Chapter 8
1646 Words
Anna hopped out of the shower, dried off, and wrapped her hair in a towel. She put makeup on, slid on the dress, and wore a pistol thigh and badge holder. She put on the jewelry and her BFF ring and did her hair with one side pinned up, letting the rest fall to her waist.
She slipped on baggy sweatpants and an oversized shirt to throw the bails of hay her dad asked her to do before she left without messing up her clothes. She threw her shoes in her duffle bag along with the purse and headed downstairs.
“Oh, Anna!” Annette laughed, looking at her daughter.
“What?” she asked, slipping on her boots.
“You look ridiculous.”
She looked down and laughed. She did look silly.
“I just put this on so I can throw the hay bails before I leave.”
“Oh, well, I thought that was your idea of formal wear.”
She laughed, lifted her shirt, and gave her mother a coy look.
“No, I just didn’t want to ruin my dress.”
Annette chuckled, and Anna headed out the door. She left her duffle bag next to the car, went to the barn, threw three hay bails off the loft, and walked toward the car. She threw her duffle bag in the passenger seat, got in, and headed to the station.
*****
When Anna got to the station, she walked in, and Paul laughed at her.
“Anna, I hope you are not going to the ball as a pumpkin.”
She snorted and made a face at him.
“Actually, Mr. Funny Man, I had to throw three haybails, and I couldn’t do that in this.”
She pulled off her shirt, boots, and sweatpants and pulled her shoes and purse out. She threw the stuff in her duffle bag and shoved it under her desk as he stared at her.
“Well, that outfit would have kept jerk-face’s hands off of you,” he grumbled, and she gave him a thoughtful look.
“Sounds to me like you are a little jealous when you shouldn’t be.”
He straightened. He didn’t know what came over him and shook his head.
“I’m sorry, Anna.”
She waved it off and looked at the sheriff.
“So, are we ready to head out?” she asked.
He sighed and nodded.
“Good luck,” said the sheriff.
“Please be careful. We do not need you disappearing as well.”
Anna smiled at her.
“Not to worry.”
The sheriff only nodded and knew that Anna was brilliant and could handle herself. However, she still worried about her officers in the line of duty, especially when dealing with powerful, dangerous men.
The plan was set, and everyone knew what to do. Anna and Paul left the station and headed toward Charton.
*****
“You will tell her tonight, Alexander!” demanded Victoria.
She and Xander were in his office, and he looked at her angrily.
“Look, I don’t know what your deal is with Anna, but I will not tell my best friend that we have to end our friendship over my paranoid wife’s delusions!” he yelled, and she looked at him in awe.
She scowled and shook her finger.
“You are marrying me!”
Xander gave her a stern look and threw his paper on the desk.
“Actually, Victoria, no, I’m not marrying you. The wedding is off,” he stated, and Victoria looked at him in shock.
“What did you just say?”
He got up from his chair and walked toward her.
“I’ve already called security, and your things have been packed for you. You will be escorted to the airport, on a plane, and returned to your father. You will not be ruining my life or my friendships any longer. Goodbye, Victoria!”
“Wait, Alexander, you can’t be serious!” she cried.
A few moments later, a security guard entered the room, and Xander nodded.
“Come on, ma’am, before Mr. Maverick calls the police.”
The man grabbed her arm, and Victoria struggled.
“I guess I better go, so you and that b***h don’t have the satisfaction…” she screamed, trailing off and struggling with the guard.
He shook his head, straightened the papers, and blew a long breath. He found her stealing money and files from him, and her father also hired her to spy on him.
Now that she had meddled in his personal businesses, he needed to set things right with everyone. The first person he dialed was Kirsten, but she didn’t answer, so he left a message.
“Kirsten, I know I am the last person you want to speak to, but I wanted to talk to you about doing a second grand opening for the Claw. Let’s just say I’ve had a change of heart. Please call me when you get this.”
He hung up the phone and decided to talk to her when he returned to town. He smirked and dialed another number. An old friend.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” said a girl’s voice.
“Helen, I know this is short notice, but would you like to attend my father’s ball with me tonight?”
There was a pause and a few clicks.
“Sure, Alexander. I would love to.”
He and Helen had been friends for a long time, and it was about time they visited their past.
“Great! I’ll pick you up at seven,” he said softly.
“Okay.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
He hung up the phone and grinned. Helen had always been interested in him as a person. The person he was before he met Victoria. He decided that maybe he needed to change back to the old him and give Helen her shot.
*****
Anna and Paul arrived at the Maverick Building at about seven that evening, and Paul pulled up to the front door and put the car in park. He looked at her and gently touched her face.
“Now, call me if you get into any trouble,” he whispered.
She searched his eyes, rested her hand on his, and nodded.
“I will.”
She got out of the car and walked up to the door. The doorman opened the door, and she stepped inside and was told to take the elevator to the second floor. She rode to the second floor, and her mouth dropped open when the elevator door opened. She couldn’t believe her eyes.
The second floor was a large ballroom with white-clothed tables set up in the front of the room, surrounding a podium, and gold drapes hung on the windows. The floor was black granite tiles separated by gold trim, and each tile sparkled in the light.
Everyone there was dressed elegantly and beautifully, and Anna noticed a few big crime bosses and their wives speaking with others. She made a face and hoped they didn’t recognize her.
Feeling nervous, she pulled her cell out and sent Justin a text.
‘Here.’
She then threw her cell in her purse, looked around, and saw the bathroom, her access point to the air duct. She studied the blueprints at the station, which helped her have a photographic memory.
A waiter passed by with a tray full of glasses of champagne and beer bottles. She grabbed a bottle and told the waiter, thank you.
Anna looked around the room and walked through the crowd, looking for Justin. Anna spotted him talking with a blonde girl, and it seemed he was a little over-friendly. She was standing close with her hands on his chest, and they were laughing about something.
She raised an eyebrow and felt a slight twinge of jealousy.
She snorted, shook her head, and pushed the feeling away. What was wrong with her? She knew better than to have any feelings toward Justin Hardy. He was the poster boy for Charton.
She rolled her eyes, sighed, and walked toward Justin and the girl. Justin looked her way, and his mouth dropped open. The girl’s smile faded, and she gave Anna a disgusted look.
“Wow, gorgeous, you look stunning,” he stammered.
Seeing the girl’s reaction, Anna snickered and shook her long red locks. Justin ignored the blonde girl and wouldn’t stop staring. She felt her cheeks begin to burn, and she giggled shyly.
Anna focused on the girl, who had a disgusted look on her face, and the girl placed a hand higher on his chest. She wanted to rip the girl away and smash her face into the concrete.
Stop it, Anna! Why are you acting like this?
Anna straightened and saw the blonde lean closer to Justin.
“Who is she?” she asked him.
Justin pulled away from the girl and walked toward Anna, looking into sparkling blue eyes.
“She,” he said, taking her hand and kissing the back.
“Is my stunning date! Most beautiful woman in the room.”
Anna giggled and looked away. He spun her around in a slow circle and looked her over.
“Wow,” he muttered, and she felt all tingly inside.
She took a deep breath and held her composure as the blonde girl scoffed and walked away.
“Don’t call me if this one leaves you high and dry,” she muttered, and Anna couldn’t help but laugh.
“You really know how to make a girl feel special and piss her off all at the same night,” snickered Anna, taking a swig of her beer.
He gave her a sheepish grin, and she took his arm.
“Come on, friend. Let’s get this party started,” she teased, and he laughed.
- Writer
