Fuck! Shit! Damn it, I should’ve trusted my intuition! That was the flash I saw. Somebody’s been watching us all along and I was too busy gaslighting myself to notice.
Unknown
I’d get a pretty penny for the pics documenting Tally Creed’s crime spree with her redneck boyfriend. Can you imagine the headlines?
How about ‘Once trailer trash, always trailer trash: Tally Creed blows off tour and disappoints fans to turn to a life of crime and public sex.’
I grit my teeth. The bastard has been watchingandhe knows who I am. How did he find me? This whole setupstinks of a professional paparazzo. No amateur would go this far and be this sneaky.
Unknown
Your career will crash and burn, much like your hillbilly lover blew up that car.
Give me a fucking break! He knows about the county fair, too? I guess there it would’ve been easy to blend into the crowds and watch without us catching on.
Unknown
You might get away with a brief stint in some celebrity prison, but your lover won’t be so lucky. Seeing the charges he racked up, he’ll spend a long, long time behind bars in a dirty, dangerous prison.
Panic wraps around my chest, but it’s not me or my career I’m worried about. My eyes drift to Rust.
It’s him.
I dragged Rust into this. It’s all my fault. The road trip. The crimes. Egging him on to do worse and worse shit to impress me and feed my inspiration.
If I never crashed into his life with a body in the trunk, he’d be safe. He’d be okay.
Fuck, I can’t let the man I love go to prison because of me. For me.
The cops aren’t an option. If I told them about the texts, I’d have to incriminate myself and Rust. Even if I could find somebody to trace this number, any blackmailer worth his salt would use a burner phone.
My fingers twist into the sheets. Checkmate. I’m defeated. There’s only one questionleft to ask.
Me
What will it take to make this go away?
Unknown
Let’s start with one million dollars in small bills.
The air rushes from my lungs.Start with? Even if I agree, this piece of shit is gonna continue extorting me but I’ve never cared less about my money. Protecting Rust is my top priority. Agreeing to the payment will buy me time to plan further steps.
Me
I can’t get that much money this fast. The bank won’t give it to me.
Unknown
Get the cash or you’ll both be pacing prison cells soon.
Me
Fine. Where do you want it?
Unknown
The Desert Vista Mall. There’s a bench and a trash can opposite the escalators on the second floor.
