“Put it down.”She heard Snake say.Drea opened her eyes to see Snake’s gun at Rondo’s temple.Relief overwhelmed her.Cujo looked angrily at Snake and cracked his neck to one side.She was going to be sick, violently sick.
Did he want the laptop for himself?Why would he help them like that?
“You’re dead,” Rondo spat as he placed the gun on the floor.“I’ll find you wherever the fuck you hide.”
“Good luck with that,” Snake said, kicking the gun under the bed.“Andrea, take the laptop and get out of here.”He placed it on the comforter and she grabbed it.
Why was he giving it to her?Was this some weird, fucked-up game they were playing?Make us think we are going free then kill us anyway?
Drea edged off the bed, away from Rondo, who was still focused on her.She immediately felt safer.
“They’ll come for you, Andrea Caron,” Rondo threatened.
It’s an empty threat.She repeated the thought over and over.Hopefully with the contents of the laptop, and the testimonies that Evelyn, Cujo, and herself would be able to give, it would end tonight.
Drea grabbed her jeans and a pair of sandals.She desperately wanted a bra, but there was no way she was getting naked in front of them.Sleeping naked is never happening again.As an afterthought, she grabbed Cujo’s phone from his night table.
Rondo lashed out at Snake with his elbow, catching him off guard.They fell violently against each other.The sound of a gunshot echoed around the room.It was difficult to tell if anybody was hurt until Rondo let out a roar.He thrashed into the closet door, then the side table, sending the lamp crashing to the floor.
Snake stood and Drea could see blood oozing through Rondo’s denim-clad calf.
Cujo grabbed her hand and headed for the door, but she halted.“Why are you helping us?”
“Does it matter?”Cujo asked, tugging on her arm.“Let’s go.”
“Because you remind me of someone,” Snake replied, his eyes and gun still trained on Rondo.
“Who?”
“Fuck sakes, Andrea, does it matter?I had a daughter born on the same date as you.Noticed it when I checked your license.”
“Where is she?”
Snake shook his head dejectedly.“No idea.Lost track of her around twelve.”
Shit.Was it possible to feel compassion for a killer?
Rondo suddenly reached his hand under the bed and Drea realized immediately what he was going for.The other gun.
“Run, Andrea!”Snake shouted.
Cujo dragged her from the room.They raced down the stairs and hurried to the front door.“You okay, Drea?”he yelled over his shoulder as he grabbed the keys off the hall table.
“Just keep going,” she replied breathlessly.
He threw the front door open, and in the distance Drea could hear sirens.They must be heading their way, but there was no way she wanted to just stand around on the street to see if Rondo or the police got to them first.
Another gunshot burst through the quiet evening from within the house, shattering her thoughts.Rondo or Snake?Should it even matter?
Cujo already had the truck door open.“Fuck, Drea,” he said, grabbing her by the hips.In an insane display of raw strength, he picked her up around the waist and threw her into the truck.She scooched across the seat to make room and he immediately joined her.
The truck started with a powerful roar as Cujo threw it into reverse.The wheels spun on the driveway as he backed onto the road in a wide arc.
There were few cars about this early in the morning, and Cujo took full advantage.He sped down roads, overtook the few vehicles they came across, and made some questionable red light decisions.
Using Cujo’s phone, Drea quickly dialed 911.She explained how there were possibly two men, both armed, and at least one of them injured, in Brody’s house.Drea wasn’t sure what the absolute definition of fleeing a crime scene was, but she told the operator that they had run for their lives and were now on the way to the police station with the item the two men were looking for.
Next, Drea called Detective Carter.
