“Cheers.” She finally said, her breath warm against his face. Jenkins’s body reacted to the closeness, and he shook his head, trying to regain his focus.
I can’t get distracted. My job right now is to keep her safe.
They took a sip of wine, and Pamela shrugged. “Tastes the same as a ten-dollar bottle.”
Jenkins nodded. “I’ve never been much of a drinker. After seeing what alcohol does to people, the original Pamela and my uncle, I told myself a long time ago that I wouldn’t let it rule over me.”
Pamela sat back down in her chair. “My parents were heavy drinkers, too. I tried to avoid it, but with the constant waves of abuse from Sam, the only solace I could find was at the bottom of a bottle.” She swirled the drink around.
Jenkins scoffed. “We really do make quite the pair.” He ruffled his black hair. Movement outside the window caught his eye, and he darted over in time to see one of the security guys making his rounds outside the house.
“What is it?” Pamela watched as Jenkins returned back to the seating area and dropped himself in the opposite chair.
“Just one of the security guys walking the grounds.” He tipped the glass to his lips.
“Some party, huh?” Pamela gave a small wink at Jenkins, and he had to spit the wine in his mouth back into his glass.
“I’m sorry. I know I’m bringing the mood down. I just can’t get Darla out of my head. All I can think about is keeping you safe. The fact that she is so close has me on edge, and I don’t want to get too distracted and let something happen to you.” His tone turned serious, desperate for her to understand how much he wanted her safe.
“Well, isn’t that sweet?” Jenkins and Pamela turned to the doorway behind them. Callie’s shadowy outline framed the doorway. It was hard to fully see, but the hair on her head looked bright orange in the light of the fire. It was cut short and splayed in every direction except down. She was dressed head to toe in all black.
“Hi, Jenkins. Hi, Pamela.” Callie used one hand to form quotation marks when she said Pamela’s name, and Jenkins could see that in her other hand she held a gun. He put his wine glass down on the table and stood, holding his hands up to try and calm the situation.
“Oh my God, it’s Callie. I mean, me. Uh—” Pamela struggled to put the thought together, her gaze focused on the gun pointed at them.
“We don’t want any trouble.” Jenkins looked to Pamela, trying to assure her with his steady voice. He saw her chin tremble.
I swear Darla, or Callie, whoever you are, if you hurt her, you will wish you were never born—or reborn—or whatever it is you are.He clenched his fists into balls in the air.
“No, of course not! I just want to have a little chat with the two of you. This is supposed to be a party after all, right?” Callie used the gun to point at both of them. “Now, pull up another chair.”
The gun followed Jenkins’s movements as he dragged a nearby chair over, facing it to the two chairs they had previously occupied. She motioned for them to sit, using the gun. The open wine bottle sat between them. She picked it up and took a long swig.
“Oh, that is some good stuff. Good year too.” She glanced at the label before sitting down in her own chair.
“So, lovebirds, I think you know why I’m here. And let me tell you, it was not easy getting away from that brute of a man.” Callie focused on Pamela. “If I were you, I would avoid going back home for a while. After we switch, I mean.”
“Why is that?” Jenkins spoke up, saving Pamela from having to speak.
“I’m sure the police there are going to have some questions for her.”
Jenkins’s stomach dropped, and he looked over at Pamela. She mouthed the wordno, and brought her hand up to her mouth.
“Yeah, you see I tried to get back here right after the switch, but Sam caught me and dragged me back. Beat me up real good. I played the part of a defeated wife. But I was patient, and when he least suspected it, I took him out.”
Jenkins knew that Pamela would never wish that to happen. Despite how badly he had treated her, she was kind and good.Darla, you are evil, and you must be stopped no matter what.He wanted so badly to comfort Pamela but stayed still in his seat.
“How could you?” Pamela whispered, as her green eyes pooled with fresh tears.
“Honestly? I needed to learn how to use this thing.” She waved the gun around in a small circle next to her head.
“Now, on to more important matters,” she scoffed, before pointing the gun back at Jenkins.
The three sat together in silence as Pamela attempted to steady her breathing. Having the gun nearby was making both her and Jenkins uncomfortable. Jenkins was keeping his composure better than Pamela, and he led the charge in conversation.
Everything he learned in law school came flooding back and he knew that if he chose his words carefully, then he could get Pamela out of here safely.
“What do you want?” Jenkins asked, as Callie sat with her back to the fire. She lounged in the chair with the bottle of wine wedged between her leg and the arm of the chair. Her arm was extended to the side, elbow rested on the armrest, allowing the gun in her hand to hang lazily.
