Page 3 of No Escape
It was probably right. I hadn’t thought this through, but what was the alternative? The police were only one of several groups of people looking for me. It was the people who owned the money I’d stolen that I was really scared of. It wasn’t all theirs, but enough of it that they’d discover it missing soon enough. If they didn’t want to kill me to keep me quiet, then they’d absolutely kill me over the money.
One bad decision after another.
I swear I was the queen of poor life choices.
But for a while there, for too brief of a time, I had everything I ever dreamed of having and more.
I’d get it back. I’d get the life I’d worked so hard to build for myself back, I just had to figure out how. Without keeping the faith that I’d get my life back, it would be hard to keep moving on.
I just needed time.
Just as I was lifting my hand to knock a second time the door flung open and my older sister of two years stared at me. “Ella.” Sophie huffed. She gave her head a shake and began to close the door on me when a tiny black dog bolted from inside and began trotting its way down the walkway intent on making it to the road.
Dropping the duffel bag, I chased after the little guy catching up with him when he took a moment to lift his leg on the waist-high white fence that surrounded her small property. Snatching him up just as he was finishing his pee, I held him tight to my chest as I made my way back to the house.
“I have him. Don’t worry.” I flashed her a smile hoping she would see that I came in peace and have some pity on me.
“You need to leave, or I’ll call the police.”
“Come on Sophie, please, I’m your sister. Give me a chance to explain.”
“What is there to explain? You’re an addict and you’re going to go to prison. Being here could get me in deep shit.” She stepped out onto the cement doorstep and looked over my shoulder as if expecting the cops to be hot on my heels.
“I didn’t do it.”
She huffed, looking back at me. Snatching her little chihuahua from my arms, she threw me a dirty look. “That’s the story of your life, Ella. You never did it. Never you. Nothing is ever Elle’s Fault. It’s always someone else’s fault. Your face is everywhere. You need to leave.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I shook my head. “I’m not going until you give me a chance.”
“What’s stopping me from calling the cops right this instant?”
“I have an offer for you that I promise you won’t be able to refuse.” Picking up the bag, I unzipped it a few inches showing her the stacks of cash inside.
“Dammit Elle!”
I could have sworn I heard a growl as she tucked her dog under her arm and with her free hand grabbed me by the arm and roughly pulled me inside. Hugging the duffel bag tight to my chest, I entered and scooted out of the way before she slammed the door behind me, locking it.
2
DYLAN
10 Days Later
It didn’t take much detective work to find Elle at her sister’s home. I’d watched the police come and go a couple of times—both times empty-handed. On the surface, you wouldn’t think Elle was in there, there wasn’t a hint of Elle. Not a shadow of a second person in the house crossing the closed window. Nothing out of the ordinary. From the intel I’d uncovered, the sisters had a falling out several years ago and her sister cut Elle from her life. Zero contact. Not even a call or text message during holidays. No doubt, the arrest and drug trafficking charges only added to Sophie’s animosity toward her sister.
But they were sisters. Blood. The only family either of them had. Their parents had died several years ago, which put even more distance between them rather than bringing them together. When the chips were down, I doubted she’d turn Elle away.
From the shadows of the massive oak tree across the road from the tiny house, I chuckled to myself. Considering what Elle was used to, I doubted she was pleased with her current accommodations.
She was going to hate her new home. Skipping bail was a very, very bad choice. She might have avoided prison, being a first-time offender, depending on what information she planned on giving up. But now—now she was in some serious shit.
And it was not my problem.
My only problem was going to be getting her little ass out of the house, in cuffs, and into the SUV.
If I went to the door, I’d be turned away just like the cops had been.
So, I was going to do things a little differently.
