On the Run - M Zeigler (philippa perry book .txt) 📗

the same then looks at Lexis. “Shall we try and get up there without the gun fire?” Lexis comments showing her lack of enthusiasm with our shooting up the place just now. “Sure, just take all the fun out of my day. You have always been such a downer on my parade.” Bonnie says to the girl before us, Lexis glances over her shoulder as we ascend the stairs.

“That is because nothing has changed with you, you’re still a maniac.” Lexis retorts but in a joking manner. “Yes but that is why you love me, I do all the things that everyone else is too scared to do.” Bonnie says as if she were talking to her best friend. Lexis rolls her eyes as I start to speak.

“You mean like use the worn out line from every Bonnie and Clyde film ever used?”

“Oh hush up Barrette, it’s not worn out, it’s iconic and I’ve wanted to use that line since I was a little kid. So quit throwing off my groove.” Bonnie says as Lexis opens up the door upstairs and points us in the direction of the Mayor’s office.

“Mr. Blake’s office is the room there on the left.”  Lexis says in her normal polite desk girl voice then leans in closer to me. “You have twenty minutes to get the files and get out before I call the cops.” She murmurs, with that she is going back down the stairs. “Alright, we’ll call you when we get to Mississippi.” I call back down to Lexis who gives me thumbs up that she understands what I need her to do.

Bonnie takes lead into the Mayor’s office, he is on the phone and gives us a hand signal that says to get out. However his actions change when he hears Bonnie’s gun hammer click back, he looks at us then sighs. “Howard I’m going to have to let you go, I have two very important people in my office.” Hugh says, looking at Hugh I’m surprised to find that he is not the man that I found in the photo clipping. This man is much younger and a little less smug but looks just as terrified as anyone else would be in his situation.

“Have a seat, Miss. Parker, Mr. Green.” Hugh says beckoning to two chairs. “We don’t have the time to chat. If you know who we are then you know why we’re here, all we want are the files on Devon Morgan and we’ll be out of your hair. So hand em over and I won’t start shooting.” Bonnie informs, Hugh sighs while shaking his head. He gives a few tongue clicks then looks up at Bonnie with understanding in his eyes.

“Bonnie, you and I both know that you won’t shoot me. You didn’t shoot Allen Warner, in fact throughout this entire spree you two have been on you’ve only been shooting the bad guys that were already wanted for certain reasons anyways. Except the guards, but I’m sure they’ve all rattled a few innocent people in their days.” Hugh says standing up, he moves from his desk over to where he has four crystal glasses and a bottle of scotch set up. He pours himself a glass then offers us a glass but Bonnie stubbornly declines along with me.

“I don’t believe that you two want to really hurt even the bad people, but your lives are on the line. So, as all humans would, you’ll do whatever it takes to get by.” Hugh continues. “Listen, as much as we would just love to hear you philosophies in life we need to get a run on, your desk clerk is calling the cops here in about eleven minutes.” I inform the arrogant prick standing before us.

“A man who cuts to the chase, see that’s why your label is more successful than most other new guys. Here’s the deal, Bonnie, Barrette, there are no files in this office for Devon, however what I have is way more proof than any hidden criminal files can be. See, my father was killed last week by Devon for spilling the news drunkenly at a social party. I’m just as angry as you are about Devon’s workings, that is why I am going to give you both the opportunity of a life time. I have my father’s journals that have the locations of where Devon hides all his bodies as well as every last location of the drug, gun, and human trafficking houses. Those locations are yours for the taking, but I want one thing in return.” Hugh junior says pulling out a heavily locked brief case from a false bottom in his desk.

“And what is that?” Bonnie challenges. “When you get to Louisiana, give Mark a swift punch in the face, break his nose. Really injure him; he is the one who gave up my father’s location up on the night he was murdered. Mark is one terrible man, he’s been working for Devon for years, Mark has used his own personal vehicles to escort women and children to the trafficking houses. He’s purchased illegal weapons from Devon; I even caught him with his pants down on one of those abducted women. Poor girl was beaten into submission.” Hugh says sliding several other photo’s across the desk to me that is proof enough of what Mark has done.

Hearing this and seeing the evidence is enough to make my blood run cold and want to end Mark’s life. “You’ve got yourself a deal Mr. Flake.” Bonnie agrees as she gathers the brief case and the photo’s that are offered to us. Hugh catches Bonnie’s hand and kisses her knuckles. “Please Bonnie, call me Hugh.” He flirts; Bonnie snatches her hand back giving her best offended glare to Hugh before we both turn for the door.

“You’ve got five minutes, get on out of here!” Lexis shouts when we get down stairs, she’s just hung up the phone from calling the police. Bonnie reaches over the desk to hug the woman and gives her an appreciative look. “Hugh has you covered, and thank again. I’ll call you when this is all done.” Bonnie informs then releases a very nervous looking Lexis.

Once I’m out the door both guards that were at the door earlier jump out to try and stop us from escaping. “Stay back, Bonnie.” After giving the order I shove both my guns into Bonnie’s already full arms and start down the stairs.

“Alright boys, it’s on!” I say to them tensing up my muscles ready to knock their teeth out, the guard that is to my left is the first to make a move. He tries to round house kick me but I easily catch his foot and with a firm twist, I dislocate his knee. As I’m shoving the first guard to the pavement the second guard takes a swing that connects with my jaw and also split my lip. I wipe away the blood as I hear Bonnie chuckling behind me.

“Dude, you just signed your hospital bill! Oh that’s gonna hurt!” Bonnie harrumphs as if she were a wrestling fan watching match. As predicted I grab the guy by the front of his shirt lifting him two feet off the ground and slam my fist straight into his face breaking his nose and splitting his cheek wide open. When the guys falls unconscious I drop him to the ground, I look back to call Bonnie to the car but she’s already skipping over the first security guards pained body heading in the general direction of her car. Yes, miss bad girl, enjoys shooting, and huge explosives Bonnie, is skipping merrily through the parking lot.

“You keep up with this sucker punch attitude and I’m investing in a straight jacket for you.”

Bonnie gapes at me from the passenger’s seat. “Rude! I am not crazy, I’m just mentally unstable all five f me are on my meds.” Bonnie replies in a factual way, she sounds so simple about it, like she’s trying to correct me on some false information.

“No, you’re crazy.” I affirm as I look over my shoulder to back out of this parking place. “If I’m crazy then that makes you entirely mentally unstable because you and your family accepted me as one of their own.” Bonnie says putting the locking portion of the brief case up to her ear. She spins the four separate dials on there until the lock pops open.

“How do you learn things like that?” I ask as I’m pulling out onto the road.

“I don’t know if can legally answer that question.” She jokes back flipping open the latches to open the case. “Says the woman who’s helped in how many crimes in the last forty eight hours alone?”

“My uncle Joe is still in prison because he was a professional cat burglar. He knows how to disable every single alarm system known to man. He got out six years back and taught me everything he knew about breaking into things, then was busted breaking into an FBI agent’s house. So he’s back in prison, I love my uncle Joe, he’s a terrible criminal, but he’s useful in the hoodlum life.” Bonnie says pulling out an old leather bound journal, the leather on it is a faded cigar smoke stained brown, the once vintage looking secret keeper now has several splits in the leather and looks far less than appealing.

“Let’s see here.” Bonnie mutters reading over the many names that line the list and where the bodies are at. “Wow, I have to give Devon a round of applause he knows how and where to hide bodies.” Bonnie remarks flipping to the third page.

“Dare I ask, but where in the world could you possibly hide a body where a dog couldn’t even find it?” I ask closing my eyes for a brief moment with a cringing expression. “The desert, I mean think about it. Most cadaver dogs can only smell something if it’s less than four feet underground, so driving to the middle of nowhere and dumping a body down a five mile deep abandoned mine shaft or in the very farthest corner of a cave under a few tons of boulders…” Bonnie leaves the sentence to drop, as for me I’m left reeling over the fact that she knows so much about hiding bodies and how to evade the strong senses of a trained cadaver dog.

At the same train of thought, I’m wondering if maybe now would be the right time to get a straight jacket for her. Ya know one of those ones that have a leash attached, she can wander around but she tied up so she can’t hurt herself or anyone else.

 

 

Chapter 9

 

On the run chapter 9

Listen and learn

Bonnie’s perspective

“No, I’m not going in there and you cannot make me.” I object as Barrette locks the car doors preventing me from getting back inside. “Bonnie, it’s a clothing store not a torture chamber.” Barrette replies trying to reason with me but I know my luck in the Koldstrom’s that are scattered all around the high society shopping centers.

“Every time I step foot in one of those stores I get hurt. No, and that’s final!” I shout crossing my arms over my chest