No Longer Friends

No Longer Friends

Published by Jacqui Spence

Distributed by Smashwords

Copyright 2012 Jacqui Spence

Discover other titles by Jacqui Spence: Amongst Friends, With Friends Like These…

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

This is a work of fiction. Names, character, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Chapter One

Come and Get Me!

Even in the dead of sleep, she could hear someone fiddling with the door knob of her motel room. Her heart was immediately racing when she woke up and her first instinct was to hide. She knew the closet would be too obvious, same with the bathroom. Those would be the first places anyone would look. She couldn’t make herself get under the bed. She knew she’d be spotted there as well. There was only one other place she could hide. And she laughed to herself because it was just about in plain sight. Her room had a mini-bar and next to the mini-bar was a desk. She knew she could fit under the desk but all it would take would be for someone to look in her direction and she’d be spotted right away. Let’s hope luck stays with me. And with that, she gave a low sigh and climbed under the desk, pulling the chair in close to her.

She got under the desk just in the nick of time. No sooner than she had the chair in place, she saw the knob on the door turn slowly. Two guys entered the room, illuminating the room with a small flashlight. The first guy pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

She’s not here, Boss. The bed looks slept in but no Angel. Fear ran down her spine because she knew now that this wasn’t a random break-in. They were looking for her. She closed her eyes tight hoping she could will them to leave but even in the darkness, she could hear them speaking. The guy put his phone on speaker, so his partner could hear, as well.

Are you sure? Did you check the closet, under the bed? She’s good for hiding in plain sight; she’s said it herself a million times. That was a voice she recognized. Her old friend, JT. Quickly, the two searched the room in all of the spots she knew they would check. And they ended up standing right in front of her but they didn’t look down to see her. Her heart was pounding so loud she was sure they could hear it.

Boss, I’m telling you she’s not here. The room is only this big. And he snapped his fingers for emphasis.

What’s in the closet? His voice boomed through the phone. She could almost hear JT’s mind racing, wondering where she could be.

Her duffel bag is in the closet but that’s all that’s there.

Check under the bed. JT barked the order.

Mouse, look under the bed, the first guy commanded.

Mouse was down on all fours. If he would just turn his head to the right, he would see her. But he only looked under the bed and then he stood right up, shaking his head from left to right. She sighed with relief wondering who these idiots could be. She didn’t know the name Mouse and the first guy never mentioned his own name. JT didn’t call him by name either. She could see the profile of their faces from the little bit of light coming from the outside parking lot through the slit in the curtains, that wasn’t pulled all the way closed. She didn’t recognize their faces.

One of you stay in the room and wait for her and I want the other one to check outside. See if the car is warm and go out by the pool. I wouldn’t put it past her to go swimming at this time of the night. She loves water.

He knows me so well, she thought to herself and rolled her eyes. She wanted to know how long he had been looking for her and when did he pick up her trail, since this is the first time in 2 years that she even thought about him.

I’ll go outside. Mouse will stay here in case she gets back. What do you want us to do with her when we find her? He already knew the answer but he liked hearing JT say it.

"Don’t let her get away like those idiots in Alabama. When you find her…kill her." JT said it in his most menacing voice. He wanted these two to know he was serious about wanting her dead.

Her eyes grew wide with fear and she willed herself to sit like a stone and not even breathe. She started formulating an escape plan. She knew she didn’t have too much time. He wants me dead, she thought to herself. And for a second, she almost let a tear escape her eyes. Then she thought about Reggie, Of course he wants me dead! He doesn’t want me to tell what I know.

Thinking about Reggie gave her strength and ice water began coursing through her veins. She had to toughen up. She wasn’t about to die here. That much she could guarantee. Mouse was stupid enough to lie down on the bed and Angel heard a light snoring. That’s my cue, she said to herself. She crawled from her hiding place, picked up a lamp and was standing over him. He didn’t hear a thing.

You’re looking for me? She tried to sound innocent. As he was about to jump up, she hit him in the head with the lamp. Glass shattered all around him. Now he was knocked out cold. She unarmed him, putting the gun on the dresser momentarily until she could tie him up, then she’d put it away, so she could keep it for her own protection. She took the sheets off of the second bed and tied him up with them.

When he finally comes to, he’ll do so in police custody, she thought to herself. She called the front desk and also dialed 911 from her own cell phone to report a robbery in progress. She also put a chair under the door after locking it again. His partner wouldn’t get in again. Within minutes, she could hear someone fumbling at the door, twisting the knob but he didn’t stay long. She was hoping security would hurry up and get to her room. And within seconds, she could hear sirens. It was like music to her ears.

When the Memphis police arrived on the scene, they looked at the unconscious guy tied up on the bed and assumed, at first, that he was the victim. Detective Charlie Martin wasn’t too keen on citizens taking the law into their own hands and he made sure to let Angel know it.

Miss Rivers, you’re a long way from New York. Do you mind me asking you what you’re doing in Memphis, Tennessee?

"Visiting…I’m a huge Elvis fan. I just got here today and I was planning on touring the city tomorrow." She tried to sound convincing but she really was just passing through.

So why would anyone want to harm you?

Whoa detective, I think you’re jumping to conclusions. I think they were just trying to rob me. They came in waving a flashlight around, like they were looking for something.

Why would a guy from North Carolina want to rob you? Do you know him?

"No, I don’t know him and I don’t know why me of all the guests in the motel. Maybe they saw the car and thought I’d have something of value in the room. I guess I have to say what my grandmother always says, When I ask why me? She always said, why not you?"

Do you? Have something of value, I mean.

No, I think they were just unlucky.

"You keep saying they, yet there’s only one person tied up. Can you explain?"

Yes, there were two of them, one of me. So I waited until I was alone with one before I came out of hiding. I saw him lie down and then I hit him with the lamp when he was about to jump up.

So when you saw the guy lie down, why wouldn’t you just run for help instead of trying to subdue him yourself?

I guess I didn’t want him to get away. Angel shrugged her shoulders, trying to indicate that she was just reacting, not really thinking.

What made you think you could overpower him enough to hold him for the police?

I don’t know…I guess it’s partially my military background and partially luck that he didn’t hear me tiptoe over to the side of the bed. He’s waking up a little. Maybe you can ask him why they chose me. His partner called him Mouse. At this point, she’d say anything to deflect the conversation from herself.

I guess you’re also lucky you didn’t kill him.

She shrugged her shoulders, this time because she didn’t know what else to say. She almost blurted out that if she wanted him dead, she would’ve shot him with his own gun but she knew she couldn’t volunteer that much information. She also realized she wasn’t putting on a good act of a ‘damsel-in-distress’…she was acting like she could take on the world. She cautioned herself to change her tone because she wants Detective Martin to clear her of any wrong doing, so she can be on her way. She didn’t want to risk them wanting to search through her items because they would definitely find Mouse’s gun in her bag and that would definitely sway the investigation in a different direction. They would have to focus on her and what she’s doing and why these guys came searching for her with a gun.

Mouse groaned as he came to and then he panicked when he realized his hands were cuffed behind his back and he couldn’t rub his head. His eyes scanned the room and when he saw the lights were on and there were four cops standing around him, he didn’t know how to react. He knew he messed up big time if the cops were here. Then he looked at Angel. She was still dressed in her pajamas and her feet were bare. She must be the woman we were looking for. He started wondering where she could’ve been hiding. JT said she was pretty but he had no idea she was this pretty.

Detective Martin had the officers help him up and take him to the waiting squad car. He wanted to question him without Angel being around. Although he was a little on the skinny side, he wasn’t a weakling and again he wondered how this woman could manage to overpower and get the best of this guy.

Detective, you coming? One of the officers called over his shoulder. I won’t be too far behind, I have a couple of questions for the front desk and I want to make sure Miss Rivers gets a new room,… someplace else, he thought but didn’t say. If this guy was really after her, he didn’t want it to be known that she left the motel.

He questioned the guy at the front desk about the ins and outs of their security and he took with him the tape of the evening because it shows the two suspects went right to her room. It was obvious that they didn’t have the card key and it was just as obvious that they knew where they were going. Something else he made a mental note of…it was clear that the two guys were holding guns in their hands as they entered the room. He decided to have Angel’s car checked into evidence, so they can check it for prints and to see if it has a tracking system on it. If it does, he also wanted to know the last time it was tracked. On the way to the next place, he figured he’d try to talk to Miss Rivers a little more to see if she’s aware of any potential danger.

Miss Rivers, is there anything you want to tell me about tonight that you haven’t already told me?

No, I already told you everything.

She sat with her arms folded across her ample bosom. He thought to himself, That’s a very defensive pose, classic even. The arms crossed and her inability to look him directly in the eye told him that there’s more to this story. He’s been a detective for too long to let subtle little hints like this just pass him by.

You need help, you know? He tried to initiate the conversation again.

Why? She asked timidly, trying to not let the fear creep into her voice.

Those guys went straight for your room. Yet you say you don’t know them.

I don’t. I just checked in this afternoon, maybe they were looking for the person who was there before me. They’re not that bright, so maybe they had the room number transposed and they were looking for 202 instead of 220. Immediately, she knew she had said too much, it wasn’t her job to help him find reasons for why they broke into her room. Guilty suspects are usually the ones who try to come up with explanations and give alternative reasons. He just wouldn’t stop asking her questions.

Did you see a gun? On the tape they had guns when they entered the room.

When they entered the room, I closed my eyes hoping they didn’t look in my direction. It was partially true, so she felt good about that answer. But again, she almost volunteered too much information. She wanted to tell him that the slightest movement could possibly give away her position, so with her eyes closed, she knew that she didn’t have to worry about them seeing even the slightest flutter from her blinking. She also wanted to say, maybe he gave his partner his gun because he realized he didn’t need it but that sounded foolish, even to her. So she kept quiet about that.

He only saw her silence as her stonewalling him. He was determined to get answers that he knew she knew. So I guess, when we search the room, we’ll find a gun?

I thought you searched it before we left? She tried to look puzzled. She knew he could see right through her but there was a red neon sign flashing in her head that said, "DEFLECT. The sign was flashing over and over in her mind with urgency, DEFLECT! DEFLECT! DEFLECT! She realized now that the only way he was going to stop asking her questions would be if he made her cry. Crying on demand was not something she was good at, so she had to think of a really good reason to cry. And she had one…her best friend wants her dead. You’re starting to scare me Detective." And she heard her voice crack. It’s working.

I’m trying to protect you. I want to know who would send two guys from out of town to come to your room with guns.

You’re making this about me, when all it could possibly be is an attempted robbery. No one would want to harm me. No one. And the tears started flowing. She tried to talk and sob at the same time but the only thing that was coming out was mumbled gibberish.

Aw geez, come on, you don’t have to cry. I don’t want you to cry. And you don’t have to be scared. Maybe it was just a robbery attempt.

Triumphantly, she was thinking to herself, Gotcha! And he was kicking himself for making her cry. He didn’t want to make her cry. But her goal was achieved; he stopped questioning her. She continued to sob for a little while longer because it did hurt her that JT wanted her dead, and it would be suspicious if she were able to stop crying the moment he stopped questioning her.

He got her to a new hotel, checked her in under an assumed name and told her to come to the Sheriff’s Office in a couple of days for the rental car. He gave her his card before he left and he told her, You’re going to be alright, now. She smiled slightly, still managing to look sad and closed the door. From her window, she could see him get in the police car and leave. He upgraded her from a motel to a hotel and he managed for them to keep the room at the same motel rate. She waited a half hour more to make sure he was gone and she went outside for a walk. The sun had risen hours ago, so it wouldn’t be so strange for her to go outside in a strange city. She dialed a familiar number on her cell phone, as she was walking.

Hello? He answered with more of a question because she blocked her number so he couldn’t see it was her calling.

Hello JT. She could almost see the look of shock on his face but he recovered quickly.

Angel baby! What’s up? Where are you?

What’s up? Nothing other than… you wanting me dead! She paused for effect, and it worked.

What are you talking about? He tried to play stupid.

Mouse went down with the Memphis police and whoever the other one is, he got away for now. But you better hope your boy doesn’t roll over on him.

Mouse is down with the police? He was trying to act like he really didn’t understand what she was telling him then he continued with the questions. Who’s Mouse? And what other one? What happened? And most importantly, are you ok? He asked that last part with so much real sincerity that she almost lost it. He’s too good at being bad.

"Can you stop playing stupid? I HEARD you tell them to kill me when they find me. At least be man enough to admit it! Why send boys to come after a woman? You want me dead? I’m still in Memphis, come and get me YOURSELF!" And with that, she closed her phone.

She realized that she really missed the days when hanging up the phone meant slamming the phone down hard in someone’s ear. With cell phones, you just hear a click and the call has ended. It loses its dramatic effect.

She walked back to her hotel room, so she can get some much needed sleep. Then she’d have to contemplate her next move. She knew that the line in the sand that you’re not supposed to cross…has just been crossed. There’s no turning back from this.

Chapter Two

A Captured Mouse

Mouse was not used to being incarcerated. He was in a small, enclosed room in the Sheriff’s Office. Across the room plastered on the wall was a mirror that stretched across the entire wall. Mouse laughed to himself thinking, I know what’s hiding behind that mirror. He’s seen it time and time again, in different TV shows and movies. He won’t be fooled into thinking he’s by himself, so he can speak freely. He stood in front of the mirror doing a little dance, shaking his chains from side to side. He realized for the first time looking down at the handcuffs and the leg anklets that they didn’t vibe well with his overall persona of freedom. He felt like he really understood Patrick Henry’s statement, ‘Give me liberty or give me death.’ I guess I learned something from history, after all, he said out loud to no one in particular. At the turn of the door knob, he realized he spoke too soon.

I guess your parents didn’t like you much; they named you James James. Hell, if I were you, I’d go by Mouse too. Detective Martin was trying to get him angry enough to say anything of value.

What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. Mouse was trying to not show how scared he was right now.

If you’re smart enough to quote Shakespeare, then you should be smart enough to know how much trouble you’re in.

Trouble for what? Falling asleep? That’s what people do when they get tired. He tried to sound indignant but it sounded weak even to his ears.

"You break into rooms with guns just to go to sleep? Is that really what you’re telling