Keeping up with the Joneses

Part Nine

"This place is disgusting," she said, placing a goblet, a knife, and a few candles around her. Avery motioned for Sara's hand, and she obliged shakily. Avery seemed to notice her reluctance, and gave her a smirk. "You know, pretty thing, we could do away with this whole deal and you won't need to do this anymore."

Sara glared at her. "And let you run around killing people every time you need to contact big daddy bossman? No, thanks."

Avery shrugged, grasping Sara's fingers and cutting into the palm of her hand. Sara bit her lip, watching as the blood oozed from the wound and dripped into the goblet. It was a long bit of bleeding before Avery seemed satisfied, letting go of Sara's hand and waving her back. Sara clenched her fist to try to stop the blood, moving back so whoever Avery was communicating with wouldn't notice her presence.

Avery spoke into the goblet, but without hearing the other end of the conversation, Sara couldn't make head or tail of what the conversation meant. When the blood stopped gurgling, Avery stood and looked at it with disgust.

"Well?" Sara asked.

Avery looked up at her, as though just then remembering that she was there. "Satisfied."

"Good. So I'll be on my way then."

"Yes, fine. But Sara," she said, her eyes glinting. "Don't you go running off like that again, you won't like the consequences."

"Meaning?"

"I call, you come. That's our deal. Or I might just have to track down those precious boys of yours," Sara gulped, eyes becoming sharply focused. "Or better yet, I'll find where you've stashed your baby brother." Sara's eyes widened at that, never having told Avery that she had any kind of family that she could get to. Her heart was racing a mile a minute, and Avery smiled at the look of horror on her face. "Oh, don't worry, sweetheart. As long as I collect, I'll hold up my end of the bargain." She snapped her fingers, and Sara was suddenly back outside, next to the blue dodge truck that she had stolen.

She took a moment to catch her breath, clutching at her chest. After a second, she climbed into the car and began the rest of her drive to Bobby's in Sioux falls. She took many detours, making sure that she wasn't followed. What should've taken her thirty minutes took her closer to an hour and a half until she pulled into Bobby's place. She disconnected the wires that kept the car going, turning off the headlights and tightening a piece of one of her shirts around her hand.

She knocked on the door, breath coming out in a fog as she waited for it to open.

When it did open, Bobby looked down at her as laughter died on his face. "Sara, back so soon?"

"Yeah," she replied. "I can't miss Joey's birthday."

"Of course ya can't," he said, moving aside for her to enter. She looked around, spotting Joey looking at her from the couch.

"Hey, JJ!" He got up from the couch, walking briskly over to her and hugging her.

"Sar, I missed you!" She smiled, tears stinging her eyes.

"I missed you too, bud." Though Joey didn't, Bobby noticed the expression on her face. He decided to leave it for when the kid went to bed, though, fetching glasses from the kitchen.

Bobby walked over to the two siblings who were now catching up on the couch, handing Sara a glass of whiskey who took it gratefully. He glanced down at her hand, giving her a questioning look. "What happened there?" She looked down at her hand at the same time as Joey, who seemed to have just realized the makeshift bandage as well. He grabbed her hand, turning it over and his eyes widening to see blood staining the fabric.