First Kill (Heaven Sent Book 1)

by Mary Abshire

  Emily hopped into the van. She tugged the door shut before she sat next to him. She shifted the bag to her lap and set her purse near her feet. Smart move to keep it close, Andrew thought.

  “All right, here we go,” the driver said.

  The man turned on his signal before he steered back onto the interstate. With a sigh, Andrew smiled at Emily. She pressed her lips together and scanned the front. He suspected she felt uncomfortable about their ride, but at least they were heading somewhere to get assistance for the car. They had less than twenty-three miles to go. Surely, the free ride couldn’t be too bad.

  Chapter Eight

  The van reeked of cigarettes and McDonalds. Trash from the fast food chain littered the floor in the front while large fountain drinks sat in the cup holders. Dark spots had stained the carpeted floor, but it was the caked dirt on the handle when she closed the door that had disgusted her the most. The thick matter looked like dried shit. She couldn’t wait to wash her hands.

  “So what’s your names?” the driver said. His hair looked greasy and stringy. Red blotches on his skin made him look older.

  “I’m Andrew and this is Emily,” Andrew said.

  The front passenger with pink hair looked around the seats. She was missing a tooth from the top of her mouth. The rest of her teeth were a yellowish color. Dark spots under her eyes gave her an unhealthy look, as if the unclean teeth weren’t enough.

  “I’m Nancy. This is my husband, Carl, and that’s Lucy,” the lady up front said.

  “Thank you for the ride,” Emily said, trying to sound polite.

  “You two married?” Nancy asked.

  “No, no,” Emily said a bit too quickly with a slight chuckle.

  “Friends,” Andrew added.

  “Where you from?” Lucy asked.

  “Chicago,” Andrew answered before Emily could make up a place.

  She almost nudged him with her elbow. She didn’t want him to blab too much information to the trio since they didn’t know them. Based on their appearances, she suspected they could be drug users. She’d seen what meth had done to people. The results were destructive and she’d always told Libby not to use the drug. It was about the only time Libby listened to her.

  “You’re a long way from home,” Carl said.

  “We’re heading to visit a friend,” Emily said.

  “Where’s your friend live?” Lucy asked.

  “Philadelphia,” Emily answered in a snap.

  Lucy ran her fingers through her brown locks. “That’s a far drive. I bet you’re glad we came along to pick you up.” She set her hand on Andrew’s knee.

  “We’re grateful for the ride.” He gave a closed-lip smile.

  Lucy’s lusty gaze directed at Andrew spawned laughter within Emily. She pressed her lips together to keep the humor from flowing out. Of the three, Lucy appeared to be the cleanest, but then again, the thick layer of makeup on her face could’ve been hiding her blemishes.

  Carl glanced over his shoulder. “Cambridge has a good auto shop downtown. There’s a hotel and food places nearby. I can drop you off there if you’d like.”

  “That would be nice,” Andrew said.

  Lucy inched her hand up his thigh. Andrew gave Lucy his attention.

  “The hotel’s not too bad if you have to stay in town a while,” Lucy said.

  He clasped his hands together and pressed them between his legs. The content expression on his face almost looked forced. Emily wondered why he hadn’t pushed Lucy’s hand aside. She guessed he was trying to be polite and avoid trouble. Emily would’ve done the same thing if she were in his shoes.

  “Any idea what’s wrong with your car?” Carl asked.

  “No idea,” Andrew said.

  “Car issues are always a pain,” Nancy said with a shake of her head. “Don’t we know it, baby?”

  “Yes, we do,” Carl said. “But I know one of the guys at the shop. If you want, I could swing by and put in a good word for you.”

  “That would be very kind of you,” Andrew said.

  Emily raised a brow at him. Didn’t he suspect Carl and Nancy were drug heads? Putting in a good word translated to scam these idiots. Emily knew better than to trust anyone addicted to meth.

  “If you could drop us at the hotel, that would be fine,” Emily said. “I’m sure they won’t be able to fix my car today anyway.”

  Nancy looked over her shoulder at Emily. “You’re probably right. Henry’s shop is always busy. It’ll probably take him several hours just to get the car towed.”

  “Is Henry your mechanic friend?” Andrew asked.

  “Yeah, we went to school together,” Carl said. “Great guy. If you’re gonna stay at the hotel, I can run by and let him know to expect you.”

  “Might get someone out to tow your car faster.” Nancy coughed and it sounded phlegmy.

  Emily looked away as she wrinkled her nose. The sooner they could get away from the trio, the better before the stink stained her clothes. She’d have to scrub good in the shower later.

  “What’s it like in Chicago?” Lucy asked, staring at Andrew. “I’ve always wanted to visit.”

  Emily bent forward. “It’s cold and windy in the winter. Warm and windy in the summer.”

  “There’s a lot to do and see,” Andrew added. “It’s a good town.”

  Nancy leaned around her seat. “Do you work in Chicago too?”

  “Yes, sort of,” Emily rushed to answer before Andrew. “He recently got laid off and I work part time.”

  Emily veered her gaze to Andrew and hoped he’d play along with the story. She didn’t want the trio to get the impression she and Andrew were rich simply because they were from Chicago and had a hybrid car. Maybe she was a little paranoid, but she was dealing with drug-heads.

  “I know how it is to lose your job,” Carl said. “I lost mine a while back and haven’t been able to get another one.”

  “What type of work do you do?” Nancy asked Andrew.

  Emily watched him, wondering what he’d say. His expressionless face didn’t provide her with any clues. He appeared calm, though his gaze would drop briefly to Lucy’s hand on his thigh.

  “I worked in a hospital as a janitor,” Andrew said. “They let five of us go.”

  “You must get quite a work out as a janitor,” Lucy said. “I mean, you look really strong.”

  “Thank you, and yes,” he said.

  “Why did they let you go?” Carl asked.

  Emily held her breath, hoping Andrew would come up with a good response.

  “They decided they didn’t need us anymore,” Andrew said.

  “A lot of companies are cutting back hours or personnel,” Emily added. “My job cut my hours down. I’m lucky if I get fifteen a week. I think that government healthcare plan is causing problems.”

  “My job told me the same thing,” Nancy said. “They cut my hours so they wouldn’t have to offer medical coverage. It’s bullshit if you ask me. If you can’t give us benefits, then pay us more.”

  “Where do you work?” Emily asked, trying to be friendly.

  “I’m a waitress at one of the diners in town,” Nancy said.

  “Ah, I bet that is a tiring job,” Emily said.

  “It’s exhausting. People always complain about their food or the service. And half the time they don’t tip enough,” Nancy said.

  Emily nodded. “I work retail, so I understand.”

  Nancy gave a light wave of her hand. “Retail is easy compared to waiting on tables. I worked at a department store once and it was so easy just ringing up customers. As a waitress, I have to wait on them hand and foot. Then they don’t bother to say thanks or leave a tip.”

  Emily refrained from adding any additional comments. Nancy seemed to believe she had a complicated job. Emily thought the woman was making her job more difficult than it was. If she didn’t like it, why not change jobs? Problem solved, unless she lacked the inclination to get another job. But McDonalds probably paid better
if Nancy wasn’t making good tips.

  Andrew scooted as close as he could to Emily. His leg touched hers. Lucy brought her hand close to his groin. Though Andrew didn’t complain, the man looked uncomfortable with his stiff posture and clenched hands in his lap.

  Nancy and Carl continued with the chitchat until they reached the exit for Cambridge. Emily couldn’t have been happier. The trio asked too many questions. The more they talked, the more pity Emily felt toward them. If they’d clean up and ditch the drugs, they’d live a better life.

  “You want me to drop you off at the hotel?” Carl asked, even though Emily had already given the instruction earlier.

  “That would be great,” Emily said.

  Carl drove down a long road with one lane in each direction. They’d passed a gas station and continued for a few miles with farmland surrounding them. For a change, everyone was silent until they reached the central part of Cambridge. Businesses were scattered on each side, some in the shape of houses. Carl braked at a stop. Down one of the side streets, an old beige building with a small dome and tall steeple had the words Town Hall engraved above the entrance. The light changed and Carl accelerated.

  “There’s Henry’s shop,” Carl said as he pointed to the right.

  The auto shop was part of a gas station. Two garage doors were raised and workers were busy inside. Carl drove past at a slow pace.

  “There’s a bar at the corner across the street that’s pretty good,” Nancy said, pointing.

  A small sign above the glass door on the corner read Your Town Tavern. Considering the last couple of days Emily had endured, a drink sounded good.

  Two blocks past the bar, Carl slowed the vehicle. He turned into a small lot connected to a Dollar Inn hotel and then brought the van to a halt under the canopy.

  “We really appreciate the ride,” Andrew said.

  Emily pushed the sliding door to the side. She grabbed her purse before she jumped out of the van.

  Andrew ducked while he headed for the door. There was a smack behind him. He paused, frowning. Lucy and Nancy were laughing, but Emily didn’t know why. Andrew twisted to get to the seat in the next row. He took the plastic bags and handed them to Emily. She stepped away as he exited the vehicle. After he took Emily’s two other black bags, Lucy moved closer to the end of the seat.

  “Good luck with your car,” Lucy said before she slammed the door shut.

  Emily waited for Andrew to catch up to her. “That was a bit scary,” she said.

  “One of them hit my ass,” he said as he reached for the handle on the glass door to the hotel.

  Emily chuckled. “Seriously?”

  He opened the door for her and held it with his foot. “Why would I lie about that?”

  She grinned as she entered the hotel. Nancy and Lucy had some balls, especially Lucy since she’d kept her hand on his leg. In a way, Andrew was fortunate he hadn’t been traveling alone. The odds of him getting raped weren’t as high as a woman, but it could still happen.

  Emily stopped at the front desk counter. A young man with a white button down had his attention lowered. His nametag revealed his name was Darryl. After she set her purse on the counter, Darryl lifted his gaze.

  “Welcome. How can I help you?” he asked.

  “We need a room please,” Emily said. “With two beds.”

  “All right, let me check to see if we have any,” Darryl said.

  Andrew set the bags near his feet and scanned the small front room. It had four chairs and a large table in the center. Along the far back wall, a coffee maker and hot water dispenser sat on cabinets. A few other supplies such as cups and sweeteners were nearby too.

  “We do have availability for sixty per night plus tax,” Darryl said. “Would you like me to reserve a room for one night for you?”

  “Yes,” Emily said. “Hopefully we’re here only one night.”

  “And how would you like to pay for this?” Darryl asked.

  “Cash.” She dug into her purse and withdrew her wallet. Keeping it hidden behind the high counter, she withdrew four twenty-dollar bills. She set the money on the counter. Darryl promptly took it.

  Emily turned to Andrew. “I don’t know about you, but I could really use a drink after that ride.”

  “Oh, I definitely could use one.”

  “Good. I’m buying.”

  “Perfect. I’m drinking.”

  His grin brightened her mood.

  “Here’s your change and your room keys,” Darryl said as he handed both to her. “You’re in room 129. Turn left and continue to the end of the hall.”

  She set the cards on the counter while she tucked the bills into her wallet. Her plan was to call Troy after they dropped off their bags, then head to the auto shop. They could stop at the bar on the way back. After she stuffed her wallet in her purse, she grabbed the cards for the room.

  “Ready?” she asked Andrew.

  Bags in hand, he followed her to the hallway. She turned left and continued down the hall. The dark-green carpet looked faded and in desperate need of cleaning. The yellow walls could use a fresh coat of paint too. At the end of the hall, she spotted their room. Although her hands were full, she managed to get the card reader to work on the first try. The light flashed and she pushed on the handle.

  The room had a musty smell when she entered it. There were two beds and a television on a dresser. Unlike the last hotel, there wasn’t a table or desk. Instead, there was a chair in the farthest corner. Curtains were half drawn. The cloudy wide window distorted the view of the parking lot. She set her purse and plastic bags on the chair.

  “Which one do you want?” Andrew asked, standing between the two double beds.

  “The one near the door,” she said as she slid the thick curtains together. They had an old dusty type of smell to them. Below the window, she turned the dial to set the fan on a low setting. She hoped circulating the air would help, but considering where they were, she doubted the stale odor would go away. At least they had a roof, bed, and shower.

  Andrew set the bags on the mattress before he switched on the light from the nightstand. A soft glow spilled from underneath the shade. She passed him and headed straight into the bathroom. She used plenty of soap to scrub her hands.

  “I need to call Troy,” she said as she walked out of the bathroom, drying her hands on a towel. She set it on the back of the chair before she fished the cell phone from her purse. “Then we can go to the auto shop.”

  She dialed Troy’s number while Andrew sat on the edge of the bed near her. He watched her with curious eyes. She held the cell pressed to her ear, waiting for her friend to answer.

  “I didn’t think I’d hear back from you so soon,” Troy said.

  “He sold me a fucking lemon.” She glanced at Andrew before she walked past him.

  “What do you mean he sold you a fucking lemon?” Troy asked.

  “The car broke down. We had to ride with meth addicts to the nearest town.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Troy asked.

  “I wish. We’re in a town called Cambridge in Ohio.”

  “Who are we?”

  Crap, she’d forgotten she hadn’t mentioned Andrew to him. She sat on the mattress near her bags. She bounced slightly on the soft mattress.

  “I’ll explain later,” she said. “If this car can’t be fixed, I want my money back.”

  “Motherfucking hell. I hate dealing with assholes. And sadly, the world is full of them.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  “Me too because now I’m going to have to leave and kick someone’s ass.”

  “There’s an auto shop a few blocks away. I’m going to have it towed there. For now, it looks like I’m stuck here in a cheap hotel for the night.”

  “You mean we,” Troy corrected.

  She resisted the urge to argue with him. “I’m fine. I’m safe. I’ll fill you in later.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “About which
part?”

  “Everything.”

  “I’m fine,” she said with greater emphasis. “And I have the gun with me.”

  “Good. So tell me who he is.”

  “Not now, Troy,” she said, annoyed.

  “Don’t fucking give me that attitude,” he said.

  “Can you please just call Raymond and work on getting my money back if this car can’t be fixed, or at least get me compensated for my distress?”

  “This is what I’m going to do—I’m going to make a few calls, then I have to take care of some business this evening. Text me later and let me know if the car can be repaired. But rest assured, I will hit the road as soon as I can.” His words were crisp, like always.

  “You don’t need—”

  “Try to fucking stop me, woman.”

  She almost laughed because she knew there was no way she could. “I’m in room 129 at the Dollar Inn.”

  “Won’t you at least tell me his fucking name?”

  Troy never stopped until he got his answers or what he wanted. His determination and stubbornness was a blessing and an irritation.

  “Later,” she said.

  “You’re starting to piss me off.” He sung the last word as if it were part of a tune, so he didn’t sound too angry.

  “I’m going now.”

  “Fine. Whatever,” he said in a flatter tone. “And by the way, a police officer showed up at my parent’s house. My father called and told me. He said the cop was asking about you and Libby. Pops gave him my address and real number.”

  The news didn’t surprise Emily. She knew the cops would want to question Troy at some point. As for his personal cell, he only used it for emergencies for his family and Emily. Otherwise, he relied on prepaid phones.

  “So you haven’t spoken to anyone yet?” she asked.

  “No, not yet. But don’t worry, I know nothing except you’re with a man and you won’t tell me who he fucking is.”

  “Nice try.”

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he said.

  “Bye.”

  She tossed the phone onto the bed and it bounced. If she could’ve found a way to stop Troy from coming, she would have. Once he had his mind set, she knew better than to argue.