Chapter 3.4
July 10th 1993 (Three Weeks Later)
Looking through the window of the sedan and over the horizon to her left, Rita Hernandez watched on as the rain clouds gathered, crossing the surrounding fields at an astonishing rate. Wind battered the side of the car as it sped along, the chassis rocking under the force of the gale as spots of rain began to steadily hit the glass, the weather warning emitted from the radio as a crash of thunder shook the heavens, a solitary crackle of lightning arcing through the bleak July afternoon. Turning her attention back towards the road, Rita couldn't help but think, her mind repeatedly recalling the events of the morning as she arrived at work to a pleasant surprise. That is if there was such a thing these days, the post-it note stuck to the inside of Rita's desk drawer asking her to call Forensics at once, her hands shaking in anticipation as she proceeded to grab the receiver and dial.
"Forensics..." The familiar voice piped up as the line came alive.
"It's me..." Rita whispered, taking a look around as the office buzzed with activity.
"About time." Will laughed. "Not one for early starts huh?"
"Traffic." Rita responded without thinking. "Never a good start to the day."
"Well I've a feeling your day could be about to get a little bit better." Will's voice quietened slightly as he spoke, the hairs on the back of Rita's neck beginning to stand as one.
"You have it?" She asked.
"I have... 'something'." Will hesitated.
"'Something'?" Rita asked confused. "I don't understand... Either you have something or not."
The line fell dead, the silence seeming to stretch on for much longer than the few seconds it actually did.
"It's better you just come down here." Will sighed. "Easier too."
Lifting her left arm and tilting her head, Rita took a glance at her wrist watch.
"Give me half an hour." She snapped, already standing as she dropped the phone back in the cradle, grabbing her bag and shoving Tiffany's file inside.
The journey two blocks east usually took around twenty minutes. Today it took ten, the mid morning crowd bringing the streets to a standstill as civilians littered the streets and went about their days, oblivious to the panic now causing Rita to gallop along, her mind racing every bit as fast as her heart as she zipped through the throngs of people, ducking, squeezing and generally fitting through whatever gaps presented themselves. As she neared the six storey, red brick building that housed Chicago Police Departments highly skilled forensics team, Rita slowed to a quick walk, climbing the handful of steps and thundering through the revolving door, finding herself in the buildings reception area as she headed to the elevator and pressed the 'call' button. Minutes later, as she found herself, stalking the empty corridors of the third floor, Rita took a glance around as she came to a stop and pressed the buzzer to the security door, the voice crackling from within as she identified herself at once and heard the low buzz, the heavy 'click' of the lock sliding open and the door swinging slowly ajar, beckoning her in as she took another look across the corridor and disappeared inside, turning to close the door before heading into the lab.
"Jesus." Will yelled from across the lab, surprised as he turned to look at the clock on the wall, his coffee steaming from the cup held firmly in his hand. He was a handsome man, no doubt, but not Rita's type. She'd always found herself drawn to the more rugged, macho guys. Not that Will wasn't toned, but rugged and macho definitely not. His clean shaven face, the crisp white lab coat, black, shoulder length hair well groomed and held impeccably in place. Standing at around six feet tall, Rita thought of him more as gangly than tall, noticing the softness of his hands as he reached out and pulled her in, squeezing the life from her as he hugged her tight. "Good to see the desk job hasn't slowed you down."
"No shit." Rita struggled for breath as Will continued to squeeze. "You mind easing off a little?"
"Sorry." Will relinquished his grip, allowing Rita to take a step backwards.
"So..." Rita looked around the lab, the plethora of microscopes, filing cabinets and computer systems littering every conceivable workspace as a constant hum echoed, resonated around the spacious, yet incredibly vacant area. "You have 'something'?"
"Just this." Will turned, placing his coffee upon the surface of the table as he reached for a file. Grabbing the thin green folder, he turned back to Rita and handed her the paperwork, Rita gently taking it from his outstretched hand. Eyes hovering over the cover of the file Rita's brain worked overtime as she read the name gracing the front.
'Marsh, Harry J. – Deceased
09-18-1990'
"What exactly did we find?" Rita asked as she opened the file, the lack of paperwork making her heart sink as she flicked through the few pages at now at her disposal.
"Besides the missing evidence from that 'Killer Doll Case'? Not much." Will said as he exhaled deeply.
"Nothing?" Rita asked in shock. "Then what the hell did you call me down here for?"
"Well we did find something. But it led to nothing." Will smirked as he reached out, taking the file from Rita and flicking to the back of the papers, removing a thin, clear strip. A fine, powder-like dust covered the plastic strip, as Will held it up to the light and narrowed his eyes.
"Prints?" Rita asked in bewilderment.
"Prints!" Will smiled as he passed them to her, the dust staining Rita's fingers immediately.
"Where from?" Rita enquired as she turned the strip of finger prints over in her hand.
"Passenger side door handle." Will calmly answered as he held up a second slide, handing it to Rita slowly.
"And these?" Rita asked, studying the second slide of prints as she took them and handed the previous slide back to Will.
"Driver side window." Will answered. "We figured these belonged to the killer."
"How so?" Rita looked at him.
"Well..." Will started as he turned back to the file, now open on the desk as he pulled it towards them, the crime scene photographs now on view. Black and white shots of Officer Marsh's squad car now visible. Interior, exterior and surrounding area, shots of Marsh slumped forward, head buried deep in the centre of the steering wheel, his body beginning to bruise as blood congealed across his shirt and lap. "We figured the ones from the window belonged to the killer. The angle and trajectory of the cuts across Marsh's throat and hands indicate the attack coming from outside the car. Now, the prints from the window match the ones we found on the passenger door. Unfortunately that's where we hit a brick wall."
"Jesus." Rita whispered as she took in the images before her eyes, the graphic scenes making for uncomfortable viewing. "What do you mean you hit a brick wall?"
"No match... The prints weren't on the database." Will took a gulp of his coffee. "However... I have a feeling you're about to solve that problem."
"Maybe." Rita suddenly pulled the file from her bag, the name across the front visible to Will as he looked on in interest, taking the file as Rita thrust it towards him.
'Valentine, Tiffany.'
"Friend of yours?" Will asked, opening the file.
"Not especially." Rita replied, distracted as she zipped her bag closed. "Probation case. Seems to know more than she should about this whole incident. Alarm bells started ringing from day one."
"I'm assuming you have her prints somewhere?" Will spun his head towards Rita as his hands manically worked through the papers.
"They should be in there." Rita craned her head over, perplexed, panic in her voice.
"Nothing here. Maybe you dropped them on the way over or something?" Will tried to reason.
"That's impossible! Unless..." Rita spat, her tone coated in frustration. "That little bitch! She's taken them... She must have."
"Maybe... But when?" Will asked.
"I don't know." Rita closed her eyes, thinking, attempting to remember a solitary moment Tiffany could have pounced. Suddenly it hit her, sending her reeling as she remembered that first time they had met. The diner as Tiffany accidentally dropped the first clue, the following drive up to Mount Carroll as Tiffany claimed to be tired, sleeping on the rear seat of Rita's sedan as her file lay just inches away. "The drive out to Mrs Appleby's!"
"Say that again?" Will seemed confused. "Who the hell's Mrs Appleby?"
"That doesn't matter." Rita shook her head and closed her eyes, deep in thought. "She said she needed a rest. I let her catch some sleep in the back of the car. I never thought. Her file was right there!"
"So she took them?" Will asked, seeking clarification.
"She must have done." Rita took a deep breath.
"You think she's on to you?" Will pushed as he closed Tiffany's file, handing it back. Rita shook her head once more, the cogs within her head still turning.
"No..." Rita answered. "I think she realised she fucked up in the diner. She realised that and took the prints to try and cover her tracks."
"You sure of that?" Will grimaced. "Because I just read her file, and if you're right about her being behind this whole Marsh thing then you really don't need to be walking into a situation where you're alone with her."
"She'd have made a break for it by now." Rita tried to assure Will as she spoke, her voice calm and poised.
"Well let's just hope you're right." His reply was more of concern than anything, turning and picking up the Marsh file.
"Nothing else on Marsh?" Rita asked as she bit her finger nail.
"Well there's just one thing bothering me..." He sighed as he flicked through the papers.
"Which is?"
"Where does this 'Killer Doll' case fit in to this whole thing?" Will asked. "He had evidence right there in the car."
"I don't know..." Rita pondered. "I really don't know..."
The rumbling feeling grew louder as Rita was pulled from her reminiscing, the pickup truck shooting past as the articulated lorry drew closer. Cutting across the front of Rita's sedan, a split second from impact with the monstrous vehicle, the pickup swerved, almost catching the front fender as Rita stomped on the brake pedal, the car screeching as the wheels locked up. Jamming the flat of her hand into the centre of the steering wheel, the horn blared from under the hood as the pickup hit the throttle and roared away, a cloud of dust from the shoulder of the interstate now clouding the view as Rita began to curse, a mixture of English and Spanish directed at the pickup truck. Looking up as the dust began to settle, Rita noticed the sign for Mount Carroll and began to think about her plan in finer detail.
She knew what she had to do.
"Rita." Mrs Appleby stood from her seat behind the cash register, a smile lighting up her face as she slowly shuffled towards her visitor.
"Hey Mrs Appleby." She beamed, taking a second to look for Tiffany, no sign as the store seemed deserted.
"I wasn't expecting you my dear." The old woman crowed, clapping her hands together and holding them across her waist.
"I know." Rita laughed. "I'm out this way on a personal errand. Just thought it easier to call in now, rather than trek out here later in the week."
"I see, I see." Mrs Appleby turned, shuffling back towards the counter, the office door waiting beyond. "Come into the office, I'll get Tiffany to make us a nice drink. You'll have a drink won't you?"
"Sure." Rita replied as she followed, taking another look for her suspect. "Tea, if that's alright."
"My dear girl you read my mind." Mrs Appleby turned her head and grinned, reaching the office door and twisting the knob, her voice suddenly ringing out across the vacant store. "TIFFANY!"
Silence...
"That girl." Appleby laughed. "Such an angel. She's most probably out in the barn."
"The barn?" Rita queried, puzzled.
"We got my Gerald's car going." The old girl beamed as she sat, inviting Rita to do the same as she placed her elbows across the top of the heavy wooden desk beneath her, causing Rita to flinch as she placed her bag beside her feet, Appleby's voice once more thundering through the air. "TIFFANY!"
Suddenly the door swung open, Tiffany appearing in the doorway. Dressed in a pair of overalls, hay sticking from her hair and dirt smeared across her face, she wiped her hands on a rag and spoke without looking up, oblivious to any company Mrs Appleby may have.
"I heard you for fucks sake!" The reply was sharp, a look of horror immediately rippling across her face as she looked up and cast her eyes toward Rita.
"We'll have less of your cheek young lady." Mrs Appleby intervened, breaking the silence. "Two cups of tea, but wash your hands first. Then when you've done that you can start stocking the wines and spirits like I asked you to do yesterday."
Without saying a word, Tiffany nodded, sheepishly turning on the spot and bolting from the office as she headed toward the house.
"She always speaks to you like that?" Rita asked, stunned but not surprised.
"Oh, we give and take." Mrs Appleby laughed. "I think it's just her way. She doesn't mean anything by it."
"Well I would hope not." Rita leaned back in the chair. "If she's any trouble I could always look at moving her on. Putting her with a different sponsor..."
"No!" Mrs Appleby bolted forward in her chair, an intensity to her tone suddenly giving way as she placed the palms of her hands across the desk and smiled sweetly. "That won't be necessary my dear. We're getting on like a house on fire. Seriously."
"If you're sure." Rita raised her eyebrows. "All you have to do is say."
"No, no." Mrs Appleby reassured her. "Like I say, we get on tremendously well. It's just her way. You can take the girl out of the city..."
"But you can't take the city out of the girl right?" Rita finished as Mrs Appleby began to laugh.
"Indeed my child, indeed."
Before they knew it, Tiffany had returned, a tray carrying two cups, a teapot and a plate of biscuits as she entered the office and laid the tray across the desk, giving Rita an embarrassed smile as she did so.
"How you doing Tiffany?" Rita asked, smiling through the hatred, obviously convincing as Tiffany answered in a cheerful tone.
"I'm doing well. You?"
"Oh I'm okay." Rita replied. "You look like you've been busy."
"Oh this?" Tiffany pointed to her hair, swept back in a ponytail, straw and cobwebs decorating her blonde locks. "Well apparently my duties now include clearing all the old crap out of Mrs Appleby's barn."
"Well, you are here to help." Rita laughed.
"Tell me about it." Tiffany snapped.
"Have you done the wines and spirits yet?" Mrs Appleby interrupted.
"No... I haven't had chance to..." Tiffany began, Mrs Appleby stopping her abruptly a she poured Rita a cup of tea, the steam escaping the cup and twirling into the air, highlighted as the sun streamed through the window of the office.
"Then what are you doing standing here gossiping? Come on, get to work."
"Fine." Tiffany responded through gritted teeth as she turned, slamming the office door closed behind her as she left, Mrs Appleby's words inspiring Rita, as an idea formed in her head.
Twenty minutes later the door to the office slowly opened, the voices from within growing in volume as the two women rose from their seats and emerged into the empty store, Tiffany the only presence as she knelt behind the counter and stacked the shelves with the aforementioned bottles of wine. Saying her goodbyes to the elderly Mrs Appleby and excusing her as she headed to the restroom, Rita approached the counter and leaned over, coughing quietly as Tiffany turned to face her from her position below.
"Hey." Tiffany smiled.
"How you doing?" Rita asked, not really caring for an answer, but trying her best to quash any ill feeling, reduce the chance of Tiffany freaking out.
"I'm good." Tiff answered. "I can't really complain. Mrs Appleby works me morning noon and night, but on the other hand she's one hell of a cook."
"I can imagine." Rita laughed as she ran her eyes over the assortment of wine, two of the bottles held firmly in Tiffany's fists. "What you got there?"
"I have no idea." Tiffany shook her head. "I don't get this 'merlot' and 'shiraz' thing. I always thought there were only two kinds of wine. Red and white..."
"Don't forget rose." Rita added.
"See what I mean?" Tiffany smiled.
"What's that you have in your hand? Is that a merlot?" Rita asked, opening her bag and fishing out a twenty dollar bill. "I'll take one of those."
Standing and placing the bottle of wine on the counter, Tiffany thought for a second before running her fingers across the cash register and punching in the numbers.
"That'll be $17." She smiled as the cash register flew open, the change inside rattling as it did so.
"Wow." Rita handed her the twenty dollar bill. "That's an expensive bottle of wine."
"You should try the cigarettes." Tiffany laughed as she took the money and dug around the tray of the cash register for Rita's change.
"It's okay." Rita motioned, closing her handbag. "Keep the change."
"You sure?" Tiffany asked.
"Yeah. Call it a bonus." Rita grinned. "Do you have a bag?"
"Yeah." Tiffany said, reaching beneath the counter and pulling out a plastic bag. Rita looked on as Tiffany proceeded to handle the merlot, her fingers working their way over the glass as she lifted the bottle and placed it in the plastic bag, handing it to Rita with a wide smile.
"Thanks Tiffany." Rita said as she grabbed the plastic bag and turned to leave the store. "I'll see you soon."
"No worries." Tiff replied, calling after Rita as she left the store. "Enjoy the wine."
"I'm sure I will." Rita muttered under breath as she left the store and headed across the dusty parking lot, reaching her car at a canter.
"I'm sure I will..."
Traffic had been quiet as Rita headed along the interstate, suddenly building as she entered the city, lines of traffic snaking through the road works as Rita cursed every set of lights. Why was it that the more important the task at hand, the more delays and interruptions she seemed to experience? The thought repeating in her head as she eventually pulled into the underground parking lot of the Chicago Police Department, manoeuvring into a parking bay and applying the handbrake, killing the engine quickly as she grabbed the files and bottle of wine from her front passenger seat. Locking the car and heading across the parking lot, Rita's quick walk turned into a steady jog as she reached the elevator and hit the switch, waiting as the numbers above the door ticked down, the doors eventually sliding silently open as Rita stepped inside and pressed the button for the third floor. Anxiously, Rita exited the elevator and instantly noticed the amount of people strolling the corridor, busier than her previous visit as she reached the door and pressed the switch, the intercom crackling into life once more.
"Yeah?" Will's voice came through, the static almost rendering him inaudible.
"It's me." Rita replied.
"I might have guessed." The sarcasm seemed to ooze through the speaker as it crackled wildly. "Come on in."
The low buzz seemed to vibrate through the floor as the door unlocked, Rita letting herself in and removing her jacket immediately, crossing the floor of the lab and throwing her bag over the back of a chair. Pulling up a seat, Rita placed the plastic bag upon the work surface, the bottle of wine inside resting beside one of the many microscopes as Will approached from behind.
"What you got here?" He asked, peeling the plastic bag down the outside of the bottle. "Wine?"
"Don't touch that." Rita threw her hand up.
"It's warm." Will realised, the lack of condensation giving the game away.
"That's right." Rita smiled, snatching the Marsh file from Will's hand and laying it beside the microscope. "Condensation would wash the prints away."
"You're kidding right?" He laughed. "You got her prints? On this?"
"Straight up." Rita replied, opening a drawer by her side and digging around, finally pulling her hand free, the finger print kit clenched tightly in her hand. "Doesn't suspect a fucking thing either."
Slowly opening the tin, the lid popping free and emitting a cloud of silver dust, Rita laid the open tin on the desk and grabbed the brush, turning to the bottle of merlot and spinning the head up and down the glass before her, Will taking a step back as dust clouded the area.
"You do know that'll be inadmissible right?" He asked, crossing his arms.
"Maybe." Rita muttered, her mind focusing on the bottle of wine as slowly but surely a pattern began to emerge, the bottle of wine displaying finger prints by the dozen as the dust settled.
"Jesus." Will leaned over, withdrawing a clear plastic strip from thin air as he gently placed it over a print, pressing firmly before lifting the strip from the surface of the glass and admiring the image before him.
"What you think?" Rita asked, jumping from her chair as Will slid the strip between the clips gracing the microscopes stage, placing his eye over the lens and taking in the detail.
"I'm not sure." Will studied. "Friction ridge impression is similar, that's for sure. If you look, you'll notice the width of the print, the sudden arch impression. We call that a tented arch."
"I see." Rita took a look through the lens. "So what does this mean?"
"Well we're looking at a thumb print, that's for sure, you can tell by the width." Will started. "Now the arch on this thumb print is incredibly similar to the arch on the strip from the Marsh case."
"So we have a match?" Rita asked, anxious as Will returned his eye to the lens and perused for a few seconds more, swapping for the strip of prints from the Marsh case.
"In my opinion?" Will turned to Rita. "Yes."
"I fucking knew it." Rita gasped, her face lighting up.
"But a word of warning." Will started. "It's not absolute proof. We'd need time for that, time we don't have, especially as this evidence wouldn't hold up in court."
"How do you mean?" Rita seemed astonished.
"Well you weren't entirely up front with this girl." Will answered. "Any defence in the country would argue that this evidence would be inadmissible, illegally obtained."
"So what can we do?" Rita asked, the sudden realisation that her hard work could be snuffed out so bluntly hitting home.
"Personally?" Will turned to her. "I'd suggest letting Homicide take it from here. Tell them what you know, what you're found out and let them get to work on it."
"What?" Rita spat, disgusted at the thought. "No! Homicide hasn't been reliable since Norris left. All they'd do is go stampeding in. Blow everything in an instant."
"Come on Rita, they're not that bad." Will tried to reason.
"No. If this isn't enough then we get more." Rita begged, her voice breaking as she spoke, Will sitting in silence as he tried to sympathise with his friend.
"How do we do that?" He asked.
"I don't know." Rita replied. "We dig deeper."
As a silence fell over the room, Rita allowed her mind to wander, all the while thinking to herself, knowing, there must be something. Whether it was something they'd missed, something they'd yet to uncover, she didn't know. But there was something, all at once her mind sparking into life as she turned and asked Will a question.
"Why didn't this flash up three years ago?" She asked.
"Excuse me?" Will seemed confused.
"Marsh was murdered on the eighteenth right? Valentine arrested on the twentieth? Why didn't they pick her prints up as being the same as the ones on the Marsh file?"
"This was 1990 right?" Will snatched the file from the desk and double checking as his eyes raced over the details. "September too."
"What's that to do with anything?" Rita asked, staggered.
"If I remember right, that was the time the new system was integrated." Will guessed as he placed the files back. "Old stuff transferred over, new stuff went straight into the new system. My guess would be that the two cases overlapped, the system missed it and nobody became any wiser."
"You're kidding." Rita closed her eyes and took a deep breath, unable to believe it.
"That'd be my verdict." Will smiled uneasily. "I said at the time this would happen. Inevitable that things like this would be missed, god only knows what else slipped through the net back then, the integration took over a week for the I.T team to handle."
Shaking her head, Rita exhaled deeply and blinked her eyes, the exhaustion of the investigation finally beginning to take its toll as she felt an invisible barrier once more blocking her way, the incredible good fortune of Tiffany Valentine again rearing its ugly head as the path before her became littered with blind chances and pure luck. As she sat, tired, deflated and unable to raise her energy for yet another round, a thought ignited in Rita's head. Nothing much, but worth looking into at the very least as she looked up and hissed in Will's direction, the gangly frame before her spinning at the sound of anxiety in her voice.
"I know what to do." She smiled, nodding as the thought rattled around her head.
"You do?" Will asked, raising an eyebrow, sensing his workload suddenly multiply tenfold.
"You said the system could have missed anything around that time right?" Rita asked, hurriedly, a panic filling her voice."
"Well..." Will started. "I guess it could have..."
"So we run a check on unsolved murder in the Chicago area." Rita's eyes flickered with enthusiasm as she sprang forward, palms thrust towards Will in a calming motion, instinct predicting his reaction.
"What?" He asked in astonishment. "Are you crazy?"
"Only for the time between Marsh's murder and Valentine's arrest." Rita reasoned with him. "I'm telling you, there has to be something."
"You want me to do a search for unsolved murders, in Chicago, between the eighteenth and twentieth of September?" Will shook his head in disbelief, leaning back and resting against the desk behind him. "That would take weeks!"
"Not all of Chicago." Rita bit her nail, eyes wandering as she thought. "Within a twenty five mile radius of Marsh's murder."
"Interesting." Will narrowed his eyes and allowed the idea to settle. "Although you do realise how busy we are down here right?"
"I know, I know." Rita nodded. "There's something else too."
"Fuck me Rita!" Will laughed.
"Seriously, it's something I can't get my head around." Rita spoke, a confused look appearing as she did.
"That 'Killer Doll' evidence right?" Will guessed correctly, Rita nodding as he answered her.
"What the hell was he doing with it?" She asked. "Why Marsh? How does it all tie in? It has to mean something."
"My thought entirely." Will's voice was quiet, a whisper as he too seemed deep in thought.
"You remember that case right?" Rita asked, remembering Tiffany, eyes fixed on the doll as she greeted her in the bus terminal for that very first time.
"You kidding?" Will asked bemused. "Who doesn't?"
"You remember the name of the guy?" Rita tilted her head, the name escaping her briefly.
"Which guy?" Will asked instantly.
"'The' guy." Rita snapped. "Supposedly behind it all."
"Charles Lee Ray?" Will came back even quicker, the name suddenly familiar. "Other known as the 'Lake Shore Strangler'?"
"That's it!" Rita beamed as the name suddenly rang numerous bells. "Look into that too!"
"You want his file?" Will asked.
"It can only help." Rita said grabbing her coat, throwing it over her shoulders and allowing her arms to slide down the length of the sleeves as she quickly adjusted her collar. "Just be careful. We don't want to go stirring interest in this."
"If anybody asks, I'll say you pulled a gun on me." Will laughed, watching Rita turn and flash a smile as she reached the door to the forensic laboratory, disappearing as she pressed the release switch and allowed the door to open. Standing alone in the lab, turning and taking in the mountain of paperwork sat in his inbox, Will allowed his eyes to fall to the files of Tiffany Valentine and Harry Marsh, the job ahead of him suddenly dawning as the responsibility loomed monstrously in the distance. As the name of Tiffany Valentine danced in the fluorescent light of Chicago Police Department's Forensics laboratory, Will took a deep breath and whispered to himself.
"Let's see what secrets you're hiding Miss Valentine."
Pulling into the dark parking lot of Appleby's Store, dust kicking up as the car abruptly slowed to manoeuvre down the side of the run down old building, the Chevrolet reached a crawl and flicked off the lights, the passengers hidden beneath the tinted windows of the waxed vehicle as the paintwork gleamed in the crystal clear moonlight. Slowly turning, the car swinging 180 degrees and coming to a standstill, the brake lights shone bright and illuminated the barn, the electric red casting all manner of shadows across the wooden structure as the barren land either side also became bathed in a glow of urgency. As the key in the ignition of the vehicle was twisted, the engine coughed and spluttered a slow and vibrant death, the racing yellow chassis vibrating under the strain as the interior light flickered into life and highlighted the two inhabitants of the cars cockpit.
"Here we are." Joe smiled, releasing his grip on the cars key as he allowed his arm to fall by his side, turning to Tiffany and allowing her beauty to soak in.
"So we are." Tiffany took a deep breath, her heart racing, the blood pulsing in her ears as she tried to relax, a million nerves screaming at her, berating her for betraying her heart, all the while another million attempting to reason with her brain, rationalise that she simply had to move on and examine the situation with logic.
"I had fun tonight." Joe whispered, his hand slowly grabbing Tiffany's thigh, her leg feeling firm under his touch as he began to massage, the nylon stocking feeling like heaven to his finger tips.
"Me too." Tiffany turned to him and smiled, her contrasting thoughts reverberating across her brain as she gently grabbed his hand, lifting it and placing it back on his own leg. "But you can have too much fun you know."
Joe's laugh was soft and playful as he held his hands in the air, palms facing Tiffany as he gestured surrender, his wide grin displaying a set of perfect white teeth.
"Hey," He started. "Can't blame a guy for trying huh?"
Digging through the remnants of Mrs Appleby's previous 'strays' had wielded a few valuable garments as Tiffany sought urgently for something, anything, to wear for tonight. The first time she had arranged to meet Joe in a more intimate environment and she could sense the icy atmosphere around the house since she decided to tell Mrs Appleby, the old woman repeatedly telling her it would go wrong, that he was a 'bad apple'. Nevertheless, Tiffany had called Mrs Appleby's bluff, taken Joe up on his offer of dinner and a movie, and now here they sat. The awkwardness of the situation had only set in as they arranged a time, decided which movie to see, Tiffany explaining the terms of her parole, that she simply must be back home before 9pm as Joe listened down the phone, no doubt wondering whether it was worth it. Now as, she pushed his hand away and listened to him joke about the fact, Tiffany was pleased she took him up on his offer, even to get out of the house for a few hours, the four walls of the house, store and barn driving Tiffany round the twist as she spent every waking hour catering to Mrs Appleby's every whim.
"I'm sorry we had to be back so early." Tiffany apologised, her voice floating through the air as her nostrils flared slightly. "But, you know..."
"Yeah, I know." Joe nodded, turning his attention to the rear view mirror, Mrs Appleby's house resting in the background as the silhouette of the old girl hung in the living room window, no doubt casting an eye over the two of them as they chatted, all manner of visions floating across the old bat's eyes. "Curfew right?"
Tiffany nodded, closing her eyes and sighing in embarrassment.
"We should do it again though?" She half stated, half asked, Joe turning back to her, his eyes leaving the mirror.
"I could come in if you want." He offered, gesturing with a flick of the head back towards the house, Tiffany instantly answering, cutting him off.
"No..." She replied. "I don't need to give her any more ammunition."
"I see."
"Well," Tiffany reached into the foot well of the Chevrolet, fishing out her bag. "Guess I'd better get inside. Thank you Joe."
"No problem." Joe said, leaning in, catching Tiffany unexpected as she turned from the crooked house behind them, straight into him as he placed his lips on hers, their eyes closing automatically as Tiffany felt the fireworks ignite in her stomach, the soft touch of skin upon skin, taking a second before pulling away and smiling, playfully wiping her lip.
"Good night Joe." She swung the car door open, her heels digging into the dirt as she left the vehicle, bending and flashing him a smile and a wink as she slammed the car door. Without saying a word, the engine fired into a life as the exhausts purred, Joe gently giving it a little gas as the car pulled away and back towards the street, passing down the side of Appleby's Store before turning left, the tail lights disappearing almost immediately as Tiffany turned and started climbing the steps towards the house.
Standing from behind the net curtain, Mrs Appleby watched on. The car sparking into life as Tiffany stood and watched, slowly pulling up to the street and out of sight as Tiffany headed up to the house. This wasn't the way it was supposed to be, Mrs Appleby's face stern and unmoving as she reached to her left and grabbed the switch of the lamp, pulling it sharply and plunging the lounge into darkness. This Joe thing had put a spanner in the works alright, but all she could do was hope it ran its course, fizzled out in time, all the while Mrs Appleby would sit and wait, picking her moment with ultimate precision, as she gently put her plan into action.
Tiffany had been brought here to do a job.
Whether she liked it or not.