Chapter 04: No Good Deed

“You are watching footage taken by onlookers of tonight’s brazen shootout in downtown St. Claire. Police are still piecing together the events that lead to two homicides and several local businesses being destroyed. What we’ve been able to gather is that there were three cars involved in a chase that began near Southbridge and Fairview. The suspects hopped onto the I-95 before ending up here at the Plaza. As you can see behind me, police have taped off the Crossway Bridge and traffic is being rerouted. What began as a shootout ended in an explosion and fire that decimated an entire city block just one mile north of the Civic center.”

“I saw a black car pull over near the bridge and two people jumped out. A few minutes later two more cars came and a bunch of dudes popped out with guns. They were chasing the other two when like out of nowhere the little black car exploded. There was screaming and people running and everything. Man, it was crazy!”

“I heard gunshots and I ducked. There were several men with huge guns on the bridge and they were shooting at people on the strip. It was scary. I just, I don’t know. I heard the first few shots and it sounded like fireworks next thing I know there was a huge fireball in the sky. I just grabbed my stuff and ran.”

“Two trucks were chasing after this car and they were shooting and driving like crazy people up and down the street. It was like something out of a James Bond movie. There was a car explosion and everything!”

“Authorities are on high alert as the persons involved have somehow managed to evade capture. Now police are asking for the public’s help. If you were around the Civic Center or downtown near the streets of Market or Parke and may have seen something, you’re being asked to contact the St. Claire police. We will keep you updated with the latest developments as they happen. I’m Christian Dailey live on scene with Channel 7 Action News. Back to you in the studios.”

“Shit. This isn’t good, A, this is NOT good.” She ducked her head as a passerby gave the two the once over.

“Come on, we need to get off the street.”

“What are we going to do?” he asked, following after her as she started across the street. “They’re gonna have cell phone footage of us…”

“You mean IF she decides to go to police. And even then they’ll only have grainy footage of two people being chased by large men with guns. No facial recognition, no fingerprints or ID.”

“You mean other than your torched car?”

“Which, thanks to you, appears to have been stolen two days ago. Anyone could have been driving it today.”

“And when they question the Starks about your whereabouts, what then? Hannah has gone missing. Her car was involved in a shootout and a blonde woman was seen leaving the scene of the crime. Alexa, footage can be cleaned up. The technology available today…you have no idea what that woman recorded of us tonight! The narrative can’t be fixed; not this time. We can’t control what the Starks will do. Why aren’t you as freaked out about all of this as I am?”

“BECAUSE I CAN’T BE, K!” she shouted, pausing briefly to compose herself. “One of us has to keep a cool head here and you’re doing enough worrying for the both of us!”

“Fuck! You’re right, I’m sorry. Shit! I’m just—I’m not used to this. I’ve never been in a situation like this before. I’m more of a behind-the-scenes kinda guy.”

“I know you are, K. This is a very screwed up situation but, we have to try and stay calm. We’ll figure this out, alright?”

“Ok.”

“Ok,” she mimicked and swiped her hand across her forehead. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“It’s cool,” he sighed and shuffled his feet on the pavement. “What are we doing here anyway?” he asked, trying to be as incognito as Alexa. She apparently had the act down to a science. He’d always wondered how she could get around places and never be spotted. A beautiful woman rarely ever slips notice but, Alexa never seemed to have any trouble getting where she wanted or becoming invisible when needed.

“Hunting.”

“Uh…?”

“We need a room but we can’t be seen by anyone which means no checking in. So I’m waiting for one to become available.”

“And you think that’ll happen sometime soon?”

“These are pay-by-the-hour places,” Alexa said, watching an attendant wheel a room service cart in front of a door. “They’re always available.” Just as the last word left her lips, a door opened on the second floor and a man, followed by a scantily dressed brunette, emerged from the room. “Come on.”

Rushing up the stairs, Alexa passed the laughing couple, watching as money exchanged hands. The man led the woman downstairs and she waited for them to disappear around the corner before picking the lock on the door. “What happens when the manager rents the room?”

“We pretend we’re a couple and make them leave. It’ll give us about five minutes to clear out before they get back to the lobby and get the manager up here.” She pushed her way inside the room and Kasper quickly entered after. “The good thing about places like these, no one wants to be seen so no one is looking at your face.”

The place was about as rank as he’d expected. The stale air smelled of sex and molding carpet. Wallpaper had peeled away enough to make out the rust-tinged plaster beneath. The couple must have been in a rush as there was still a lit cigarette burning in an ashtray at the foot of the bed. The sheets, freshly used, appeared soggy and dirty as though they hadn’t been changed in over a week. And at hourly visits, Kasper calculated at least eight dozen couples had previously soiled them. “We’re not staying long, are we?”

“No, of course not. We’re just taking quick showers and getting changed,” she replied, seeing his nose scrunch up at the condition of the room. “Try not to touch anything. You might get pregnant,” she joked and started for the bathroom.

Alexa placed a plastic bag on top of the sink before setting her clothes on top. Tossing the bandage in the trash, she inspected the injury on her upper arm and was grateful to see if wasn’t so bad. With a pair of latex gloves, she turned on the shower and shut the door. Kasper sighed as he remained near the door, deciding if he even wanted to attempt the chair. Following Alexa’s lead, he used care when placing his laptop on the wobbly table in the kitchenette and doubled up on the bags for the chair. Turning on his laptop, he logged into the free Wi-Fi, praying it was semi-reliable, and got to work.

Gavin made it to the scene just as the last car was being towed from the bridge. A group of onlookers remained as police investigators continued scouring the area for clues. He watched as several bullet casings were photographed, bagged and then tagged as evidence. The place looked like a war zone. “Hey,” he tapped the shoulder of a man standing with his friend. They were filming the aftermath for what appeared to be a video blog and he’d hoped they had footage from before the car was removed. “Have they found the owners of those vehicles?”

“Not that I know of. They’re mostly picking up the pieces. Lots of ammo, man. I mean they must have unloaded at least a dozen clips out here! Just a total Reservoir Dogs, you know?”

“Were you here earlier? When the Audi was around?”

“Oh yeah. That baby was toasted. Shame too. It looked like the latest model. Must have set someone back a good $70 grand!”

“What do you mean?”

“The car? It had been set on fire. I really hope no one was in it because there’s no way they would have survived that.”

Gavin felt his heart sink into his stomach and his mouth was suddenly dry. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath trying to keep his calm. He couldn’t think of Hannah being burned alive or even shot. He had to hold on to the hope that she somehow made it out alive and unharmed. It was the only thing keeping him going at this point. “Hey, I don’t suppose you have a shot of the Audi on that thing, do you?”

“Of course,” the man said and rewound the video a few minutes back to show Gavin. Again he felt the urge to vomit as his suspicions were confirmed. BM1-2X6, the charred license plate was the one he’d spent a few weekends staring at as he made various upgrades and repairs to his fiancée’s car. “You alright, man? You look like you’re about to blow chunks.”

“Yeah. Yeah I’m good. Thanks.”  He turned and started for the curb. Retrieving his phone from his pocket, Gavin punched in his speed dial, placing a call to Hannah’s number and exhaled a deep breath. It rang. And it rang. And the longer it rang, the more the apprehension built in his stomach. “Come on, baby, please…answer. Please. Please be ok.”

“What was that?” Kasper asked, hearing the ringtone before turning to look at her.

“It’s Gavin,” Alexa said, pulling her phone from her back pocket. Quickly Kasper moved towards her, snatching the device from her hands before smashing it to the ground.

“What the hell, K?” she glared at him with her dark, brown eyes.

“Not thirty minutes ago you were telling me to ‘think’ we have scary ass people hunting us down, that on top of the cops, A. If they wanted they could easily find you by that cell phone. I mean…what was the first thing you did when you came looking for me?” he asked, placing his back to the door.

“Checked to see if your phone was on,” she said nodding her head at his conclusion.

“Right! We’ve gotta assume these people are JUST as smart as we are. This whole thing with Gavin and the Starks it’s done, we’re done, A. We promised we’d run at the first sign of danger. It’s time to cut bait and go.”

“Yeah, I know, K, I just…kiss me.”

“What?”

“Kiss me!” she replied, pulling him closer and pressing her breasts hard against his body. She sank her hands into his hair and moaned into his mouth. Kasper locked his arms around her back, feeling his heart beating against his chest as an undeniable hunger rose inside of him. He kissed Alexa with mounting passion. Backing her into the table, Kasper’s hand snaked up Alexa’s thigh, his cold fingertips making her jump and she pushed herself tighter against him as the door opened and a new couple stepped inside the room. 

“Oh! Excuse us. We thought the room was…uh…” The embarrassed man swiftly exited, pulling the startled prostitute with him. Becoming a tangle of limbs, their hands continued exploring one another. The urge of the kiss intensified. Acting on instinct, Kasper’s fingers traced up Alexa’s skirt, teasing the hem of her lacy underwear and he thrust the stiffening outline in his jeans between her legs as she wrapped them around his waist.

His lips tickled down her neck. His hand stroked the curve of her bottom as he pulled her closer, making her feel the hardness of his arousal throbbing against her. As he massaged her breast she let out a soft moan and his lips found hers again. Kasper grunted and Alexa kept her mouth on his until the couple closed the door and she could hear their footsteps moving away. “Whoa,” Kasper sighed as she pulled back and he slowly opened his eyes to look at her, his gaze aflame with desire. “That was…”

“Time to go,” Alexa said, grabbing up her belongings as she started for the door. 

“Wait, what…?” Alexa, pulled open the door and shoved Kasper through. The man and his buxom date had just made it to the parking lot. She watched as he entered the manager’s office and together, she and Kasper hurried down the stairs and out of the lot. “Where to now?”

“Now we find transportation and a decent place to sleep. I don’t know about you but, I’m tired. I need to get some shut eye.”

“I thought it was bad for us to be seen.”

“It was, when I was blonde,” she replied, removing her hat to show him her new do. “We should be fine.”

“Alright but, I get to pick the hotel. Your track record doesn’t exactly give me the warm fuzzies.”

“Oh ha-ha,” she grinned and jabbed his shoulder. He smiled, threaded his fingers between hers and together they started towards Clyde Hill, the opposite side of town.

“Excuse me, I need to speak with a detective,” a young brunette said as she stood at the reception desk of Precinct 10. “It’s concerning the shootout that took place downtown. I have some footage that might interest you.”

<----Previous -- Continue---->