Page 110 of Watercolor Skulls

“We go straight to the fucking flower garden. If we don’t find anything we’re leaving. Don’t get any ideas while we’re in there. I’m not going to risk my best friend getting locked up. If your father thought you were crazy before he will definitely think you’re nuts if he sees you like this.” She stands back, smiling at her work.

I walk over to the mirror in the hotel room. Jesse joins me. Our faces match. The only difference is our eyes. “I used to paint myself up like this when I was a teenager.”

“So no one would recognize you?”

“That and because it gave me bigger balls. Don’t your balls feel bigger?”

I giggle. “Actually, I think this is the first time I’ve felt them.”

She hugs me around the shoulders. “It’s going to be okay, Lily. Whatever we find or don’t find, it’s going to be okay. We’re never going to let anyone take you away from us.”

Biting my lip, I swallow back tears, not wanting to ruin the bad ass makeup job she just did on me. “I love you.”

She hugs me tight. “I know you think you only need us, but we need you too.”

The door bangs open and Dirk leans against the doorway. His jaw clenches when he sees us. “Dan,” he hollers over his shoulder. His eyebrow is cocked at an alarming level.

Jesse steps away from me. “We are going in.” She tosses a thumb out, indicating the “we” are her and I.

“Is that so.” He lights up a cigarette. The doorway beside him is soon filled with Dan. He runs his eyes over my face then Jesse’s.

“No. Absofuckinglutely no.”

I step in front of Jesse. “I’m going in. I don’twantthis, Dan. I fuckingneedit.”

“Fine, but we all go in together.”

“Sorry, big guy, we already decided that the men are in charge of watching the perimeter,” Jesse says, resting her chin on my shoulder.

Dan looks at Dirk and shrugs.

“Dan, we will be in and out in minutes. It will be easier with fewer people. Jesse can watch my back while I search the flower garden.”

He steps into the room, pulling a gun out of the back of his pants. A gun. A fucking real life gun. Sure, I’ve seen them. My dad’s guards have them, but I guess I…well, I don’t know what I thought. Dan gives me a quick ten minute tutorial on it before thrusting it in my hand. “Just in case,” he says.

I swallow. This is becoming real. Can I do this? I have to. I just have to.

When we get to my father’s estate we circle around to the back side of the property. Jenny and I used to sneak in and out here. It’s the one weak spot in my father’s security. We climb over the fence and then shimmy between the bushes, leaving the guys behind to watch the perimeter.

Now comes the risky part, we will have to move closer to the house where the cameras are. It’s late enough maybe none of the security will notice. Jesse holds up one finger, two then three. Go. We rush over to the flower garden. I immediately start searching the bird houses and feeders. Nothing, nothing, nothing. Goddammit, I can’t be wrong. I can’t be.

Then I notice a bird feeder that has a large metal bottom on it. It looks odd. I rush over to it and push on it. Sure enough it slides out. I glance back at Jesse, she is watching the yard, her eyes sliding left and right. Her hand is poised on the gun in her pants. Returning my focus back to the bird feeder, I reach in the and pull out a wooden box.

When I get it in my hands, I push the drawer back. “Let’s go,” I say excitedly, turning to face Jesse only to find her in a headlock. Fuck.

“Rudy, please let her go,” I plead.

“Lily?” He drags Jesse closer to me. “What the fuck?” he hisses.

“Please let her go. We’ll leave. I just needed to grab something.”

He looks at the box in my hands. Jesse gives me a look of encouragement. She doesn’t even look worried.

“I’ll let her go but I’m sorry I’m going to have to take you to your father. It’s for the best.” He shakes his head like he doesn’t even believe that’s true.

“You know it’s not. Please Rudy.”

He takes a big step, dragging Jesse with him.

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