The show? Ah yes. The car show Johnnie had been waiting to see for quite a while and that he wanted her to accompany him to. As the dutiful girlfriend, Zelda agreed but she also warned him that maybe this wasn't the best idea just in case someone might catch him, a police officer might recognize him and arrest him. Of course, then Johnnie told her that he refused to live his life afraid of people, afraid of living. He wouldn't give up bank robbing but he also wouldn't give up living like a regular person.
Zelda bit her lip, refusing to tell him that he wasn't a normal person, but Johnnie had always been this way. He lived life on his own terms, no matter the consequences. So Zelda tagged along, at least to keep an eye on him. Plus, she didn't need an excuse to spend time with Johnnie, but whenever one came up, she grabbed onto it. And if Johnnie wouldn't worry, she would for the both of them.
Wait – Johnnie wanted to see his father? Not that there was anything wrong with that, of course, but some warning would have been nice. As she packed her suitcase, she idly wondered just what his father would think of her. Goodness, she hoped he liked her, though something inside of her told her that it wouldn't matter one way or the other. Johnnie was going to do what he wanted, whether anyone liked it or not.
In a half an hour, after Zelda was cleaned, fed, and dressed, the couple, along with their leashed bulldog, headed out the door and into Johnnie's car. The show was only twenty minutes off, but Johnnie wanted to get there early in order to explore the different models, learn about the history. If Johnnie loved anything nearly as much as bank robbing, it was cars.
Surprisingly enough, as the day wore on, Johnnie had yet to be recognized or ever scrutinized by anyone. As a result, Zelda felt her body relax. The leashed bulldog loved the fact that he was getting an extended walk, something that amused the couple to no end. In fact, on one occasion, the dog actually got loose in the show, and along with the help of a policeman, they managed to get the dog back. As the officer handed the dog back to Johnnie with a friendly warning, Zelda felt her entire heart stop beating. The man looked Johnnie directly in the eyes; how could he not know that Johnnie wasn't Johnnie? And yet, once Johnnie took the dog, the officer tipped his hat to the couple and continued on his way.
If Johnnie was anything, he was lucky.
"Relax, doll," Johnnie whispered after placing the dog back down. He wrapped an arm around Zelda's waist in hopes that it would comfort her, at least to some degree. And it did. To some degree.
The day wore on. Zelda couldn't help but be amused at just how excited Johnnie was at this show. He continued to spout off different facts about different cars that Zelda really didn't understand but listened to with her full attention. She knew how his mind worked, and she knew that he was currently comparing cars in relation to his bank robberies. He wanted the fastest cars no matter the price. And looking at these models helped him get ideas for the exact car he wanted.
When the day soon came to a close, Johnnie led both Zelda and the dog back to the car. He could tell even then just how tired she was, and as a result, knew that he would be driving to Indiana. The stop would be a short one – just in and out – but Johnnie had wanted his father to meet Zelda, and he wanted to see his sister and his niece. After that, they would be heading to another warm area – Arizona. He had always wanted to go, and if things panned out right, they would make a stop in California because he knew Zelda wanted to check the state out.
Before they finally pulled out of the crowded parking lot, Zelda's eyes were already closed and Johnnie could tell she was dozing. The bulldog was in her lap, keeping her warm. She was the picture of perfection in his mind, and yet completely different from any woman he was attracted to. Maybe that was why he had such strong convictions about her. He couldn't help the way he felt about her. He was simply a moth drawn to Zelda's flame. And to be quite honest, he wouldn't have it any other way.
Chapter 18
The trip to Johnnie's father’s place was delayed only because they had seen too many police officers on the way to Indiana, so Johnnie decided to head to Tuscan first. However, he still meant to visit his father sometime soon; he wanted his family to meet Zelda. The immediate pride that had swelled up and had consumed his heart hadn't been as surprising as he had originally thought it might be. The longer Johnnie thought about it, the more he realized that from the moment he had met Zelda, there had always been something there. As he got to know her, the feeling only grew. Of course, he hadn't noticed this, blinded by both Mary Todd and Dolores Bernier, but now that his eyes were opened, he couldn't believe they had been shut in the first place.
Zelda was everything he could ever want in a woman. She was dedicated, loyal, faithful, as well as beautiful, smart, and good humored. He knew she worried about him, and he loved her all the more for it. He trusted her with his life, knowing that she would do everything in her power, even at the expense of herself, to ensure that he was safe. Hell, she had stuck with him, even though he had been with two women before her. And the ring that she had given him was still on his finger; he never planned to take it off.
Though he had yet to mention anything to Zelda, he was already planning on getting her a divorce from her bastard of a husband so he could marry her himself. Yes, it was quick and fast, but in his line of business, every moment was a gift. And if he did get arrested, if he did get harmed, he wanted to do so with the title of husband to ensure that Zelda would be taken care of in some way.
Everything Zelda felt for him, Johnnie felt for her, but so much more because he knew he was lucky to have her. Glancing at her from the corner of his eyes, he saw that she was still sleeping, still looking as beautiful as any one person could ever hope to achieve. The smile on his face spoke more than words ever could, and once again, he thanked God for her.
Because Johnnie drove all night, Zelda took over driving once they had breakfasted, and they arrived in Tuscan, Arizona late in the afternoon. Mary and Harry had already arrived and had already rented their rooms – nice houses close to the downtown area where they could go out if they wanted to – and, as usual, Johnnie wanted to, even though they had just gotten in.
"Put on your best dress, doll," Johnnie told Zelda as he began to unpack his luggage. There was a smile in his eyes Zelda hadn't noticed before and she hoped it would stay for a long while. "I want everyone in town to see that I have the most beautiful woman in the world on my arm."
Zelda blushed, but she couldn't help but allow a flattered smile to touch her face. She walked over to the closet, her eyes going over the dresses Johnnie had gotten her with a careful eye. She really did want to look beautiful for him, as beautiful as he believed her to be.
It was another forty-five minutes before the couple was ready to leave, but upon inspecting their significant other, they were satisfied. Zelda, of course, couldn't help but worry about Johnnie being recognized. He and his group of gangsters were starting to slowly get national recognition for their exploits, and she didn't want him to be out here, to get caught because he was dancing. But she also knew that once Johnnie had made his mind up about something, she couldn't change it no matter how badly she wanted to.
It didn't surprise her to see that the group went to a nightclub where dancing was practically mandatory. She forced her worries to the back of her mind, and instead, promised that tonight, she would enjoy herself no matter what. Who knew what would happen in the next hour, let alone the next day? The best thing she could do for herself was to enjoy everything now. And with Johnnie by her side, it was quite easy.
The first thing he did upon entering the club was sweep Zelda in his arms, leading her out to the dance floor. Johnnie knew how much Zelda loved to dance, and couldn't remember the last time he had been privileged enough to get to lead her into one. Now that he was, he found he enjoyed himself more than he could remember. Probably because she was his now. Truly and one hundred percent his.
Johnnie also wasn't a dumb man. From his peripheral vision, he could see that many men and even some
women had taken an interest in her, watching her move, watching them dance. Johnnie felt that pride swell even more, but there was also a protective glint in his eyes that was warning enough.
"Everyone's looking at you, darling," he told her with a smile. "And it's because you are the most beautiful woman in the room."
Again, Zelda blushed, but he knew she was pleased with compliments. It didn't seem as though she got them enough before meeting him, and he wanted to remedy that as quickly as possible. "Don't say that," she told him quietly.
"Why not?" Johnnie asked her, perking a curious brow. "It's the truth. With you on my arm, my darling... We turn heads."
Zelda bit her lip, but her smile only deepened. She felt a warmth she never thought she would ever be lucky enough to feel surround her heart, and it only enhanced when Johnnie pulled her closer to him. She knew that Johnnie wouldn't say things if he didn't mean them, and that made his words all the more sweet. She could stay forever in that moment, wrapped up safely in Johnnie's arms without a care in the world. In the nightclub, they were two strangers; nobody knew them as John Dillinger and his girl. They were just a couple madly in love with each other, and Zelda wished they could stay that way.
But like all good dreams, this one had to end. Just not yet.
Within the next few days, Zelda began to truly feel her body relax. Her worries, while still there, were slowly being pushed in the back of her mind. During the day, the boys sent Zelda and Mary out to go shopping for whatever they wanted or if they needed anything in particular and during the evening, they would all go out to a nightclub or a movie or something fun.
Zelda was amazed that none of the boys had been recognized yet, but even though she wanted nothing more to believe that they were safe, especially since they were so far from Chicago, she knew that that wasn't the case. Johnnie distracted her by dancing with her, teasing her, eating with her, and making love to her. Zelda had honestly never felt as connected to anybody in her entire life as she felt with Johnnie, and she never wanted to let that feeling go.
In fact, on the third day of their stay, January twenty-fifth, Johnnie took Zelda on an afternoon date. He knew she loved movies just as much as he did, so the two went to see the latest movie playing in the local theatre. Zelda enjoyed herself immensely, and though she missed her friends, she reveled in the fact that she and Johnnie were finally alone.
However, as Johnnie drove Zelda back to the house they were renting, Zelda began to feel something tight in her stomach. She couldn't exactly explain it, but the closer they got to the house, the more prevalent the churning her stomach became. Zelda tried to reason that she ate something wrong at the theatre, but even she knew that this was a different sort of stomachache. It was the kind she got when she knew something was wrong.
And as soon as they pulled up to the house, she knew. Something was very wrong.
"John," Zelda said in a whisper even though they were the only two people in the car. He paused, knowing that she rarely ever called him John unless there was something she seriously needed to discuss. He looked at her imploringly trying to read her eyes. "Something feels... off."
Johnnie looked at her for a long moment. "I'll go out," he finally said. "You stay here. Doll, I'll be careful," he added when he recognized the look of worry on her face. Then he got out of the car. Zelda knew it was silly, but she was quite close to calling him back to give him a kiss for luck, but he had already shut the door and started walking.
It was only after a few paces when Johnnie himself stopped. He could feel it too. Something was definitely wrong, but he couldn't explain what that was. However, before he could make it back to the car, to Zelda, and to safety, a bundle of uniformed and plain-clothed police officers surrounded him.
They were going to not only arrest Johnnie, but Zelda as well.
Chapter 19
It was chaos, simple as that. Johnnie was completely cool as he was arrested; the only time any emotion touched his face was when he watched the officers arrest Zelda. She didn't struggle, and instead, completely complied with their wishes. They were gentle and courteous, everything the corrupt officers that ran Chicago weren't. They spoke to her like she was a lady, and even helped her in the back of the car. Johnnie was sitting next to her, and once the door was closed and the officer started the car, he leaned towards her so his shoulder brushed hers, much like his hand might if it was free.
Zelda turned her head so it rested on Johnnie's shoulder, but she only left it there for a moment before picking it up. Truly, she wasn't mad with Johnnie, but now that he was arrested, she didn't know what was going to happen. Apparently, everybody else had been arrested as well, including Stephanie and Harry and everybody else, which meant there was no one left on the outside, save for John Hamilton. But Johnnie wasn't even sure if Red, as they called him, was even alive anymore.
Interestingly enough, she wasn't worried about herself. Zelda knew they couldn't keep her for very long because, unless they could identify her as the getaway driver, they had nothing to hold her on except maybe for housing a fugitive. In fact, Zelda highly doubted any man would actually believe that she, a woman, could actually have such skills, that she would get involved with someone such as John Dillinger. But life was funny and inexplicable, and she was just along for the ride. She would end up fine, but Johnnie? She had absolutely no idea what was going to happen to him.
Once they were at the station, they were separated and Zelda was led into another interrogation room. She was asked similar questions compared to the first time she had been taken in, but instead of allowing her to leave like before, they decided to house her in a cell for the night. A preliminary hearing would be heard tomorrow about what to do with everyone involved, and that included Zelda. At least she had Stephanie to keep her company.
Stephanie was a complete wreck. She was crying and threatening the police officers in one moment while getting really, really quiet in another. Zelda did her best to comfort her friend which meant pushing her own worries aside and giving her entire focus to Stephanie. At just after one in the morning, Stephanie finally got to sleep, but Zelda was up long afterward.
In court the next morning, Stephanie and Zelda were given some time to look presentable, and soon, they were escorted to the court, handcuff-free. The first thing Johnnie did upon seeing Zelda was wrap his arms around her body and place a kiss on her temple. He whispered something along the lines of how he was sorry and that he loved her very much and that she shouldn't worry about him. The press, which had been following Dillinger's story for a while, snapped the picture that presented Dillinger not as a heartless bank robber he was being perceived as, but as a tender man who seemed to love the mysterious blonde on his arm very, very much.
The trial commenced, and what the judge decided to do caused Zelda's heart to break. Harry and Mackley would be sent back to Ohio to stand trial for the death of Sheriff Sarber where they had helped Johnnie escape from Lima County jail. Johnnie was to be sent back to Chicago, and then driven to Indiana to stand trial for his crime there. The gang was to be separated. And the bonds for the men and their women were set at one hundred thousand dollars a-piece, save for Zelda. For whatever reason, her bond was set only at five thousand dollars.
Before they were forced apart once more, Johnnie leaned over and swept his lips upon Zelda's. "For luck," he told her in a soft murmur. It was over too soon, and then he was gone.
After a few days, the judge changed his order on Stephanie's bond, reducing it to five thousand as well. Somehow, both women were able to convince the police to take it out of the money they had stolen because the tracking numbers hadn't been recorded so it couldn't be proven one way or the other if Johnnie had actually stolen it or not. They were both released, but besides the clothes on their back, they had absolutely nothing. They had even taken the bulldog Johnnie had gotten Zelda, and refused to return him.
"Now what are we going to do?" Zelda asked her friend, both women staring at the jail they had be
en living in for the past few days.
"Honey, you know what we're going to do," Stephanie said. She had suddenly accumulated a vast amount of strength, her resolve hardened. "You're going to find your way to Chicago and wait for Johnnie to return, and me? Well, I'm going to find my way to Ohio so I can be there for Harry."
Zelda's face paled when she realized the sudden ending of their carefree lifestyle. If Harry was convicted, it was almost a given that he would be put to death. And yet Stephanie wanted to be there, to support him, to do whatever it was he needed her to do, just like Zelda would for Johnnie. Just because their loves had been arrested didn't mean anything; the feelings were still there, and they would never be extinguished. Stephanie was right; Zelda had known all along what they were going to do.
"I'll miss you," she told Stephanie, her voice sincere. "What you did for me... I don't think I could ever repay you."
"Oh," Stephanie said, biting her bottom lip. "I told myself I wasn't going to cry." She turned and grabbed Zelda's shoulders so Zelda had no choice but to look in Stephanie's eyes. "Listen, no matter what happens, I have to believe that it's meant to happen. This whole separation, it's not going to last forever. Somehow, someway, we're going to meet up again, whether it's in this life, up in Heaven, or our next life. This isn't goodbye, Zelda. This is just a, 'I'll see you later.'"
Zelda couldn't stop the lone tear from cascading down her cheek as the two women embraced. When they broke apart, Stephanie stepped back. "Here," she said, handing Zelda a few bills. "This should buy you a ticket to Chicago, and if you're lucky, help you rent an apartment. Don't look at me that way, Zelda. You take it. Don't worry about me. Now go on. You need to have some kind of home set up when Johnnie escapes because you know he will." She smiled and nodded at Zelda once more before turning and heading down the street.
Come Away with Me Page 9