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Turning my gaze back to my reflection, I have to admit I’m enchanted by the jewelry. The gorgeous set is designed in such a way that it looks like my body is dripping diamonds.
I brush my hair back and check out the earrings, seeing how they catch the light as they dangle. The necklace is stunning, the dip of the pendant resting just inside my cleavage. And the bracelet looks like it might as well have its own light source, sparkling in the glow from the store.
But how the fuck am I going to steal them? It feels impossible.
Then I see my chance when a woman distractedly makes her way toward me, her large cup of coffee held carelessly in her hand along with her phone.
I watch her from the corner of my eye, pretending to look at myself in the mirror, and when she’s close enough, I make my move. I turn into her outstretched hand, and her coffee spills down my dress to the tune of everyone’s gasps. I fake a small, pained yell as if I’m shocked and burning from the hot drink.
“Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry!” The woman’s hands cover her mouth in distress as she stares at me. Her light blonde hair flies around as she shakes her head, her wide brown eyes watching me with guilt.
“Let me grab you some towels, Ms. O’Brien,” Gerald calls before he runs into the back.
“It’s okay. Let me just run out to my car. I have a change of clothes in there.”
Hoping I’ve done the trick, I move toward the door and even manage to pass the policeman stationed at the store’s entrance. But when I get outside, the limo has moved a half a block down from the store.
Or is that a different limo?
My heart racing, my head dizzy with fear and too much adrenaline, I jog toward the limo, the stolen jewelry seeming to burn welts into my skin. Reaching my destination, I pull on the handle but it doesn’t budge. I risk a glance back at the store, but no one is coming after me. I pull again, still locked.
“Fuck,” I growl, moving to the other side of the limo, but I find that side locked as well.
“There she is!” a voice calls, and I just know it’s for me. So I begin beating on the limo’s windows, screaming for them to let me in. But no one does. Once again, I’ve been abandoned. Seems even the criminals don’t want what I can offer. Motherfuckers.
Not wanting to end up in jail, I take off, the heels digging into my blisters while the jewelry feels like lead weights on my body.
Sirens sound in the distance as I dive between buildings, cursing the blasted red dress and the attention it causes. I hide behind a stinky green garbage canister and wait.
Then I hear it…
A gun being cocked.
“Going somewhere?” a voice asks behind me, and I turn my head, catching the gaze of a mean-looking police officer before I hang my head in defeat.
Thinking fast, I come up with an excuse. “I was trying to get into my limo and—”
“Save it for the judge,” he interrupts, holstering his weapon before grabbing the handcuffs. I hold out my hands willingly and allow him to place me under arrest.
His grip on my upper arm is tighter than I feel is necessary, but I’m in no place to complain.
I’m a crook.
A criminal.
Amurderer.
The walk to the police car makes me feel like I’ve finally reached the end of the line.
There won’t be any call for me, and no one will help me with bail.
Though I’m not religious, I send a quick prayer up to my mom and dad, asking them to look after Mischief and Mitchel as the officer places his hand on the top of my head and assists me into the back of his police car.
My vision goes in and out of focus as I look out the window. The officer sits behind the wheel and radios something into his walkie-talkie, but I don’t really pay attention. The police car begins to move, and I see a limo out of my window. As we pass it, the back window rolls down, and inside is the blond man from the store, the one who smelled of masculinity and domination, the one who could charm the pants off of Hitler himself and sweet talk a crocodile into giving him all of his teeth.
Could he have been my mark? The one who requested this set of diamonds? I can’t be sure, but as we pass, he nods his head and winks.
Fucking winks.
My jaw gapes open as he rolls up his window, shutting himself from my view.
It feels like my fate has been sealed and my doom is encroaching.
I’ll fight with everything I have to get out of this, but it’s beginning to feel hopeless.
An overwhelming sense of defeat suffocates me as I envision the rest of my days behind bars.
I guess I can’t take care of myself after all.
