And then my patience snaps like an overextended rubber band. “Mia, pull over.”
She does as I say, instantly. Toni signals the other cars. I haven’t got the time nor the inclination to get her to listen to me, so I might as well alleviate some stress and prove a point at the same time. And nothing helps me relax like shedding blood.
We are alone on a country road, which is ideal. I slip out of the car and hold the door open for her to follow. She does, with a twinkle of humour still in her eyes. I signal for Kelley to be let out of the car.
The second Kelley is out and looking my way, I whip the Glock from my trousers and shoot her in the shoulder. It’s only a flesh wound, but it makes the point. Ms Moorside is no longer laughing.
She screams, which I expected.
“I am no actor,” I say in a level tone, “and the situation you find yourself in is no joke. Have I made that clear?”
I click my fingers to summon Mia, who picks the now shaking Ms Moorside up off the ground. Toni collects Kelley, who has passed out. The bullet was a through-and-through, so she’ll only need stitches.
I slide back into my seat and watch as Ms Moorside recoils from me. Don Ferrante only told me to collect the woman. He didn’t specify what state she had to be in. Anyway, it’s not likeshe’sthe one with a hole in her body. The Don and Ms Moorside should be grateful. If I let my true feelings out, there would be a lot more carnage.
3
Bonnie
SheshotKelley!Witha gun—a real gun! She just whipped the gargantuan thing out and fired; no hesitation, no remorse.
Oh my God, what the hell is happening? I was so sure this was Pete’s hilarious way of getting back at me for always staying in with a good book, but…she shot Kelley! And there was so much blood!
I’m ninety percent positive… No, let’s make that ninety-five percent positive, I’m going to have a heart attack. A deep, pounding thrum fills my ears, each beat rattling through my skull and I swear the room is tilting. I might just black out. No pins and needles, though. That’s a good sign, I think. I once read about the symptoms of a heart attack. Maybe I’m just suffering a mild one.
Stop rambling and get a grip!
There has got to be a mistake—a huge mistake! The crazy lady has the wrong Bonnie Moorside. I’m a bookstore manager, for crying out loud. What could I have possibly done to have gained the attention of… God, I don’t even know who they are! Psychopaths, for sure. Did I mishandle a book order or something?
My brain is conjuring a million things to scream, but my mouth remains clamped shut. I can feel my body convulse with terrified shakes. I’m going into shock, I think.
“Take a breath, Ms Moorside,” the crazy killer lady says.
Likehervoice is the one that will soothe me right now!
I don’t fucking think so!
Escape. I need to escape, but if I do, what about Kelley? She might already be dead. The pressure of crazy lady’s hand on my arm pulls me from blacking out. Instead, I yank my entire body as far away as possible, which is only centimetres considering I’ve been plastered to the other side of the car since the driver hauled me off the ground. Fuck, I think I might vomit.
“Mia, pull over again, will you? She’s looking a little green.”
Is she chuckling at me?
The car comes to a rather abrupt stop. I hear the locks release and instinctively I push myself out the door. My breakfast and lunch make a reappearance. With hands on my knees, I take a few deep breaths. I should run…just start running and hope I find someone to help Kelley.
The tired sigh of the batshit crazy blonde filters through my buzzing ears, “If you run, she dies. It’s simple.”
Did I voice my plans out loud?
“I—” More vomiting.
“You’re not exactly subtle, Ms Moorside.”
“Well, forgive me for not wanting to ride along with a homicidal maniac,” I spit back. And then I literally spit. Ugh, I need water and a mint.
“Homicidal,” she chuckles. “Kelley will be fine. A flesh wound at most. I just needed to make a point.”
“And you couldn’t think of any other way that didn’t involveshootingsomeone to get that point across?”
