Perfection

Chapter 11 - Fugitives. Outlaws. Desperadoes.

Jeremy's apartment was small, thought not quite as claustrophobic as the investigation room back at the police station. It had a kitchen and a living room slash bedroom. A rat was trying to scratch its way out the wall behind Melanie, who was seated in a slightly torn couch.

The women had all followed them there and encouraged Jeremy's decision to not bring Melanie back to court, but he himself was walking restlessly in circles, mumbling about the risk of loosing his job.

“Could we concentrate on Kevin..?” Zandra threw a nod to the paper where Claire had gathered clues about Melanie's case.

“Tony must be a part of it, no?” Claire mumbled.

“It can't be a coincidence that Tony threatened both me and Melanie; two of the witnesses that Kevin wants out of the picture.”

“You keep mentioning Kevin!” Jeremy seemed to have slightly panicked over his decision of taking them to his apartment.

“Who exactly is Kevin?”

Claire ignored him.

“The bullet that killed Sara was traced back to the gun found in your bag.. But you said Tony gave you that gun?” She tapped the pencil against the table.

“So Tony wanted to set you up for her murder. Meaning.. Tony killed Sara? But then, would Tony be working for Kevin?”

“He said he worked alone.” Melanie remembered Tony's speech.

“And what? Should we believe someone with the looks of an angry bulldog?” Felicia laughed as she went through Jeremy's almost empty fridge.

“Before I was threatened by Tony to get that USB, you called me and said that my life was in danger..” Claire turned to Melanie.

“Is it possible that you knew that Kevin was after us?”

Melanie rubbed her forehead, she hadn't remembered anything of importance. All that came to her were second long flashes of events she had attended and boring bankers she had greeted.

“Jay, why do you keep things in your fridge that are older than my grandmother?” Felicia frowned as she shut the fridge.

“If Claire is supposed to figure this thing out, we're going to be stuck here for a very long time.” She continued and Claire pursed her mouth in silence.

“Ergo, we need actual food.” She grabbed her jacket.

“I'm going to the store.”

“What? You can't go anywhere!” Jeremy seemed to panic again.

“We're all fugitives now! Outlaws! Desperadoes!” He waved his hands but finally took a seat to calm his heart.

“I have nothing to do with Tony's case.” Felicia grabbed her bag.

“The only one looking for me is Kevin and for all we know he's in another town.” She opened the door.

“Plus, even if he saw me, he wouldn't recognize me.” She smiled.

“Nose job!” She pointed to her nose and left the apartment.

#

Felicia took a firmer grip around her bag as she came closer to the grocery store. For the past minute, there had been steps coming from behind her but she hadn't dared to turn back to have a look.

She swallowed as she hurried her steps and began to jog; the steps behind her increased in speed too. She gazed to the sides as she made her way over a road to reach the almost empty parking lot outside of the store; she was sure of it, most citizens were probably in the court room, curious as to when Mrs Young would appear.