by Cat Miller
Jennifer still didn’t know where to go. The police weren’t an option. She couldn’t go home. What if Evan tracked her to DC and hurt her family? That was unacceptable. He might have someone watching for her there as well. Until now, Jennifer had been trying to convince herself that she really was being paranoid. She hoped Evan had forgotten her as quickly as he’d snapped her up. Now, hiding in the closet after visual proof that Evan was, indeed, still out for her, Jennifer couldn’t deny the validity of following her instincts. They’d been right all along.
Jennifer slid down the wall to the floor of the tiny closet. Her knees were pressed against her chest. The bag she’d risked her life to retrieve filled the rest of the tight space. Two thoughts rattled around her brain.
First, she considered just giving herself up. She was so sick of being afraid. So tired of hiding. The time she’d spent locked away in the church had shown Jennifer just how alone she was in this world. Every day, she sank deeper and deeper into depression. What was the worst Evan could do to her? Kill her? Honestly, death was starting to look like the better option. She wasn’t living anyway.
Her second thought was that she wished she could see Rourke one more time before she died. She wanted to look into his bright blue eyes and apologize. He was the only good thing that had happened to her since she left her parents to strike out on her own.
Rourke made her feel safe. He made her feel wanted. Rourke made Jennifer feel a whole lot of things. She’d spent so little time with Rourke, but he’d somehow made a place for himself in her heart. He deserved so much better than the way she’d walked out on him, twice. Jennifer wished she could see him one more time before she died. She wouldn’t see Rourke ever again, though. It was too dangerous for him.
Jennifer wasn’t sure how long she’d been sitting there in a haze of terror and regret when the door was suddenly ripped open. She shrieked. That caused the woman who opened the closet door to scream as well.
“Oh god, I’m so glad I found you. Get up. Hurry in case they decide to come back.” Marcy took Jennifer’s bag.
“What the fuck, Marcy? Did you call those assholes?”
“Yes, I did, but I had the best of intention, I swear. Hurry up. Let’s go to my place so we can talk.”
Jennifer wiggled her way out of the closet and shot across the hall where Marcy was waiting with her apartment door open. Once inside, Marcy dead bolted the door and leaned against it. Jennifer glared at Marcy. She’d strangle the woman if she thought it would make a damn bit of difference.
“I’m sorry, okay,” Marcy apologized. “A couple of weeks ago, Evan came to see me. He told me the two of you had an argument. He said he’d upset you, and now you wouldn’t speak to him.
“I told him I hadn’t seen you coming or going in weeks. I was beginning to think you’d moved out. Evan said you had gone home to visit your family in DC. He said he loved you very much and wanted to make things right with you, but he didn’t know when you’d be home.
“He was so sad and pathetic when he told me he wanted to marry you. I bought it hook, line, and sinker. I agreed to call him if you showed up here. I’m such a fucking idiot. I somehow doubt a man trying to convince a woman to marry him would send a gang of thugs to kick in her door. I’m very sorry, Jennifer. Thank goodness, they didn’t find you. What is going on?”
Jennifer believed Marcy. Evan had read the woman just right and knew what to say to gain her assistance.
“No, he doesn’t want to marry me, not really, but he did plan to make it legal. He wants to own me. I haven’t been in DC. I’ve been hiding from him for almost a month. Before that, he held me against my will in his home. I escaped and he’s been hunting me. He’s insane.”
Marcy gasped. Jennifer fell onto Marcy’s couch. Her back and legs ached from being stuffed in such a confined space.
“Why don’t you go to the police?” Marcy asked.
“I can’t. Look, it’s better that you don’t know any more details. If Evan comes back, you should play stupid. Pretend you don’t know they kicked in my door. Tell him you think my apartment was burglarized or something. The more stupid he believes you are the better for you.”
Marcy nodded agreement. “So what now? I don’t think you should stay at your place.”
Marcy disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a damp dishtowel and a bottle of cold water. Jennifer accepted the water and drank it down gratefully. Then, she took the towel and wiped her dirty face and hands.
“You’re right, I can’t stay here. I don’t think I can stay in Vegas any longer. I rather hoped he might have stopped looking for me. No such luck. I came back to get some clothes,” Jennifer gestured to her man’s clothing, “and the last of my cash. I need a bus ticket.”
“Where are you going to go?” Marcy asked.
“I have no idea. As far as I can go with what money I have on the first bus that’s leaving town when I reach the station.” That was Jennifer’s plan. Get on a bus and go until she found a little town she might get lost in for a while.
Marcy considered Jennifer for minute before she left the room. When she returned with a wad of cash and tucked the money into Jennifer’s bag, Jennifer was stunned.
“What are you doing? I can’t take that,” Jennifer argued.
“Yes you can, and you will. I’ve been saving for a rainy day. What do you think you’re going to do in your random new town when you get off the bus? Sleep on the street? Panhandle for food? You need a little money. It’s only a thousand, but you can get a cheap room and eat a little while on that if you’re frugal.”
Jennifer took back every mean thought she’d ever had about Marcy. The woman was good at heart. She was just a hopeless romantic who dreamed of a wealthy man sweeping her off her feet.
“I’ll take the money, but I promise I’ll find a way to pay you back.” It hurt Jennifer’s pride to accept the money, but Marcy was right. She needed a little to get by until she found a job, hopefully under the table. Wouldn’t her father be proud?
Marcy went to the door and peeked into the hall. “I don’t see anyone, but I’m afraid they’re watching the building since they didn’t find you.”
“You’re probably right.” Jennifer went to the window and looked down. It was a long drop from the third floor. She didn’t think she could make it without a broken limb.
“Here’s what we’ll do. Get yourself straightened up. They’re expecting to see a beautiful blond, not a young guy. So we’ll walk out together as a couple. You put an arm around me. I’ll hug you and giggle. Anyone watching won’t know it’s you. We’ll get in my car and drive away.”
It wasn’t a great plan, but it was all they had. Jennifer got up and began straightening her clothes. She pulled on her cap to hide the golden bun on her head. Jennifer hoped for Marcy’s sake it worked, because if it didn’t, Marcy would be dragged down with Jennifer.
When they left Marcy’s apartment looking for all the world like a couple in love, it only took Jennifer a hot minute to spot the man Evan left to watch for her. He was backed into a spot on the opposite side of the court watching the building. The glow of his cigarette shown in the darkness.
“You see him?” Marcy asked.
“Yup. He’s watching us. I’m going to open your car door for you.” Jennifer held her hand out for the keys.
“You drive,” Marcy said. “I’m a fucking wreck. I can’t image how you feel.”
“Alright.” Jennifer took the keys and led Marcy to the passenger side of her beat-up old Chevy. She opened the door. Marcy shocked the shit out of Jennifer by leaning into her to plant a swift kiss on Jennifer’s mouth before she climbed in the car. Marcy was going for broke with the couple act.
When they drove away, the man in the dark sedan didn’t move. He lit another cigarette and continued his vigil. Maybe that kiss had sealed their performance. Jennifer drove to a shopping center a few blocks from the church. She didn't want Marcy to know where she was going. It was better for Marcy
if she was clueless.
“If Evan somehow finds out you helped me, you’re to tell him what you know. Don’t risk your life, Marcy. He’s a dangerous man. Tell him I forced you to take me to North Vegas at gunpoint. Tell him I was hiding in the laundry room closet, and his men didn’t find me. Tell him I threatened to come back for revenge if you called him,” Jennifer directed.
“But what if he comes looking for you?” Marcy asked.
“I won’t be here long. I’m leaving tonight for parts unknown even to me. He won’t find me. At least not tonight if I’m lucky.” Jennifer hugged Marcy. “Thank you, for everything. I promise I’ll pay you back.”
“Just say safe. You don’t know how sorry I am for making that call.” There were tears in Marcy’s voice.
Jennifer was on the edge of a fall apart herself. She couldn’t look Marcy in the eye if she wanted to hold it together. Jennifer didn’t have time for a breakdown. She’d cry when she got to wherever it was that she was going.
SEVEN
Jennifer tilted the brim of the ball cap down over her face and walked swiftly away from Marcy’s car. She peeked over her shoulder to see Marcy wiping her eyes as she climbed out of the passenger seat and rounded the car to climb in behind the wheel. Marcy was worried for Jennifer and regretted that phone call. It was there in Marcy’s anxious eyes when she looked at Jennifer one last time as she drove past and pulled into the North Vegas traffic.
Jennifer missed having a car. She hadn’t had one since she left her parents’ home. Her father wouldn’t allow her to take the vehicle he’d bought Jennifer for her sixteenth birthday when she left to follow her dream of a career as a professional dancer. Jennifer sighed. She would be long gone from Vegas by now if she had a car. She would have risked using her bankcard to fill the tank so she could drive until the gas ran out. It was a nice fantasy but she didn’t have a car. She hadn’t seen her purse since Evan took her and her bank account was bone dry by now anyway.
The wad of cash Marcy gave Jennifer was burning a hole in her pocket. Not with the urge to spend it frivolously, though. It was burning with guilt. Jennifer hated to accept the money from Marcy. Lord only knew how long it had taken Marcy to save the little nest egg. Marcy was also a dancer. They made just enough to survive, so Marcy must have cut some serious corners to be saving money. It was nearly impossible unless you wanted to become a different kind of dancer. Jennifer couldn’t blame the girls who went that route. She’d struggle to survive for months on the tips from waiting tables until she finally landed a real gig. There were days when even Jennifer had considered trying it.
Giving that money to Jennifer was a selfless thing to do, and it made Jennifer feel like a jerk for not taking the time to get to know Marcy better when she’d had the chance. That money combined with the few hundred Jennifer had risked her life to retrieve from her apartment would have to last. Somehow, Jennifer would find a way to pay Marcy back with interest. She had to. It was a matter of honor. She didn’t like owing anyone. In the meantime, Jennifer would put the money to good use. She’d spend it wisely and only when she really needed something. Like right now, when Jennifer desperately needed clothing.
The strip mall where Jennifer climbed out of Marcy’s car was a short distance from the church. It wasn’t obvious that the church was her destination and it wasn’t too far to walk without being noticed. Her apartment was miles away but still close enough that she worried about being spotted.
The shopping center was bustling with people between the fast food restaurant, a grocery store, and a discount retail shop. The latter was her goal. It was a general store. Jennifer would find some cheap and hopefully sturdy clothes to travel in and a backpack that didn’t make her stand out. Then, all she needed was a bus ticket out of town.
Her brush with Evan’s men had been way too close for comfort. Mere seconds had passed between the time she entered that humid laundry room and when she heard her apartment door being kicked in. Jennifer could still hear the pounding footsteps racing up the flight of stairs below her as she ran for her life in her head. She was sure at the time that she’d never make it without the thugs catching her. A sweat broke out over Jennifer’s skin. She took a few deep breaths and tried to focus on her goal. She didn’t have time to panic.
Thanks to Marcy’s innocent and well-meaning phone call, Evan knew Jennifer was still in Vegas. They’d be combing the streets for her now. Things had become too dangerous for her to continue living at the church.
Jennifer planned to write a note of thanks to the pastor and his wife. She believed they had indeed saved her life when they took her in. They fed Jennifer and gave her a safe place to sleep when she was starving and exhausted, and sure Evan was hiding around every corner. She couldn’t risk being found under their protection. If anything happened to them . . . Jennifer couldn’t bear the idea.
The sight of the two men dead from bullets to their heads flashed through Jennifer’s mind. She shivered. Evan was a monster. What would Evan, a man without a conscience do to the kind older couple for interfering with his business, even if they had no idea who he was or that Jennifer was running from him? She didn’t know. So she wouldn’t take the chance.
The threat of Evan’s shadow constantly over her shoulder solidified Jennifer’s plan. She grabbed a shopping cart and entered the store with her head down. It was no surprise when Jennifer noticed the store employee shadowing her up and down the aisles. She must look like she was up to no good in her baggy men’s clothing with the brim of her cap hiding her eyes and her face down as she pursued the aisles. It didn’t bother Jennifer. She planned to pay for her selections. The manager could watch all he liked.
In a few short minutes, she had granola bars and a few bottles of water to keep her going on the bus. She put two pairs of jeans, two shirts, and underwear in her cart. Then she wandered over and selected a plain dark blue backpack to put it all in for the trip.
She had one change of clothes. That was more than she started the day with and it was sufficient to get her through for a while. The less she had to carry the better. The items she selected were good enough for now.
In no time, Jennifer was in line and itching to leave before the nosy store manager got a better look at her face. She had the cashier stuff her purchases into the backpack instead giving her plastic bags. Jennifer was out of there and walking toward the church unhurriedly. She didn’t want to draw any attention at all.
When she made it church, Jennifer breathed a sigh of relief and hurried past the community garden with the creepy gnomes. She could swear the where watching her as she crossed the parking lot to the kitchen entrance. It wouldn’t take her long to change and pack her few belongings. Jennifer planned to leave the dresses and shoes she hated behind in the donation bin when she returned the borrowed men’s clothes.
She wanted to be gone within the hour. The key the pastor gave her turned in the lock, but the door stuck, as usual. Jennifer shouldered the door that always stuck. It took a few tries, but the door finally gave, and she entered, preoccupied with thoughts of what exactly she should say in her thank you letter to Pastor Davis.
Jennifer had one foot through the soup kitchen door when the barrel of a pistol emerged from the darkness to be pointed at her face. Frozen with fear and defeat, she tried to breathe, but the air was trapped in her lungs. Evan’s men had found her. She wondered if he would kill her right there in the church or take her back to Evan. Would Evan kill her right away or make her suffer. Her worst fear was what he might do to her before she died. If he could murder in cold blood, what else would he do? Letting her live might be the cruelest thing he could do. She would rather die than marry Evan.
“Drop the bag,” the demand was snarled from somewhere behind the steady barrel of the gun.
Jennifer did as she was told, letting the backpack slide off her shoulder. With the streetlight filling the doorway behind her, she couldn’t see a thing in the darkened room.
“Lock your fingers behin
d your head and get on your knees.” The gunman growled.
Jennifer locked her fingers behind her head, but she hesitated to get on her knees. Her legs trembled. Would he shoot her right there in the church, execution style on her knees, just like the men she’d seen dead in Evan’s warehouse? She debated the idea of running. Could she get away before he put a bullet in her back? Probably not.
“Do it! On your knees or I’ll put a hole in them so you can’t stand!”
The threat worked. Jennifer dropped to her knees, the solid tile floor sent pain shooting up her legs. Tears pooled in her eyes. What was a little pain? At least, she was still alive, but for how long?
“Face down on the ground, you little thug. Do it now.” Disgust filled the voice in the darkness.
With her hands behind her head, it wasn’t easy to get down and lay face down. She sat back on her heels and bent forward until her elbow were on the ground. Then she just stretched out until she was flat on her face pressed against the cold tile. Her assailant put a foot between her shoulder blades. The air rushed out of Jennifer’s lungs. It was a big fucking foot.
“Don’t move while I pat you down, or the police will find you with a hole in your worthless body. What the fuck is wrong with you? Who robs a fucking church?”
Large hands ran over her body. Jennifer coughed and tried to catch her breath so she could explain that she wasn’t robbing the church. She lived in the damn church. At least, she did until tonight. The man rolled her slightly to check her front pockets and came back with a hand full of cash. It was her nest egg from Marcy.
“You little fucker! Where did this come from? Who else did you rob tonight?” He dropped the money on the ground. “We’ll let the cops sort that out, won’t we?”
