The Heart Collector (Under Editing)

Chapter 10: Warning

Fare was in Agatha's hotel room, rapidly stuffing clothes into the suitcase.

"Fare, slow down. What's going on?" Agatha had her arms folded across her chest, "One minute I was going to take a shower and the next you were beating down my hotel door."

She was breathing hard in attempt to quell the panic that was brewing, "You need to leave."

"What? Why?"

"Captain Snow figured out my connection with you and Kila."

Agatha slowly released her arms, "What?"

Fare ran into the bathroom and shouted, "I know you heard me."

Agatha rolled her eyes, "Don't sass me. I meant was how. We were careful. Did you say something to him to make him think that?"

"No." Fare slammed a drawer.

"Was there anything in Kila's apartment?"

The bathroom door rattled its frame.

"No. As far as I knew they only connected her to me because she called the new number that I had set up at the time."

"Well Fare, he must have found something. Did you slip up somehow?"

Fare violently threw down the toiletries that were in her hands, "I don't know! I don't know how he figured it out! He is either just that good of an investigator or he has an incredible bullshit detector! Aggie the proverbial cat is out of the bag and instead of getting you as far away from Meridia as we can, I'm playing twenty questions!"

"Don't take your anger with the situation out on me Fare Blackglade! Throwing a tantrum at me won't help!"

"A tantrum! A tantrum! Agatha, this isn't a tantrum that a five-year-old has!"

Agatha smiled, "Really? Because you remind me of you at five-years-old. You've never grew out of it."

Fare closed her eyes in frustration and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Seriously Aggie. Now is not the time to try and crack jokes."

Agatha turned serious and grabbed her hands, "I know. I know that you're scared. I am too, but we need to think about this calmly before we do anything too rash. I assume that he told you. When was this?"

Fare took several calming breaths. Agatha was right. Her anger did not need to boil over.

"After the funeral, he managed to find where I was hiding. I stopped him before he could say it fully aloud and then he said that he was sorry for my loss. After I made sure he was fully gone, I beelined it here."

"Did he threaten you?"

"No, but I may have threatened him."

Agatha slapped her upside the head, "Damn it Fare! Why do you always let your anger run? You're lucky he didn't arrest you on the spot"

Fare held the spot where she hit her. A comeback was on her tongue, but she stopped before she could utter it and her eyes grew wide.

"Fare? What is it?"

"Aggie, he didn't arrest me."

"Yes Fare, I can see that."

Fare rolled her eyes and lightly punched her arm, "Here you are berating me for not using my head and you are doing it too. He didn't arrest me. He should have. I threatened him and I broke one of the Fae's Treaties. By law he should have arrested me on the spot."

"So why didn't he?"

"I don't know. Maybe he is waiting for a warrant. I honestly don't know. He could be waiting to see what I'm going to do. Either way, I could be just a matter of time before they come for us."

"What do you suggest we do?"

"You getting out of Meridia I think is still our best option."

"If you're right about them waiting to see what our next move will be, won't they be monitoring the ways out of town?"

Agatha had a point. The trains and buses would be watched more carefully, but the crowds could provide a sufficient distraction. A bus would be easier to stop and depending on the time of day, they would run into a Truthfall patrol. The train would be harder to stop.

"Yes, there is a chance of that, but if you successfully board a train. It would be harder for them to stop it. Now where to go is the question. Larkston is out. That would be the first place they'll look for you."

"What about you? What will you do?"

Fare looked at her with a soft expression, "I'm staying in Meridia."

"What? Fare-."

"Aggie, I can't leave. I have to catch Kila's killer."

"But-."

"I know the risks, but I can't leave."

Agatha drew her into a hug when she knew that she had lost this fight.

"Just, please be careful and don't get yourself killed. Your hotheadedness gets you into more trouble than you realize."

Fare tightened the hug.

"No promises." She half joked.

Agatha cleared her throat and released her, "So, if Larkston is out, there where?"

Fare smirked and Agatha looked at her in confusion. Several seconds past then Agatha widened her eyes.

"No."

"Aggie-."

"No."

"She's the best option."

"We haven't spoken in years."

"Which is why she's perfect. She would be the last person they would expect you to go to. They will check the places you are most comfortable with first."

Agatha fidgeted. She was uncomfortable with what she had suggested.

"What if she doesn't let me in?"

Fare smiled, "Aggie, Petra will let you in. You're her blood. Besides, I won't be with you so that should help her open the door."

Agatha still did not seem fully convinced and Fare could not blame her. She wished that she could turn back time, but it was just a dream.

Fare zipped up the suitcase, "Let's go. We should be able to get you on the last train if we hurry."

A soft knock came at the door and they exchanged looks. Fare held up her index finger to her lips and made for the bathroom. Agatha waited until Fare was fully in the bathroom and opened the door to a young girl that wore the name tag, Gina.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you Mrs. Woods, but this was dropped off at the front desk for you." She handed Agatha a small parcel.

"For me? Who dropped it off?"

"It was a carrier mam."

Agatha thanked her and closed the door. Fare came out of the bathroom and saw the parcel.

"Who was it?"

"A hotel employee. Someone had a carrier drop this off."

Agatha carefully unwrapped the parcel and nearly screamed. It was a bundle of hair and several nail clippings. A note at the center read: Stop, Fare. Fare drew Agatha into a hug. It appeared that someone else knows about their relationship. It would need testing, but Fare had a hunch that the hair and clippings were Kila's. Fare needed to get her on the train right now. They were both just threatened.

"Aggie, we need to leave right now."