And It Went Up In Smoke

Chapter 16: Grand Theft Auto

Duncan POV

We all stood in a line, staring at the shopfront in dismay. It looked run-down and dusty, but it was the only store for miles around. And it seemed open. 

"No point standing around, let's go check it out." Izzy ventured.

I nodded, reached out for Violet's hand, and began making my way to the door. The bell on top jangled cheerfully as the door was pushed open. A burly man sat behind the counter, slouched over his chair. His head was tilted back, newspaper resting on his enormous potbelly. He woke with a snort, "Welcome to Last Chance General Store. What can I do for ya?"

"We were wondering if we could use your telegram machine?" Violet asked.

"Right at the back. Now dontchu guys look familiar...where have I seen y'all before?" He scrunched up his eyebrows and peered into our faces. My heart started hammering in my chest. The Daily Punctilio had been doing regular features on the 5 of us. Hopefully he didn't believe we were murderers. Calling the police wouldn't be in our favour.

"We've never been here, I doubt you've seen us before." Klaus replied calmly. I tried to look as innocent. I was innocent, why was I freaking out?

The man behind the counter narrowed his eyes further, then shrugged and sat back down. "Well, go 'head and use the telegram machine then."

"Thank you." I said, and began making my way around the store to the back. It was small and cramped, dim lights hanging overhead, packed with second hand junk. Being stuck in an elevator shaft, a red herring and then a crow fountain had put me on edge whenever there was crowd and clutter. I tried to even out my breathing. Violet squeezed my hand, and I squeezed back gratefully.

The machine wasn't hard to find. Violet handed Sunny over to Klaus and began tinkering with the machine. "Alright," she said a moment later, wiping dust from her hands, "Let's send a telegram to Mr. Poe telling him about Hector and the mobile home. We can find our way after he comes to collect us."

"Alright, sure. Does the machine work okay?" Izzy asked.

"Mostly, it should do the job." Violet responded.

The bell jangled again. Footsteps sounded. I peered over the side of the racks and saw a lanky man with a stack of newspapers under his arm. 

"Good day, Milt." he said.

"How y'doing?" said the man behind the counter.

"Not bad, business is going slow though."

"Humph. Bad times will pass, no doubt. Whatchu got for me today?", Milt asked.

"30 copies of The Daily Punctilio, as requested.", the delivery man said.

"You're a good man, Holt. Set 'em 'ere on the counter for me, would'ya?"

"Mhm. Those orphan murderers are all over the front page. The Baudles and Quackmires." Holt said.

"Is that so?" Milt picked one newspaper off the top of the stack, and let his eyes roam the headlines. "Count Olaf Behind Bars, Orphans Wanted For Murder."

I froze, turning to the others. Panicked expressions were everywhere. My blood rushed, heart pounding in my ears. We weren't safe anymore. Get down, I mouthed, and we all ducked behind the rack. 

"Hey, hold on a minute..." Milt's voice sounded. "I got these kids at the back of the shop right now!  Said they wanted to use the telegram machine! I knew I seen them somewhere before! Filthy brats! Get out here!"

I heard shuffling behind the counter. Footsteps grew louder. "Run!" I shouted, and all of us bolted out the back door. The sunlight was blinding after being in the dark shop. I squinted and tried to look for somewhere we could hide, but we were smack in the middle of nowhere. The only thing for miles around was sand. 

"Here!" Violet called out. "Get in the truck!"

We dashed madly towards a blue pickup truck with newspapers all over the backseats. I helped Klaus, Isadora and Sunny into the back, then climbed into the front next to Violet. 

Milt and Holt were mere feet away from reaching the truck, screaming. "Get back here, you killers! That's my truck!" Holt yelled.

The keys were still in ignition. Violet shut the doors, strapped on the seatbelt and slammed her foot down on the accelerator. The car lurched forward, and she twisted the steering wheel sharply, veering us on to the road, sand and dust left in our wake. I looked out of the rear view mirror to see Milt and Holt coughing and trying to catch up to the truck.

I made sure that Klaus, Izzy and Sunny were okay before turning around to face Violet. Her face was scrunched up in determination, trying to drive the car straight. She felt my gaze on her, and flicked her eyes towards me before looking back on the road. "Something wrong?"

"Just wondering when you got the time to learn to drive."

She flushed, embarrassed. "I used to tinker around with mum and dad's car at night after they slept. And I may have driven it around a couple times."

"So you were the one who dented the hood!" Klaus exclaimed, mouth dropped open in shock.

"Yes." Violet said.

"I knew it!" Klaus sat back down with a thump, as if relieved to have finally figured it out.

"That's not the point right now."

"You look really hot right now, though." I whispered to her, putting an arm behind my head and leaning back into my seat. Her face turned a darker shade of pink, and her lips quirked up from the edges.

She cleared her throat before she continued. "It's worse that none of us managed to pick up food or something to drink while we were there. There's no other place for a very long time."

"Ugoo!" Sunny babbled, taking out biscuits and juice bottles from under her sweater. 

"I picked some up too." Izzy said, fishing chips out of her pocket.

"Me three." Klaus said, producing bottles of water and apples.

"Well, then...I guess we're set till we reach wherever this road takes us." 

"Hopefully we reach there soon." I said. 

"Hopefully." Violet echoed.