Chapter five

Beauty and ammo…

Elizabeth kept starting at her alarm clock, the light green numbers, with the glow over the room. It was eight thirty nine; her eyes kept watching the flashing, her hand reached into her hair feeling the resistance. Rolling on her back her eyes glanced over the ceiling of her bedroom; her room hadn't changed since high school. Her same posters, the same smiling faces of photos of school trips, parties and everything she did with friends.

Sitting up, Elizabeth glanced to the window, the blind down. She pushed the quilt off, getting out of the bed; she glanced to the place she laid, her hands brushed over her face, pushing herself to stand up. Grabbing her bathrobe, her hand rubbed her eyes.

Heading to the bathroom, she locked herself in, getting out of her nightclothes before standing under the shower.

The fact it had been three weeks since the case, she kept looking over herself in the mirror, her eyes staring back, studying her appearance, she was worn out. Without college work and parties to distract her, she felt lost. Her hand brushed over the mirror cabinet making her reflection clearer, she opening it up, looking to the little clear brown bottle, she opened it, dropping a pill onto her hand before knocking it back, leaning into the sink taking a sip of water, closing the cabinet walking into her room to get ready for the day.

"Morning," Elizabeth put on a smile while looking over Julianne, "looking good!" her tone sassy, her she quickly walked over to the cupboard taking out some chocolate pop tarts, "what's the occasion?"

Julianne snapped from the morning paper, her eyes scanning over Elizabeth for a few seconds shocked. "Grandma's birthday party…" her voice trailed off, "you do know Dad is going to be here in an hour?"

"Fuck!" Elizabeth jumped with the toaster, "Shit!" turning picking out the hot food, she placed them on the side, "Why didn't you remind me?" Her eyes going to her old yoga bottoms, an oversized T-shirt that had holes in, she kept looking around the kitchen.

Julianne sighed, "I reminded you every day, for the passed week," She now lifted up her coffee up taking a long sip, "why you think mom isn't here," she pointed out, she didn't like that their parents couldn't be a room together for five minutes, without pulling out the boxing gloves.

Elizabeth kept staring at Julianne, "That's today!" Her hands going into her hair, it was still damp and ratty. "I gotta go get dressed, ready, Ahh!" she quickly rushed out of the kitchen.

Julianne shook her head; she couldn't say she was surprised. She expected this much from her sister. "Well, it's a good thing Dad's going to be running late…"

Elizabeth looked around her room; she pulled her closet apart for something, anything that could be passable for a family occasion. For a few seconds, she watched the alarm clock, ten past ten.

Finally finding a black skirt, it wasn't mini, but it didn't go passed her knees, the pink tank top to make the look complete, finally looking through her massive collection of shoes, boots and tennis shoes, she found the right pair to look cute. Pink heels with a back bow on the front, she quickly changed.

Walking back into the kitchen hair pulled up into a neat ponytail, make up simple, Elizabeth see her pop tarts now cold, but she picked one up taking a bite, "You ready?"

Julianne walked into the kitchen, her hair in it's normal bun, a deep maroon scarf, her long sleeve top in brown, with a black vest over the top, her black plated skirt with thick leggings. Finish off with a pair of knee high boots, "yeah, are you bringing a camera?" she glanced into her own purse, glancing over to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth polishing off her pop tart, brushing her hands together, "Yeah, nothing like Grandma blowing her candles out, spitting her false teeth onto the cake." Her eyes kept still, "I'll get my bag, Dad here yet?" Elizabeth moved her wrist to glance over her Hallo Kitty watch.

He's text me, he's going to be another minute or so," Julianne smiled, she'd not seen her father for the past two months, she loved spending time with him.

The fact was that when her mother was expecting Elizabeth, she suffered from pelvic joint pain, so didn't move around as much. So since she couldn't move around easy, Julianne spent a lot more time with her father. She sometimes wished her parents didn't spit, but neither of them remarried, so Julianne was happy with that notion.

"Cool," Elizabeth rushed to the stairs as the door bell rung, "you gonna get that?" Her voice echoed through the halls.

Julianne opened the door, "Dad," she broke into a grin, her arms reached out. Her eyes closed feeling her father's arms around her, taking the time to enjoy the moment.

A flash, Elizabeth laughed, "now that is a moment," She quickly closed the gap, "Hey Dad." She rushed to his side holding him.

"How are my favourite girls?" Jim smiled looking from Julianne to Elizabeth, "Hope you're keeping out of trouble," his eyes kept focused on the youngest.

"You know me," Elizabeth still holding her camera, "Taking my year out," feeling Julianne staring. "How have you been?"

"Oh, you know, same old, same old." Jim glanced around the hall, "you two ready to make a move?"

Julianne nodded, "I'll just grab my coat, purse," She quickly bounced down the hall to the living room. She was looking forward to today,

"How has she been?" Jim asked Elizabeth quietly while Julianne was gone; he kept looking carefully down the hall, his eyes focused on photos of the girls.

Elizabeth watched where her father was looking, slowly her eyes focused on his again, "It depends," she started, "Good days, are good, I mean, I got her to take me to the park." Her voice cheerful, "but then, bad days it's hard to get her from the basement…"

"But," Jim exhaled, "Is she getting better?" For the fact Jim cared about his daughters, he knew Julianne had so many issues.

Elizabeth shrugged, the sound of Julianne's boots walking across hardwood flooring, "Hey what did I miss?" Julianne asked, her smile still bright. For a second she kept still.

"Nope, just telling Dad about boring school," Elizabeth turned to Julianne, "but come on, birthday!" she waved her hands quickly.

Line here

"Yes aunty Gracie," Julianne smiled, it was all she could do, her aunt always asking questions about her mental health. First she didn't mind the questions, but now it seemed to happen too often. "I am doing great," her eyes searching, "I have to go talk to Lizzie."

Elizabeth standing by the food table, she picked up a breadstick tapping it against her hand. "Hey," Elizabeth placed the breadstick back. "Please tell me there was a call!"

"No, Aunt Grace," Her voice smooth, "asking me if I'm 'okay' like always," her eyes were carefully glancing behind her. "I love her, but she needs to back off a little."

"Yeah," Elizabeth glanced to the table, "but is there anything we can do, cos now I am bored…" she looked to everyone in the back yard, "I mean, Dad bailed on us!"

"He didn't bail."

"Jules, he left, he got a call, and he rushed off and left." Elizabeth kept looking, "I am thinking, we sneak out, maybe rent some movies, popcorn." Her eyes going big, "please…"

Julianne inhaled, "Okay," now reaching into her bag taking out a cell phone, "but it's not a horror movie!" she pointed out before dialling.

Line here

"So, if you could be any movie couple?" Elizabeth lying out on the sofa, the late afternoon, her hand was reaching into popcorn in a bowl, on her stomach. She'd changed back into her grey yoga pants and baggy white T-shirt, her long hair in pigtails.

Julianne in sweatpants and an oversize sweater, her eyes focused on Elizabeth, "I don't know," she now reached up to the bowl taking some popcorn, "I never really thought about it," she looked to her sister, the only light in the room was the TV. "I've never been lucky with guys." Finding a small window of opportunity, "How about you, what movie couple you'll be?"

"I don't do couple," Elizabeth moved the bowl, sitting up. Her eyes focused on Julianne at the other end of the Sofa, her voice dropped, "I mean, right now, I just don't feel like settling."

"Right," Julianne now glanced to her phone, for the first time, she was happy, relaxed even. "So, what is the next movie?"

"Mean girls," Elizabeth rolled off the sofa, so careful not to knock the bowl over, she rushed to the TV, the pile of DVDs next to it, she spun around, "you know, this is the longest we've spent together, in a long time."

"I know," Julianne now brushed her hand through her hair; she pulled her knees up to meet her chest.

Elizabeth nodded putting the DVD in, rushing to the sofa; she jumped on hugging her sister closer to her. The two girls held onto each other.

Line Here

Staring at the same alarm clock, Elizabeth kept staring, it was Monday morning. She reached a hand out pushing the alarm clock away. Rolling on her stomach pushing her face into the pillow, her phone started to vibrate across the nightstand, she reached over, glanced over the screen to see a Text message. Liz, we've got another case! Julianne's number, so Elizabeth slowly rolled on her side, glanced to the time. It was seven ten, carefully getting from the bed, she walked to the bathroom.

Taking her time to find something to wear, picking out a denim mini skirt, three quarter length leggings in bright green with a green tank top to match with a ribcage design with a heart in it. Pulling on her black scuffed converses, finally brushing her hair putting a green Alice band in making her way down the stairs.

"We've gotta quickly clothes shop first." Julianne said passing Elizabeth a travel mug, her eyes looking over Elizabeth, "You need to borrow some of my concealer?"

"What?" Elizabeth felt confused in the moment.

Julianne quickly showed Elizabeth her reflection, "Darkness."

"Crap," Elizabeth didn't really focus on her face before now, "I can deal later," she pushed her sister to the front door, "Clothes shopping?"

Julianne getting to the driver side of her car, "The cons, the need civilian clothes," she unlocked the car, watching Elizabeth getting into the car first.

"Well, it's why I am having to do it," Julianne pulled her seatbelt on, putting the key into the ignition.

Elizabeth putting her own seatbelt on, her eyes looking forward, "well if you're the one dressing them, I think I'll take over." Now plugging her ipod on, "cos you dress Lloyd to look like a super creeper."

"Creeper?" Julianne side glanced to Elizabeth, "I," she stopped talking, "Never mind," now pulling out of the drive, she listened to the start of Music to make the rest of the drive silent, well silent from conversation.

Line here

Lloyd glanced to the office, on one desk Elizabeth was doing research, another desk, Julianne was talking to Ray, he slowly moved to Elizabeth's desk, his hand touching the spot close to hers, "So, who are we dealing with this time?" He noticed Charlie was in his office; it seemed who ever he was talking to, he didn't want anyone in here to hear.

Elizabeth moved her hand slowly away, "Gretchen Morgan," Her voice cool, "record as clean as my last STI test…" she paused, "I didn't just say that out loud?" her eyes slowly looked to the expression on Lloyd's face.

"Yes," he kept still, "But," he stopped talking, he kneeled to be in face level with the laptop screen, his eyes focused on the woman. "She's…"

"Hot? Sexy? Totally bang worthy?" Elizabeth's eyes slowly met the side of Lloyd's face close to her own.

Lloyd kept focused on the screen, "Not what I was thinking," catching Elizabeth's face in a side glance, "I need this woman's medical file, anything, I," he kept serious, "he glanced down to his self, "also, I think I'm going to get out of these prison clothes." He now grabbed the bag labelled with his name.

Erica stepping out of the restroom, wearing a low rider pair of jean with black boot, her black tank top with a red plaid shirt, her hair pulled into a ponytail. "I've never seen him so excited." Now sitting down, "but what is the case with this chick?"

Charlie now walking into the room, "We're dealing with a dangerous woman," his tone serious, "She has no prier criminal record, because what she did," He inhaled, "was a company hired assassin…"