from bad to worse. The irony of it all was the fact that I was after my Grandma’s ring. It nearly cost me my life in more ways than one.
I hate myself for being so naive and thinking that things would turn out well. I start to get emotional. Something that I never do unless I’m alone in the apartment and there’s no one around. When I took the Mr. Price up on his offer, he said something about I needed to go to the pharmacy the next day. I agreed and that was the most we spoke that night, and then I snuck out in the morning. I shake my head at the idea of it, because it was the last thing on my mind the next day.
I take a deep breath and walk into the pharmacy slowly. Usually, I would come in here, with a buzz feeling as if I was on top of the world. I haven’t lived in a small town since leaving High School. Maybe that’s why I love being here so much and as much as I keep telling myself that I need to make plans. I keep putting it off, thinking that there’s always tomorrow and using Rosie as an excuse for not leaving. She needs my help, but then again I need hers more too. It starts with a roof over my head and money to get some clothes and some food. I thought about going to the cops after it happened and something held me back. Spencer was bad news, I was his girlfriend for so long, I always had a feeling that he used my name to do some of his dealings. Who would believe that I was there to pick up my Grandma’s ring? No one would think that I was that stupid, especially the cops. They would think that I was in on it. After all, I had been to the hospital so many times with him, they would probably pin his murder on me.
“Hi,” I nod as I enter the pharmacy.
“Hey, Hazel. Do you need any help?”
Aron, the pharmacist's son, asks as I walk up to the desk. I always wanted to be called Hazel, and find the name is so different to my own that I kind of like it. I didn’t hesitate in telling everyone that was my name when I came to town.
“I want to know,” I whisper as I look around. No one’s in here, but paranoia starts kicking in as I consult him on my little issue. I wish his mom was here and not him.
“Is your mom here?”
He shakes his head, “Ah, women’s problem. She’s not here, but I can see if I can help. Or if you like I can call her?”
“No, that’s fine.”
I stare at him for a minute, blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. The face of an innocent boy, but the mind of a dirty man. He’s the town’s catch. From the moment I started working in the diner. He asked me out, some of the girls warned me to stay away. Including Rosie and she only has kind words to say about everyone, but not Aron.
“Yes, please.”
He starts dialing her number, “Don’t worry. I’m not offended that you never wanted to go out with me. Now, you can’t even speak to me. I won’t take it personally.”
God, he’s a number. Women actually must fall for his lines, because he hesitates as he taps the final number.
“Sorry,” I shrug, I’m apologizing, but deep down I don’t mean it as my palms start sweating as he dials the final number and hands me the phone.
“Mrs. Green, this is Hazel from the diner,” I say as she picks up the phone and my heart feels as if it’s skipping a thousand beats.
“Yes, Hazel how can I help you?”
“I hope that I’m not disturbing you?”
Before I even finish what I’m saying she’s coughing down the line.
“I’ve got a bit of a cold. Don’t worry about it. What’s wrong?”
Everything, but that’s not what you meant by your question. She wants to know why I felt the need to call her.
I didn’t hesitate in telling her exactly what’s on my mind, “My period’s late. Like over eight days and I’m not sure if it’s stress. You know moving to a new town. Or something else?”
She coughs, “Being pregnant? Are your cycles regular normally? And have you had unprotected sex recently?”
“I’m always on time. Yes, I had unprotected sex, but it was just one night.”
And a couple of occasions in the morning or it could have been more. I knew that we did it four times and I think that the condom came off in the first instance. Or maybe I’m not sure. Nothing makes sense anymore.
“Okay, you can get a test from the pharmacy. But, if you have any other symptoms or concerns, it’s best to speak to the doctor.”
I stand there trying to gather my thoughts. Flashes of bumping into him, Mr. Price and him dismissing me like a piece of trash enters my mind. How do I tell someone that I’m not even on first name basis with, that I’m carrying his child?
“Hazel?”
I nod, “Sorry, I was just thinking. Okay, thanks..”
She coughs again, and I quickly say, “For your help and sorry to disturb you.”
She coughs back, “No problem. Any time. I wish that I could help you more. Bye.”
After she hangs up, I stand with the phone in my hand. Aron comes back instantly, he was probably listening and then as I ask for the pregnancy test and pay him before he has the chance to say anything. I avoid his eyes which are staring at me. He’s probably wondering why I passed out on the chance to be with him and who I hooked up with instead. I have to go back to my apartment; I have around ten minutes left until my break’s over. I can’t have this on my mind any longer. The suspense is killing me. I go back to my apartment thinking that I know what the result will be and as I start to pee on the stick I cry.
I wait patiently as the two lines start to show. It’s clear that I have a decision to make. The problem is, I haven’t got a clue what I’m going to do. Especially now it’s been confirmed, I throw the test in the trash and head downstairs. I could risk it all and go to the police. If it were that easy, I would have done it before, but the extent of Spencer’s dealings was on both sides of the fence. I remember him telling me that he pays to keep the police turn a blind eye. Also, they may say that I was the one that killed him. There were more reasons not to go to the police then there were to go. Besides if it was an option, then I would have gone there in the first place.
For all, I knew they could have been the one’s that killed him. All, I knew was I was pregnant, and I didn’t know what to do about it. I could hardly take care of me, let alone another person. The answer was staring me in the face, I just worried that I wasn’t brave enough to do it. Just like everything in my life, I was going to sweep it under the carpet for now and worry about it later. A trait that I picked up all my life had become a crap habit. One that I had no intention of changing right now.
Chapter 10: Hunter
I went back to the ho
tel, the place where it all began. One hot night that ended up with more passion to last me for a month. I was never satisfied, always wanting more from a different woman, from any town that I happened to be passing by. Not this time. Maddie had done such a good job; I couldn't get her taste out of mind, no matter how hard I tried.
I hadn’t been given a lot of information apart from the fact that she was staying in this hotel and then she disappeared.
Shit, why didn’t it click to me earlier?
I was thinking with my dick and not my fucking head. She was the one that I bumped into that night when I was fleeing the job. As I check-in once again, this time as Mr. Turner, I think about the taxi. The one that I saw her getting into, as I turned around. I need to find him, and it will be easy enough with their meters and schedules. Taxis around here keep the same timetable. All I need to do is go to the taxi stand on the night and figure out who took her and where?
“Okay, Mr. Turner you’re in suite 376. I hope you enjoy your stay.”
I nod my head as the receptionist is flirting with me. I don’t need to enjoy my stay I just need to find her. Before anyone else does and then her life will be over. I need to figure out who wants her dead and why?
Only she can give me that answer. Until then I won’t sleep or even enjoy my stay. I need to find her even if it’s just to have one more taste.
As I reach the penthouse and drop my bag. I’m shocked to see two items on the table. One seems to be a mobile and a priceless ring. Both are sitting on the table as if they’re supposed to offer some clue as to where I can find her. The phone’s got a little battery, so someone must have been going through it. She has a few numbers one on there. One seems to be a Spencer, who gave her address, Lake Street basement apartment. That must be the last place that she went to before she disappeared. Spencer’s number’s disconnected, then she has a few messages to what appears to be a friend called Lena. Her friend seems to be worried about Spencer and Maddie meeting again. Everything appears to be handed to me on a plate. That’s strange and something I’m not used to. There must be more to it. I’ll follow up these leads by hacking into the police register, national database and see what I can come up with.
It doesn’t take long to find out who her friend, Lena is. She’s some model who mainly seems to be on the catwalk and has a string of boyfriends. As for Maddie, it appears that she used to live with her boyfriend, Spencer. Shit, that guy's bad news. There were plenty of jobs to take him out. He messed with the wrong people one too many times.
Then, I start to put the pieces together; it seems that Maddie went to meet Spencer for the ring. I wonder if after then she got caught up in it all. I know one person that would know. Shit, he’s the eyes and fucking ears of everywhere and everything.
I won’t even bother booking an appointment. I’ll just turn up at his hangout. He’ll be happy for the company, besides he owes me a favor, I looked after him in the joint. The one thing he can do for me is help me out a bit now. I hate asking for favors, but I have a feeling that whoever wants Maddie’s dead is not going to be giving out the job to me alone. They’ll give up earlier than my deadline if I don’t confirm that she’s gone. The question is why?
***
When I finally get to the private club and see Adam’s men. I notice that he’s sitting by the window smoking a cigar as if the world was in the palm of his hands.
“Man, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” Adam smiles as he sees me. But, I know that he’s pissed. He won’t show it. But being here wasn’t a good idea.
He stands up and drops his cigar, then he pats me on the back and greets me, “You should have called first.”
I smile, “Would you have picked up?” he shrugs and then reaches out for his cigar once again.
“Adam, you know that I wouldn’t have come unless I was desperate.”
He keeps looking out of the window as if I’m not here. Considering it’s only been four years since I last saw him. The old man’s aged quite a bit. He was double-crossed by his wife, who gave up all his dealings to the Feds. Luckily, some of them were on his books, so some of the charges were dropped, but he still went to the joint, but not as long as he should have done. I don’t believe in killing women, but he wanted her taken out before he got out. It was my favor to him, and I was here to collect. Even though I was already regretting it. Adam seemed more piss to see me; which I kind of found strange.
“What are you doing here Hunter?”
It feels weird for someone to call me by my real name. I’ve been using disguises for so long, that hearing the word makes it seem alien to me.
“I have a job.”
He laughs as his smoke loses its trail and sways over in my direction.
“I thought by now you would be set for retirement.”
He's sarcastic; I’m sure that he knows when I’ve done a job and how much I’m paid. He even offered for me to work for him. I told him that I would do him a favor provided that one day I could have a favor in return. As much as I hate working as a team or working with someone. I’m not stupid and know that one day everyone needs a favor. I was pulling one in. I just never thought that it would be for someone else. I feel like Aladdin and the genie asking for his three wishes, the only difference is I’m not as fucking innocent as Aladdin, and I don’t have the option of asking for three wishes, only one.
“Her,” I say as I put the photo on the table.
He laughs, “They want her pretty badly.”
“They?”
I hate being two steps behind everyone else. I had no idea what he meant, but I knew that he was going to elaborate.
“Do you have a clue who she is? And what you’re up against?”
This isn’t the time for games. I can pretend that I know that she’s in trouble. Five mils worth, but that was all I knew and as Adam started to talk. I realized that it was a lot more than five mil. She had everyone on her from the Feds to the big bosses. All wanting to make sure that she kept her mouth shut.
“Fuck, if she were a bother to me then I would take her out myself,” Adam says casually, and I wonder why he hasn’t, until he settles my curiosity, “If the doctor didn’t tell me that I had less than a year to live. Then maybe I would make a move. Right now, I don’t give a shit.”
He drags on his cigar a little more, and I realize now why he looks a lot older than the last time that I saw him. I wonder how many of the bosses die of natural? Adam could be the first one if he lasts that long.
A couple of girls come to the table and put down my shot of whiskey that Adam ordered the moment he saw me. They smile, and one of them winks as she walks in just her panties which leave nothing to the imagination. The other is wearing just a bra and panties. My eyes shift to the other side, which has a man watching a woman suck another woman’s pussy as if her life depends on it. The other end is a man fucking a woman. Some go into private rooms. Others just stay in the main rooms for others to see, so that they can request their turn. Maybe in another life, I would find this interesting, but no one watches me fuck. I’m not a fucking porn star.
Adam takes a swing of his drink and then he tells me about Maddie. Not only does he know the real reason that she’s on the run. He has a vague idea about which one of the two towns that she could be staying in.
“How comes you don’t do the job and claim the money?” I ask out of curiosity.
He shakes his head, “Hunter, number one; I’m not a killer. I thought you knew this?”
He doesn’t wait for me to respond. Instead he carries on, “And number two. I feel sorry for the poor girl. She was abused by Spencer for years. She’s finally free and now this, just because she wanted her poor Grandma’s ring. And finally, I’m dying. As long as there’s breath in these lungs, she’s safe.”
“Why did you tell me one of two towns? When you know exactly where she is.”
“Because it depends on how you answer the next question. If you tell me this, then I will decide if I say exactly where sh
e is and cut out the bullshit.”
He takes a deep breath, “I also know where Maddie spent her last night before she went on the run. I don’t need the full details. But are you looking for her to kill her or protect her?”
Adam did have a heart, something that I never realized until now. Maybe being near death had given him a change of heart. He seems different and as I give him an honest answer. Something that I never thought was possible.
“To protect her.”
He nods, “I knew that I recommended you for the job for the right reason. Okay, here’s where to find her.”
He signals for one of his men to give me a piece of paper.
“It has everything that you need. Now, the only time I expect to see you again is at my funeral.”
That was my dismissal card; I don’t know whether to thank him or just tell him that I’m sorry. But I have no choice as he repeats, “I want to get sucked, and I don’t need you standing there looking at me as if I’m a dead hedgehog that you found on the road.”
I move away from him, and the waitress with the big tits kneels in front of him. He continues smoking his cigar, but as I open the piece of paper, I see the town. I haven’t got a clue how to get there, but I know that it’ll be a long car trip. I could go back to the hotel and sleep the night. But, anxiety takes over as I think about all the people that are after Maddie. Even with Adam’s lookout for her, it’s clear that he’s worried that she needs protection. And I’m the one that he wants to do it. I need to get going before I find out that I’m too late and the wrong people have gotten to her before I even had the chance to.
Chapter 11: Maddie
The last few days has been a bit confusing. I was no longer springy and feeling as if I was on top of everything. I spent most of my time trying not be sick and wishing that everything didn’t taste like leather. Trying to sweep this pregnancy under the carpet wasn’t an option as it was clear that this baby wanted me to know that it was growing every day inside of me, even if I didn’t want to admit it.
