CHAPTER 5
ELIZABETH’S CASH PAID for a cheap motel room in a small town an hour’s bus ride from Richmond. It claimed to have two stars, and some joker had drawn a minus sign in front of them, which seemed quite appropriate. But when I’d handed over an extra twenty bucks, the greasy lump behind the reception desk had dropped a key on the counter without asking for any of my details then gone back to the can of beer he’d left on the arm of the stained recliner he appeared to live in.
I hated having to take Tabby into that room for our first night of freedom. Every piece of furniture was filthy or broken, and the odour of stale cigarettes clung to the walls. I spread out my coat on the bed for Tabby to sit on while I set about unpacking the groceries I’d picked up on the way. Lucky I hadn’t
