[Bella and the Black Book] Chapter Five

Trouble comes in threes. Always threes. And I had only been through round one. 

 Mr. McGuffy had probably made it back to his apartment to call the police and hopefully to get that shotgun put away. I was busy looking for the things I needed to skeddadle. Jimmy always made sure we had enough to get away if necessary. I kept up the habit after he went away. If I needed to disappear, like now, I could do it. I found the spare car keys hidden in the false bottom of a side table along with three thousand dollars in one hundred dollar bills. 

 The smell of blood and excrement warred with the scent of vanilla and lavender I used in the apartment. I desperately wanted to smell one but not the other. Tears rolled down my face, I wasn't sobbing, at least not yet, but yes there were tears. They blurred my vision and I forced myself to stop and consider exactly why I was crying. After all, the man had pointed a gun at my head. Him losing his all over the parking lot might not have been fair, but he certainly couldn't do it again. 

I hitched a deep breath, unrolled the money to fit it in my purse and grabbed the keys. Time to make a break for it. The edges of the notebook were bloody and brain flecks were in my hair. I tried not to think about that as I made my way through the sunny day outside of my apartment, after locking up this time, and down the street to the car, a ten year old beater that wouldn't get a second glance if someone paid enough attention to give it a first. I prefer these kinds of cars. Flashy just gets you in trouble. 

Sitting in the driver's seat, I composed myself. First rule of running away, blend in. If everyone is running, run. If everyone is walking, walk quickly. I ran a hand down my face which undoubtedly smeared the blood, but did little to make me more presentable. 

 I should have actually washed up. I wanted to run a scalding hot shower and get rid of the stink of fear under my armpits, but I didn't have time for that. I needed to be gone yesterday. Blue lights appeared in the rearview moving fast. I slid down in the seat a little and let them wash over me. As much as I hated leaving the old man to handle things on his own, I had every inkling he was more than up to the task. He had just blown someone's head off in my defense after all. 

 Looking at the notebook there in the seat next to me, I wondered what secrets it really did hold. Guess I would find out. 

Tick tock, tick tock. Time to leave.