Chapter 22
It was amazing what three days could bring. And in terms of Johnnie and Zelda, it brought them Baby Face Nelson, the notorious bank robber and his wife. They were staying in the same apartment complex, along with Homer Van Meter, Eddie Green, and Tommy Carroll. Three days after Johnnie's escape, he planned to rob another bank, this one brought to him by Baby Face Nelson.
Zelda, from the moment she met the gangster, didn't like him. He was only five foot four, but his attitude was much bigger, as though he was trying to compensate for the height he wanted but didn't have. He, too, dressed conservatively, but unlike Johnnie's easy-going charm and charisma, Baby Face Nelson was quick to anger, quick to violence. It was what normally got him into trouble. He caused a lot of damage without necessarily needing to. And the reasoning behind it was silly; he wanted to intimidate people.
However, Baby Face knew that he couldn't rob a bank like the one he planned to without some sort of gang with him. After hearing about Dillinger's escape, Baby Face immediately sought him out, and Johnnie could never say no to such a good deal when he saw it... Johnnie was a very interesting bank robber. The papers and the media usually labeled him as the ring leader of his posse, when, in reality, it had always been Harry Pierpont who orchestrated everything. Harry wasn't the jealous type, and the two would normally laugh about it.
But Baby Face? Well, they hadn't technically done anything just yet, so it was hard to tell just what Baby Face would do. Since Zelda had been immersed in this sort of lifestyle for a while now, she was getting good at reading people. She knew that if Baby Face wasn't termed correctly, he would be unreasonably upset.
She did not like the man. Whenever he was around her, she felt uncomfortable. It was the eyes, she realized. They looked completely void of life. Completely empty. As though he had nothing, really, to live for.
Which wasn't true at all. Baby Face had a wife and two boys. Her sons were staying with his mother, but his wife Helen was definitely a piece of work. She was also short, which worked out for the both of them. She also had these unrealistic and ridiculously high expectations concerning her husband's lifestyle. Though she was very polite upon first getting acquainted with Zelda, she later confided that she hoped that if Lester died while doing something he loved, she wanted to die with him. That was why she wasn't at home, watching her children. That was why she was here.
Zelda wasn't exactly sure what to make of her. If she was in Helen's position, and Johnnie was in Lester's, she felt that she would probably stay at home and be with the kids, and Johnnie would probably want that as well. Zelda smiled; the thought of having children with Johnnie gave her a warm feeling that soon spread throughout her body. She couldn't contain herself if she tried.
Surprisingly enough, at least to Zelda, Johnnie asked for her assistance three days after settling in when it concerned driving the getaway car. Zelda agreed, but Baby Face was not happy about it. He honestly didn't believe a woman should be trusted to drive a man's car, nor did he trust Zelda with his life. It was one of the only times Johnnie remained stubborn, and Baby Face knew that if he wanted to rob this bank, he would have to agree. Plus, Homer Van Meter also vouched for Zelda's driving abilities and her knack for getting out of difficult situations.
It was the Security National Bank in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. That was their target; that was what they hoped to rob. As per usual, Zelda let the men out a block before the bank, and slowly circled the block so that when she returned, the men were already inside. She pulled up in front of the bank, leaving the engine on.
Something was going to happen, she could feel it. So Zelda quickly clasped her hands together, bowed her head, and prayed that everyone would get out okay, and that Johnnie especially would come back to her without getting fatally injured.
Time seemed to slow down. Shots were heard, and she instantly sat up. An alarm was going off, but she couldn't hear it. Her eyes were glued to the doors of the bank, and she willed Johnnie to come out before the police began to surround the building.
By the time the gangsters did come out, the police had them surrounded. However, the officers could do nothing, not when the majority of the gangsters had hostages while the other two were holding the money. All were holding their sawed-off shotguns.
Lester didn't seem to care about injuring the public that was surrounding the area to watch and began to fire his weapon at the officers. Johnnie yelled something at him, but Zelda couldn't hear what it was. She assumed that it was to probably stop, but Baby Face didn't listen. As a result, the officers began to fire back. Somehow, though, the gangsters made it into the green Buick unharmed and with the money.
All except Johnnie, who had been shot in the calf. When he threw himself into the passenger seat, Zelda took off, but she couldn't help but be worried about Johnnie, about how this would hinder his movement and make it more difficult for him to get away. Well, that settled it. No more robbing banks for him. At least, not now. Not until he was better.
Zelda would put her foot down.
Johnnie's breathing was heavy, but it was just a flesh wound. He couldn't die over it. From the corner of his eyes, he could immediately tell how anxious Zelda was for him by the way she gripped the wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. Though Johnnie was in pain, he couldn't help but smile at her worry, and with some effort, reached out and placed his hand on Zelda's thigh, squeezing it just a bit to show her that he was okay.
Zelda glanced over at him, and Johnnie could immediately tell what that specific look on her face said. She was taking him to some sort of doctor once they dropped everyone else off, whether they liked it or not. He sighed through his nose but nodded nonetheless. Yes, he would allow her to take him to a doctor, and he knew just the one.
"Well, well," Lester said from the back, his beady eyes looking over at Zelda. "You surprise me, doll face. I did not know you could drive like that. If I had known, I would not only be saying you should be driving, but I'd be making you drive, you know? Earn your keep and whatnot."
"Lester," Johnnie growled, turning his head in a warning as he craned his neck so he could lock eyes with the man. Johnnie didn't have to say anything else.
"What?" Baby Face asked. "Look here, I'm just being honest. Your lady can drive, Johnnie. How's your leg, by the way? I didn't even see that copper get you, because if I had, his guts would be all over the sidewalk right now. Sorry 'bout that."
"I'm not," Zelda heard Johnnie mutter under his breath. It caused Zelda to smile. At least Johnnie didn't seem to like Baby Face either.
But that didn't change the fact that he needed him.
Or at least, that was what Johnnie had been trying to explain to her later that evening as Zelda took Johnnie to the doctor he had picked out. It was midnight, and Johnnie refused to leave the apartment before then due to the fact that he was less likely to get caught. So Zelda had bandaged him up and refused to let him stand unless it was absolutely necessary.
"See," Johnnie continued as Zelda made a left, "Lester needs me and Homer and Tommy just like we need him and Eddie. With five, we can rob a bank. Two can't, and three can't either. And I know what you're about to say, darling. That we shouldn't rob banks just yet, right? We'll, we're short of money thanks to our little setback in Tuscan, and we need to get some more."
"Johnnie," Zelda murmured, "you know that if you never robbed banks again which meant you wouldn't have the kind of money you're used to... you know I would still love you, right?"
A small smile touched Johnnie's face, and if he hadn't been in so much pain, it would definitely be bigger. He nodded his head, though he knew that Zelda couldn't exactly see him. "Of course I do," he told her sincerely. "That's why I love you more than I've loved anyone else in my entire life."
Zelda smiled despite herself as she pulled into the doctor's office. Hopefully, the doctor would try and talk Johnnie out of bank robbing, at least for the moment, but even she knew that John Dillinger would never be deterred from what h
e really wanted.
Chapter 23
Johnnie rarely asked Zelda for any favors, but when he did, she knew it was something important he wanted done, and never refused to do it for him. Indiana wasn't that far away, and Johnnie wanted Zelda to take the wooden gun he used to escape from Crown Point to his sister.
"Don't you want to come too?" Zelda asked, perking her brow as she regarded him with a curious expression on her face. She knew just how close the two were. Johnnie's mother had died when he was but two years old, and because Aubrey was much older than Johnnie was, took it upon herself to raise him like a mother would, especially since Johnnie didn't get along with his step-mother all that much. Zelda was actually surprised that Johnnie didn't want to come with her, if only to see his sister again.
"If I come along," Johnnie said, looking at Zelda from across the dining table after taking a long sip of his coffee, "I'll just cause unwanted trouble. No, I want you to go."
"Okay..." Zelda let her voice trail off, still unsure if that was what Johnnie really wanted or if it was because he was just being extra careful. Most likely it was the latter. Zelda wanted to open her mouth and point out that Johnnie might not have another chance to see his sister. Not to say that anything was going to happen to him, but there was still that danger. He might not get another opportunity as ample as this one.
Zelda didn't say anything. If Johnnie wanted her to do this, then certainly she would do it. As of yet, the police officers, nor the Bureau of Investigation (who were now involved because it was a federal crime to cross state lines with a stolen vehicle), knew who she was, so she highly doubted she would be in any impending danger. But the fact that she would be leaving Johnnie... At least Homer Van Meter was with them, but that did little to alleviate her worry.
Johnnie could easily read the worry in her eyes, and a touched smile slid onto his face. He reached out and took her hands within his. "I'll be fine," he told her, knowing it was a struggle for her not to verbalize her worry. "You'll be fine. But when you do see Aubrey, I need you to introduce yourself as my wife."
Zelda's mouth dropped open at what he had told her to do, and her velvet eyes struggled to read Johnnie's, trying to make sure she hadn't misheard him. Sure, they had pretended to be husband and wife when they were staying together in apartments or houses or hotels; people rarely questioned that. It was actually more noticeable if a couple traveled together and stayed in the same room without the prerequisite of marriage. In fact, many people thought it was living in sin. Zelda didn't agree, but being married, however phony it was, was just much easier to travel a little less undetected.
But to actually introduce herself to Johnnie's sister as his wife? That would mean that Johnnie saw her as his wife, whether they were married or not, and wanted his family to know just how important she was to him. It might have been pretend, but to Johnnie, he didn't need a piece of paper to tell him one way or the other if he felt strongly for his girl; he knew he did and wanted his family to know that as well.
For a moment, Zelda was at a loss for words. But she finally managed to say, "Are you sure?"
Johnnie's lips twitched in amusement. "Well, darlin', that's one way to answer an indirect proposal," he teased, his smoky grey eyes sparkling. "But to answer your question, yes, I'm sure. I've already thought of you as my wife since Christmas, really, and since we can't make it official yet..."
Before Johnnie could pick up where he left off, Zelda quickly stood and threw herself into his arms, placing her lips on his and kissing him passionately. Of course she would see to it that the wooden gun made it to Aubrey. But not today. Tomorrow. She would do it tomorrow.
--
Zelda left early in the car, the wooden gun resting safely in her lap. It was the nineteenth of March, and the weather was finally starting to warm up. Spring was most certainly on its way. Johnnie had written directions to Aubrey's home. His older sister was now married with children, and while Johnnie did want Zelda to meet his entire family including his half-brother and father, he wanted to be there with her. But because he and Aubrey were so close, he didn't mind having Zelda go by herself. He just hoped she would be safe.
It was noon by the time Zelda arrived at the house. Her stomach was frantic with butterflies only because she hoped that Aubrey approved of her. Because Johnnie and Aubrey were still close, she wanted his sister's acceptance because it would only reiterate what Johnnie believed about her. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she walked up to the door, the wooden gun wrapped with tissue paper and placed in a bag to make certain that none of the children would see it, and knocked.
It took a few moments, but afterward, the door opened, and there stood a woman in her mid to late forties with the same smoky grey eyes Johnnie had made infamous. This had to be Aubrey. Her dark hair was pulled from her face and twisted into a fashionable but hasty braid, and she looked somewhat tired, but still quite handsome. She wasn't dressed fashionably, but it didn't appear as though Aubrey minded one way or the other. This caused Zelda to immediately take a liking to the older woman, and it was much easier to smile warmly despite her nerves.
"Hello," she began, hoping her voice was as polite as she thought it sounded. "I know you don't know me, but my name is Zelda Kelly, and I'm –"
"I know exactly who you are," Aubrey said, her entire face lighting up with her smile. "When Johnnie writes me, he always mentions you in some way or another. I must tell you that I'm very relieved that to hear that he has someone looking out for his best interest." Suddenly, her entire face paled upon realization. "You aren't here to tell me that something has happened to him, are you?"
Zelda quickly shook her head. "Oh, absolutely not," she replied. "No, no. Johnnie's safe, don't worry. But he wanted me to bring this to you. I believe he wrote that he would, but he sent me instead." She indicated the bag she was holding for Aubrey. "I'm..." It was an odd word that would enter her lips when associated with Johnnie, and she felt herself blush at the mere thought of it. "I'm his wife."
Aubrey's face was lit up with another smile, and she quickly beckoned Zelda in. "Well, come in, come in!" she exclaimed. "I'm alone right now and I think what we have here is a perfect opportunity for some tea, don't you think?" She shut the door behind Zelda and made sure to lock it. "I'm sorry to rush you inside, but I have no idea who's watching this place and who isn't, and if anything happened to you while you were here with me, then Johnnie would most certainly be very upset with me, and we can't have that. Come! Come!" Aubrey led Zelda into the kitchen and while Zelda took a seat at the dining table, her host began tea preparations. "The drive wasn't too bad?"
"No," Zelda replied. "Thank you for asking."
"So it's true then," Aubrey said, her eyes focused on the bag. The tea kettle was placed on the heated stove, so all that was left to do was to wait for the water to get hot. "Johnnie really escaped from jail using..." As she spoke, she reached in the bag and plucked out the wooden gun. "This."
For a long while, Aubrey said nothing. Instead, she seemed to be entirely focused on the item she was currently holding in her hands, as though it transfixed her. "I swear," she finally said. "One of these days, his recklessness is going to get him killed." A smile touched her face, but it was slightly tainted with sadness. "But if anyone could pull off something as crazy as this, it would be Johnnie."
"I have to agree with you there," Zelda said with a knowing smile. "I've seen him get out of things that I thought were impossible to escape."
"And you've stayed with him through it all, haven't you?" Aubrey asked, picking her eyes up to look at Zelda. "Even before, when you didn't know who Johnnie was. And when you did, you didn't leave. You stayed with him."
"He rescued me from a horrible marriage," Zelda said. "Just because his name was different didn't mean he was. He has always treated me with respect, and just because he's a criminal doesn't change that."
Aubrey smiled at that. "I always knew he would end up with you," she murmured quietly. "I could tel
l by the way he would write about you, probably even before he knew it. But I'm glad he finally realized what he has in you. I'm glad he's with you." She smiled again. "Now how about some tea? I'm sure you want to know all about Johnnie's childhood."
Zelda grinned. "I do," she agreed. "I really, really do."
Chapter 24
The party had been John Hamilton's idea. Johnnie and Zelda had recently moved into the Lincoln Court Apartments in St. Paul, a city close to Chicago, and one of the most corrupt – if not the most corrupt city – in the nation regarding crime. St. Paul was Johnnie's safe house, and here, he met back up with John Hamilton, Hamilton's girlfriend, Pat Cherington, and Pat's sister, Opal Long. John was in good spirits and wanted to celebrate being acquainted with Johnnie once more, and the gathering turned into a party.
Zelda didn't like it one bit. It was now the thirtieth of March, and they had been pretty lucky avoiding any and all law enforcement. In fact, Johnnie had taken a small break from robbing banks and instead, focused on Zelda. They talked a lot more, and of course, they made love. Zelda had never felt more connected to any other person on the entire planet. Everything about Johnnie felt right, and that was how she knew that Johnnie was different. He wasn't just another guy.
But no matter how much she loved him, that didn't mean she had to agree with everything he did, including this ridiculous party. Something inside of her told her something would result due to this shindig, and though Zelda couldn't tell what it was, she kept her guard up. After making the necessary social rounds, she decided to turn in. As she walked into the bedroom, her eyes couldn't help but glance over their semi-unpacked apartment. The suitcases were still on the floor, and three tommy guns rested on the window pane. Just in case. Luckily, the blinds were drawn so nobody could see the guns, or the couple would have had a serious problem.
Come Away with Me Page 11