Page 8 of Montana Delta Rescue
Holding her breath, she opened the door.
Tony stood, scowling at her.
“What’s going on, Tony?”she asked, and placed her palm upon her head. “I’ve got a terrible headache.”
“You’re not answering my texts,” he said. “Where you been?”
“I was in the shower and haven’t seen any texts,” she said. “I went to the hair salon today and told them to make me even more blonde, like you’d asked,” she squinted her eyes. “But it’s given me a terrible headache. I need to rest.”
It looked like Tony had wanted to come inside, but he had little patience for any kind of illness, so the look of disgust that came into his eyes was one she’d seen before.
Another neighbor two doors down was home, unlocking her door. She waved at Marilyn.
Marilyn waved back.
“Your brownies were delicious,” Mr. Avery said. He’d shuffled inside his apartment and out again and now held two plastic containers that were hers. “I’ve been meaning to give this back to you, but I don’t move around so good these days.”
A muscle twitched in Tony’s jaw. A sign of his lack of patience. He wanted her complete attention when he wanted it and now she had attention from all their neighbors.
“Thank you,” she moved to take the container away from Mr. Avery. “You don’t have to wash them for me.”
“It wouldn’t be right not to,” Mr. Avery said. “Not good manners.”
Tony made his face into a bland, smooth mask, and switched into restaurant owner mode, now that he knew people were all around, watching.
Still holding the containers, she moved back into her doorway. “Tony, I need to go lie down and get rid of this headache,” she said. “I’m going to bed early. I’ll call you tomorrow after my audition.”
Tony didn’t have much choice other than to accept that. “Feel better,” he said. “Get some sleep.”
He loved telling her what to do, even when she’d already announced she was doing it. His way of feeling in control. He liked to boss people around.
It used to make her smile as she’d think,he has to be the boss of everything. But now, she found nothing in that to smile about. Now it was disturbing. But she had to act like it wasn’t.
“I will,” she said. “Good night, Tony.”
“Good night, baby,” he said.
She closed the double door, locked it, then leaned back against it, listening as Mr. Avery went back into his apartment and Tony moved away from the door.
He won’t be back tonight. But tomorrow I’ll have him to deal with again. I’ll do the audition and then get on the road to Sadie’s house right after. I won’t be able to take much with me in case he has someone watching me when I leave the apartment. Would he do that?
It was clear to her that she had no idea of what he would or wouldn’t do. She’d had no idea he would kill a man. It was best to be prepared for anything.
Everything she took with her would have to fit in one wardrobe bag and in her biggest purse. She had to look like she was only taking a change of clothes, makeup and curling iron, etc. to her audition.
Whatever I can fit into those two bags. If he catches me before I leave town . . .
The thought made her so nervous her stomach flipped. She’d need to take all that nervous energy and get her bags ready. Then maybe her stomach would settle down enough for her to eat something for dinner.
Tempting as eating the whole pan of brownies right now was, that would be stress eating, and she had to leave her apartment looking like she planned to come right back to it. Because he would search her apartment once she was gone.
It took her best headphones, her favorite sleep track with beach sounds, and a couple of melatonin pills for her to finally fall asleep.
Her bags were by the bedroom door, ready to go in the morning. She couldn’t chance him showing up with breakfast so she would leave early, and she’d made sure everything essential for her to have was in those bags.
With all the cash she’d stowed away, in her apartment, she could buy whatever she needed without having to use her credit cards. Then there would be no trail to track her.
Telling herself she’d done everything she could tonight, and she needed sleep, she finally dozed.
