Page 74 (1/2)
“Marie, I need to talk to you”
Marie turned around “Sorry, I know I overslept But I left the place clean last night and I’ll be good to go by the time we open”
“No, that’s fine” Stella waved a dis off her freshly lacquered blood red nails “This is about so else Sit down”
Marie lowered herself to a chair Nervous hands pulled her shirt over her knees, fingers bunching the hem as she waited
“Cigarette?” Stella held out the open pack and her lighter
“Thanks” Marie accepted the offering, taking a cigarette and lighting it Stella, an expert at reading people, noticed the flicker of hope in her dark eyes Did she think she was about to get another chance to prove herself? Poor, foolish girl
“I’m about to do you a favor,” Stella said “I owe you this for what you did to clear Nicky of thather words ti now, like a cat with a ame
“What I’ot a call froot his er, and that it was no accident The Tylers and your cousin Sky are backing him up”
Marie swore and took a long drag on her cigarette “I was hoping the old fart was dead I’d have finished hi in the way I couldn’t shoot a dog”
“You should’ve shot them both,” Stella said “Abner wantedto come by with his deputies and arrest you for attempted murder”
The look of panic that flashed across Marie’s scarred face gave Stella a rush of satisfaction She reached for her purse, which she’d left on the bar “Here,” she said, taking out a fistful of bills “This should be enough to get you wherever you need to go I’s didn’t work out here, but what happened happened The sooner you’re on the road, the farther away you’ll be when the sheriff shows up”
“Tha
nks” Marie rose, dropped her cigarette in the ashtray, took theStella’s eyes turned and walked toward the stairs
“You’re welco bitch,” Stella murmured as she disappeared “I’ll see you in hell”
Marie pulled on her clothes and craarettes and the new lighter she’d bought Glancing around the roorabbed the few small possessions she’d left out and stuffed the the load in her KelTek P3, she shoved the small pistol into the back waistband of her jeans and pulled the hem of her T-shirt over it