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Thirty Two
EVELYN
“Are you sure this is it?” I ask Kendra when we pull onto the abandoned street. It looks like a scene from a zombie apocalypse film. And if I wasn’t here to save the man I love, I’d be taking in all the photographic opportunities.
“What were you expecting? The place is getting a bulldozer run through it in a few days,” Kendra reminds me.
“That’s Raoul’s car,” I point to the black town car that’s parked up ahead, and quickly cut the engine, abandoning Kendra's car in the middle of the street and rushing toward it.
“Wait.” Kendra charges after me and drags me back.
“We have to be more careful,” she whispers, and I search around us for any signs of us being watched, before steadily continuing toward the car. The windows are blacked out so I have no way of seeing inside them and when I open the driver's door, Kendra quickly catches the scream I make with her hand when the driver slumps out onto my feet. The interior is splattered with blood and I kick my legs frantically to roll him off me as I clutch hold of Kendra's t-shirt.
“Come on.” She takes my hand and quickly leads me away from the body.
“It will take us all day to search through these buildings, and what if someone’s watching us?” I suddenly feel helpless.
“We’ll start with this one,” she gestures her head toward the restaurant. “They could have parked up anywhere on this street, it’s empty,” she points out, and I nod at her valid point and let her lead me toward the door. The front door doesn’t open when she tries it, and before I can even think about getting us inside, she quickly drags me down the side alley to look for a back door.
“I don’t like this, I’m scared.” I grip her hand in mine, and she uses her free hand to pull the gun from the waist of her jeans, holding it up between us and reassuring me.
“Go,” she nods her head toward the door.
“Why do I have to go first? You're the one with the gun,” I whisper-yell at her.
“Because I’m the one covering.” She lowers the weapon and rolls her eyes at me. “Christ, Evvy, do you not watch any cop shows?”
“Okay.” I take a deep breath and squeeze her hand tighter as I slowly push open the door.
I gag on the stench of rotting food as soon as I step inside, it's so dark I can barely see anything.
“I can’t find a light switch,” Kendra whispers from behind me, and I hold my hand out in front of me, feeling around as I continue to step forward. I can make out a set of double doors at the back of the room, which I assume lead out to the restaurant area, and after mustering together a little more courage, I step through them.
I gasp and my stomach hurtles into my throat when I see Raoul in front of me, his wrists hanging from chains that are wrapped around a beam above his head. He’s been stripped of his shirt and his body is covered in blood-weeping welts. His head is hung forward and his body sagged, and for a heart-stopping few seconds, I think we're too late. I say his name and slowly he lifts up his head, his eyes growing wild with panic when he sees me.
“Run,” he croaks, but I ignore him. And as I charge toward him, I’m suddenly forced back by an arm that wraps around my neck, and I freeze when I feel cold metal pressed against my temple.
“Stay where you are,” Kendra’s voice hisses inside my ear, draining all the heat from my blood and making my body shiver.
“You took your time.” Fabian appears from the other side of the room and stands in front of us, smirking at my best friend.
I must be in shock, this can’t be happening. Kendra would never betray me.
“Had to be convincing,” she says, throwing me at Fabian, and moving toward Raoul. Fabian takes a firm hold of me, forcing my hands to meet behind my back and turning me to watch as my best friend looks over Raoul’s broken body.
“Look at him, he’s pathetic,” she laughs, placing the side of the gun against his chest and sliding it over his body. Raoul keeps his eyes on Fabian, penetrating anger instead of fear.
“You have terrible taste in men, Evelyn,” Kendra looks over her shoulder at me, before bringing the gun back up his body and holding it under his chin.
“Do you think your precious girlfriend would like me to blow your brains all over this ceiling?” she asks him sweetly. “I could finish you right now,” her voice lowers into a whisper. And Raoul refuses to respond to her.
“Don’t, please,” I beg, struggling against Fabian’s hold.
“First, I want you to watch the look on her face when she finds out who you really are,” Kendra ignores me and speaks directly to Raoul.
“What the fuck are you talking about, you psychotic bitch?” He looks back at her like she's lost the plot.
“You weren’t calling me that when I was choking on your cock… Sir.” The way she flutters her lashes at him and suddenly turns her voice seductive has Raoul’s eyes widening.
