“Why are you staring out the door? Was someone following you?” Elle could feel her dad start to worry.
“No, of course not. I thought I saw…a big dog or something.” Elle looked through the peephole again. Okay, this is the last time.
“Well, whatever it is, it isn’t going to claw through the door.”
Elle forced a laugh. “Yeah, you’re right.” Okay, this is really the last time.
She peeped through the hole.
“Uh, Elle, I was about to heat me up some of your mom’s dinner; why don’t you come eat with me? I know you don’t eat the diner’s food.” He was right, but seeing a man murdered had really made her lose her appetite. For the rest of my life.
“No, thanks, I’m really not hungry. I don’t feel too well, Dad.” She really wanted to go to her bedroom.
“Elle, please?” The look on her dad’s face made it to where she couldn’t refuse.
“Okay, Dad. Want me to roll you in?” Elle smiled as big as she could. When her dad nodded, she grabbed the handlebars of his wheelchair and rolled him through the living room and into the kitchen where she put him at the table.
“Here, let me make you a plate.” She went to the fridge and pulled out the leftovers, making him a plate of fried chicken and mashed potatoes. She heated it up in the microwave and then set it in front of him with a fork.
“I’m sorry about today, Elle. Last night was miserable for me. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I took some of my pain pills. I’ve been out of it all day.” He sat, picking at his food.
“It’s okay, Dad. I know this whole thing has been hard on you these last few years.” Elle really did understand. Losing the ability to walk is something she would never have been able to deal with.
“It’s no excuse to be drugged out of my mind. I promise I will try to be better.” He looked her in the eyes. He needed her to believe him this time.
Every few months, he would get like this. The aches and mental pain would break him down, make him swallow those pills.
“I know you will, Dad.” Elle touched his hand. She really did want to believe him.
Her dad picked up the chicken leg and took a big bite. Oh, gosh.
“You sure you’re not hungry, Elle? You look like you haven’t eaten in days.” He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand.
I think I’m going to hurl.
“I’m not very hungry. I think I’m becoming a vegetarian.” Elle got up from the table; she had to get out of there. “Night, Dad.”
“Goodnight, Elle-bell.”
If Elle wasn’t about to throw up at what she had seen that night, she would have been happy. She loved her father more than anyone and hated when he decided to become someone else, even if it was just a day. It used to be months.
When Elle finally made it to her room, she threw off her uniform and got into her pajamas. She lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
What the hell just happened? Elle had no clue what to do.
Call the cops? She knew no amount of cops could save her from that man. She would have to go into Witness Protection, and he would still probably find her.
Skip town? Then that meant no protection for Chloe.
Nope. Tell my parents? She knew that just brought her back to her parents calling the cops or skipping town.
So, clearly, my only option is pretending it didn’t happen. Well, at least until he finds me. Who is he?
She needed to find out who he was so she could at least see him coming. Elle decided to replay what had happened that night. It was hard for her to do since the only thing she could remember was the sound of the gun going off.
Then a word started to stick out in her mind—Boss. She remembered the least-scary man had called him boss. Boss? Then another memory struck her mind. The big boss gave you a job. You don’t have a fucking choice. The crazed man had been scared for his life. He had known his fate hours before. A grown man had been scared to death of him. The big boss, job, no choice.
Holy shit, I just watched someone get whacked!
Elle had heard the rumors and stories ever since she had been born in Kansas City about it being one of the mob capitals of the United States. She thought the stuff was for the movies, though; that they really were just rumors.
She forced her eyes shut and pictured the boss. She saw an older, dark-haired, handsome man wearing a suit.
Oh, God, they even wear suits.
Elle knew she had just met the mob boss of Kansas City; that he was the real deal, whacking and all.
I am so fucked.
* * *
Elle sat in English the next morning, barely listening to Mr. Evans when he addressed the class. With everything that had happened last night, she had forgotten to finish her essay. The whole morning had actually been a blur; she couldn’t even quite remember how the hell she’d ended up here.
“Elle, Elle, Elle?” Elle looked up at Mr. Evans.
“Uh-huh?” Elle was lost today as well.
“Do you have your essay to turn into me?”
Elle felt everyone staring at her. She was sure this would just add to her bullying.
“My essay? No, sorry.” Elle watched Mr. Evans walk on to the next student.
When Mr. Evans walked up to the front of the classroom, she noticed an empty seat where Cassandra had sat yesterday. She looked around the room, wondering if she’d decided to move.
Hmm, no Cassandra?
She took that as a blessing since she had never missed a school day. Not ever. If a girl like her missed a day, she felt as if she had missed a year of her life. Cassandra had to be in everyone’s business, thus missing a day meant missing something potentially good.