Page 33 of Slay Bells

Not realizing what happened, Gabriela did as told, and was shuffled toward the back of the store.

“What are you doing?” She asked at feeling a sharp item poking into her side.’

“Shut up and get in here.” With amazing strength, the woman shoved her forward and slammed the door behind them.

“Janet Maloney,” a familiar male voice called out from the other side of the door, and everyone in the salon began talking at once.

“Open the door Janet.” It was Williams. “We need to speak to you.”

Janet narrowed her eyes at Gabriela. “No. Go away! I will stab her in the eye!”

“I’m going to have to open the door by force,” Jeremy said.

Unsure what to do, Gabriela flattened against the wall. Janet stood sideways with the knife still pressed to Gabriela’s side.

“I’ll stab her if you try anything.”

“Open the door and let’s talk. You’re only making things worse,” Williams said.

“What do you want?” Janet said and tears began spilling down her face. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Are you alright Gabriela?” This time it was Jeremy.

“Yes,” she replied, unsure what to say exactly. “Except she has a knife.”

Janet pushed the knife into her side harder. “Stop talking.”

“Ouch,” Gabriela said and shifted away. “You know they will bust in here eventually. You’ll be in more trouble if you don’t let me go.”

“I didn’t do anything. He killed him, not me,” Janet whispered. “I don’t want to go to jail.”

“Then tell them the truth,” Gabriela replied. “They will take it easier on you if you do.”

“What do you want?” Williams asked.

“Shut up!” Janet screamed. “I want you to go away!”

“We can’t do that,” Jeremy replied. “Open the door and no one gets hurt.”

For a moment, Janet seemed to consider her options and then she lifted the knife, the motion scraping it against Gabriela’s arm.

“Ouch,” Gabriela hissed.

The door burst open. Janet shrieked and Gabriela shoved her away.

The woman stumbled sideways. In one quick movement, he grabbed her arm and twisted her around, slamming her to the wall. The knife fell to the floor.

With flat cop eyes, Jeremy looked first to Gabriela, seeming to assess if she were uninjured.

“Janet Maloney, you are under arrest for the murder of your husband Kevin Maloney.”

While Williams handcuffed Janet, who began screaming, Jeremy hurried to Gabriela. “Are you hurt?”

“No, but my manicure sure it.” To her horror, she began to cry and was soon sobbing into Jeremy’s shoulder.

“Come on honey, I’ll fix them,” the nail technician extricated her from Jeremy’s arms. “I can’t let you leave with messed up nails. Come on you’ll feel better.”

She was guided to a chair and while Jeremy hovered, a glass of water was pushed into her shaky hands.