I looked around. Reese stared at me but William glared hard at Reese. Dizzy was still staring at the sky in contemplation.
Reese shook his head, “The way she drives would be helpful. She wouldn't have to get out at all.”
I perked up. “What are we talking about?”
Dizzy rubbed his fingers together. Money. I hadn’t asked how we were doing on cash and we hadn’t spent much since we had gotten there. When we did go to the store we somehow walked out with almost an entire produce section without ever going to a register, but I knew the clean car had cost a lot of money even if we did split the cost with the guys.
“We were talking about doing a job,” Reese wore a wistful expression and William’s eyes focused on his own invisible longing. “Remember the days?” William nodded, a smile creeping up on his face without permission.
“I want to do it.” I looked at William. I wasn't asking permission and he knew it but he still tried to argue. “When do we do it?” Dizzy's face spread in a mischievous smile.
“You aren't going in either,” Reese told him sternly. Dizzy spread his hands out to ask why. “Cause you skipped on your parole last month. Be glad you aren't strapped to the bed to keep anyone from seeing you.”
Dizzy winked but we traded a displeased look as Reese turned his back.
Chapter 18- Blossom
Regardless if William and I agreed on my level of participation, preparations still needed to be made. We blended with the crowds of shoppers at the packed supermarket as we searched for things to use as masks.
Reese dragged us to the electronics to look at new technologies. He ran around in a frenzy like a child in a toy store, touching everything and talking excitedly about pixels and storage.
We were all enjoying Reese's enthusiasm when I caught Dizzy bouncing on his toes. His hands were in his pockets and by the expression on his face he was trying to get our attention without alerting the swarm of customers between us.
Many people looked at him warily. He was too huge to be discreet. When I caught his eye he threw a look of warning to the television directly behind me.
I turned and saw my face on the screen. I tried to shuffle back but froze. The whole wall was covered in varying sized televisions with my face and the golden words ‘Amber Alert’ flashing in the corner.
“She looks a little like you, dear,” said a sweet-looking elderly lady as she pushed her way past us.
I swallowed hard as my stomach curled. My vision tunneled as my fists curled in my pockets.
Every screen switched to a black and white picture caught on a cheap security camera. It was me and William at the motel. I was standing by the passenger side. You could hardly see my face, but William's was lit with that toothy grin, perfectly distinct.
I spun as I searched for William. Someone bumped into me, and then another. I finally found him a few feet away, but it felt like a wall of people stood between us.
The shock was written all over his cemented body. The sound was low on all of the televisions and I was slowly being jostled and nudged back until I was too far away to hear. The way William's expression changed told me that he heard every word.
He spun and scanned the crowd with panic in his eyes. I stretched toward him as his gaze caught mine. He forced his way to me.
He grabbed my hand as people began to notice us. One couple stared blatantly while whispering to themselves. Another pointed to us and then the televisions.
Dizzy dashed to grab Reese as William and I threw ourselves across the store. I slammed into William as he slid to a stop. Security guards already waited, lining the front door on alert.
We spun, searching for an escape, William never releasing my clammy hand.
Dizzy motioned for us. We dashed toward him and followed the men out of a side door, setting off alarms.
We ran away from the parking lot, not wanting to get into the car and have people see our plate number. We sprinted between buildings, stopping in an alley.
A terrified hush fell over us as we waited and listened. There were no sirens and the alarms of the store had cut off.
Dizzy motioned for us to stay as he walked back around the corner, peering across the street.
What if we had all been paranoid? What if we brought the attention to ourselves by our own actions?
He turned to us and motioned for us to duck but there was nothing to hide behind. I spun on the spot, my heartbeat deafening. William yanked me down to my stomach on the concrete, lying on top of me and covering my hair.
I looked up at the thunder of feet. There was more than one person. Dizzy lingered across the alley at the corner of the next building. He leaned against the wall calmly.
I saw the edge of a black boot as someone stopped. Dizzy pointed down the opposite way and they hurried in that direction, never knowing of our presence.
William jumped up and pulled me to my feet. He brushed off my clothes and held me close, still too afraid to speak. Reese remained on the ground with his hands tucked behind his head as if waiting for the cuffs.
William shook his head and grabbed Reese's hand to pull him up.
We stayed where we were for a long time. Since Reese was the sole person among our group that was not wanted he would retrieve the car and meet us on the corner, away from the cameras in the parking lot.
Reese’s brows were knitted together in worry as we climbed into the car. “They know y’all are here now.”
William nodded in understanding and hooked his arm around me. “We'll be out of the house by tonight. I don’t want you and Dizzy getting caught because of us.”
Dizzy shook his head and thumped Reese in the chest. “Of course that’s not what I'm saying. I’m simply telling you that they know y’all are in the area.” Reese rolled his eyes. "You have to stay low.”
As we drove I heard Reese whispering. Dizzy kept his hands concealed to keep their conversation private. When we got home and into the house, Reese went straight to the kitchen and Dizzy to the bathroom.
William's face was stone but pain radiated from his eyes.
I went to him but before I could speak his arms wrapped around me back, yanking me to him. He held me tight, comforting even as his heart thundered against his ribs.
I understood his fear. We knew someone would eventually try to find us but I honestly thought we would have had more time to prepare, especially with how much our family hated us.
They hate me.
I hadn't expected Mother's power to reach even the news of a different state.
“What did you hear on the television?” I asked, tilting my face to his.
His gaze jumped from mine as his arms squeezed tighter. His throat moved with a hard swallow as he shook his head. “That you were missing and we were seen stealing the car.”
I knew he was lying to me. There was more he didn't want me to know. I tried to comfort him the best I could while hiding my frustration with him.
Suddenly William pulled away and backed up. His eyes darted between me and something over my shoulder. I spun to find Reese with a bottle of conditioner and Dizzy with a handful of empty purple Kool-Aid packets.
“That’s not going to taste good.” I backed towards William but his hands flew out to still me.
I turned to look at him, alarmed. What was going on? His face was apologetic but I saw the ornery light in his eyes. He was helping them.
“I hope you don’t think that is going on my hair. Why would I let you do that?” I held my hands up and turned to the side, trying to find a way to escape or talk them out of their plan.
“It's a disguise,” William said, trying to sound comforting.
MY glare snapped to him as my hand reached up, protective over my curls. “It's my hair.”
“It won't hurt it and will be temporary.”
I looked at Reese who seemed ready to pin me. Dizzy stood simply behind him trying not to laugh.
With a sore heart, I relented. I would do anything to protect William.
Reese poured the grape scented goo on my head and pulled it all through my hair. He made me sit with a plastic bag on my head and I glared at William. I found comfort in the guilt his expression showed. I shook my head and the bag crinkled loudly in my ear.
After sitting with homemade hair dye on my head for over an hour Reese helped me wash it out in the kitchen sink. My hair wasn't any different than before. It shone purple a little in the light but the Kool-Aid hadn't done its job. I couldn't contain myself as I rejoiced.
The men weren’t ready to admit defeat.
Dizzy and Reese soon left for the drugstore. They returned with a few boxes of brown hair color. I growled as they pushed down me into a chair.
It was William who donned the gloves. I could tell by the sweet and gentle way he massaged it into my hair and scalp that he was trying to comfort me and make the situation not too miserable. It wasn’t working.
The rancid scent of the hair dye mixed with the smoke in the room and I thought I was going to pass out before I could wash my hair. Another hour later I looked at my wet hair in the mirror.
There was hardly any difference. I seemed to have absorbed a bit of the brown in light streaks.
I grinned with triumph as the men threw up their hands.
✷✴✷
It wasn't long before Reese brought up the prospect of money again. William thought of our incident at the store as a bad omen.
The men already had a place in mind- an easy mark they claimed. For two weeks we drove across the city and scoped out the tiny bank.
We never parked in the same location, watching to see who might be watching us. We learned who opened, whose shift was coming next, and who closed.
On both Mondays, a short, swollen man entered the bank alone thirty minutes before anyone else came to start their day. He always reset the alarm behind himself. We all agreed the next Monday would be the day.
Chapter 19- Weeds
Sunday night we sat on the front stoop watching the other neighbors leave their own porches or settle in for people-watching. The two men that walked up and down the street every night strutted on either side of the road.
They were known simply as the brothers from the greenhouse but their attitude told of an unspoken yet obvious dominance. No one met their eyes but if they called out they always received a response, whether it be a nod or small wave.
Reese seemed more excited than I was for the coming morning. Dizzy looked calm and relaxed as if it was a normal experience. William was sullen.
“I don't want you to be a part of this,” he repeated.
“We're in this together,” I reminded him. “I'm not built to sit idly by and let a man take care of me, anyway.”
He rolled his eyes and Dizzy laughed quietly. “What if you sat in the backseat this time? Dizzy's always been the driver. You can watch him this time.”
I hated the idea of observing but had to agree it would be safer for everyone involved for me to learn the first time. I knew there was more to it than simply getting money. We had to succeed in escaping.
William seemed relieved that I didn't argue and Dizzy agreed to be the driver. We smoked, drank, and laughed the whole night away in anticipation and nerves. As the stars began to fade Dizzy left us on the porch and stepped into the house. When he returned he held four scarves with matching pairs of gloves. He handed William and me the black ones and he and Reese took the purple.
We jumped in the car and shot off, the smell of weed and whiskey igniting our excitement. When we were a few blocks away Dizzy stopped the car.
William’s arms snaked around my waist, pulling me against his chest as he kissed me hard through the scarves wrapped around our faces. His movements were calculated as he fought to appear calm but the light of adrenaline in his eyes was recognizable. The excitement of the heist was a long-missed friend.
Dizzy kept the car running and reached back for my hand as we watched our men cross the street. I picked up the binoculars left from our time camping around the little red brick building. The target climbed out of his shiny little Volvo.
Reese tucked himself around the corner of the building as William crept up behind the man. When he put the code into the door and pulled it open William pressed up to him. His little hands lifted and Reese ran around the corner with William's old brown duffel bag.
I hadn't realized how dangerous it could be until that moment. What if the man had put a warning code in the alarm? What if he had a gun, too?
Dizzy's eyes met mine in the rearview mirror, full of understanding. Reese and William followed the man into the building and we began the slow, agonizing wait.
We straightened, alert, when Reese and William ran out the front door. William darted for the little red Volvo and they both jumped in.
“What are they doing?” It wasn’t part of the plan.
Dizzy held up his hand to tell me to wait and I realized it must have been part of the routine they had enjoyed so long ago.
They drove away from us. I tried to keep up with the flash of color between the buildings but lost them quickly. Were we not supposed to follow them?
Two police cars pulled in front of the bank. I sank deep into my seat even though we were far enough away. One pair of officers ran into the building, guns posed. Dizzy had binoculars on his face too but wore an entertained expression. After a moment the little man ran out of the bank with the police behind him and pointed in the direction his car had headed.
As the still occupied police car pulled out we jumped at the sound of the doors being opened on the other side of the car.
William slid into the seat next to me. Reese's door wasn't even fully closed before Dizzy had us taking off, away from the rising sun and flashing blue lights.
William laughed at my expression. He grabbed my scarf and easily pulled it off before he kissed me deeply. I wondered if he hadn't had doubts about pulling the robbery off.
Dizzy drove controlled and calm but his eyes kept flashing in the mirrors. We finally pulled through our busted gate and the car stopped.
He released a deafening a roar, his hands thumping the roof of the car so hard I could feel the vibrations all through my body. I watched, amazed, as William pulled me across his lap, his mouth on my neck. Reese opened the bag at his feet and threw crisp green bills into the air, laughing hysterically.
We hadn't slept but no one seemed to feel the need. Dizzy dragged Reese down into his seat and kissed him. William threw open his door and scooped me up. He carried me into our home and threw me down onto the bed.
His eyes were fierce and burning, as though he finally realized himself to be the man I saw in him.
He lowered himself to me. I wrapped my legs around him. His body was wild against mine, thrilling as his hands tore my thin shirt open.
His teeth bit into my chest as he pulled away my skirt and panties in one swift motion. My fingers wrapped in his curls as I tried to find my breath. I revered the feral animal in him as he leaned back on his heels and pulled me to him.
His breath in my hair, his growls of release, and the touch of his skin as it became damp beneath me made me worship him as I clung to him.
I was floating away from my body as he laid me down on the bed, pulling me to his chest, kissing me deep and telling me with his touch that he was nowhere near finished.
✷✴✷
We celebrated our victory in the stifling heat of day, consuming ourselves with pride and happiness. I was born with the proverbial silver spoon but had never actually seen so much cash. The smell of it was overwhelming, I wanted to roll in it, to fuck on it, and to bathe in the money. The scent of William and the touch of the money had me feeling crazed.
Everyone itched to do something frivolous. We went to a posh hotel that had some of the best meats I had ever tasted being served off of swords. When we are all stuffed and had paid, leaving a tip of two hundred dollars, we walked down the street until we found a theater.
As we settled into our
seats in the dark and nearly empty theater William wrapped his arm around me. I leaned against his chest and didn't open my eyes until the lights came back on.
I sat up and looked around. Dizzy rubbed his face as if he had fallen asleep too, but Reese was still snoring loudly and William's head was dropped onto his shoulder.
I gently woke William with sweet kisses and Dizzy carried Reese to the car. I drove home in the happy silence with William and Reese piled into the backseat like limp dolls.
No one spoke when I put the car in park. We all climbed out but no one's smile slipped. We slept through the night and for the first time I felt like there was nothing to be scared of anymore.
The weeks passed in a blur. We were free from the burdens of most civilized people. We had no need for social standards as long as we had each other. We weren't filled with malice or thoroughly inhumane. We simply didn’t need to pretend to care what anyone else thought of us.
I watched the small neighborhood and recognized the souls of most of the people around us as the same. Most of them sat outside and watched the people watching them, talking with their own families, living a life I expected wasn't much different than ours.
The empty lot to the side of our house at the end of our street was bald from all of the cars that drove down our street, met people at the end of their driveways, traded their money for drugs or guns, and turned around in the grass.
There was one family I recognized to be out of place in our little haven of criminalized peace- the brothers. They seemed to always bring a wariness with each step they took, every night. The air that settled over us would become tense with every person who allowed the show of power.
The sun was dipping down one evening as we watched the small white house across from us, waiting for the tiny old lady to wave from the door. William mentioned going to the lake the next day when I saw her wrinkled, happy face through her screen door.
I hopped up and raced across the street.
Everyone called her Granny. She was always in a long winter robe with bare feet. She had the most buyers in the neighborhood. She tied her baggies of weed with a shiny bow on top of a small cake or bakery box with a homemade treat inside. It was one of the sweetest things I had ever seen. Any time I tried to pay her extra for her efforts she would refuse. She never accepted more than enough to pay for the green.
Truth: Book Two of the Taboo Series Page 12