He Was Not Their Man

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Dewey's patrol jeep makes its way down mainstreet.  It's almost dark.  The street is close to deserted. Dewey's behind the wheel having a heated conversation with Tatum while Sid stares out the window. 

DEWEY: A party? Mom's gonna kill you. Then me. 

TATUM: Don't be so self-righteous. It's just a little blow out--we'll be perfectly safe. 

Randy murmurs, "We were not 'perfectly safe', huh Nico?" Nicolle snorts and Dewey and Gale shake their hands fondly at the two.

Nicolle stares out the window. CLOSED SIGNS fill the storefronts, a
few people rush to their car, in a hurry to beat curfew. 

NICOLLE: God, look at this place, it's THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN. 

DEWEY: Hey, I saw that movie. True story, 'bout some killer in Texas. 

TATUM: Hey, Nica. Just think if they make a movie about you. Who's gonna play you? 

NICOLLE: Oh, god... 

Dewey comes to a stop, parking the car in front of the police station, They all get out of the car and onto the sidewalk. 

DEWEY: I see you as a young Meg Ryan myself. 

NICOLLE: Thanks, Dewey. But with my luck they'd cast Tori Spelling. 

Dewey heads for the station. 

DEWEY: I'll just be a few minutes. Don't go far. 

The girls take off for the local supermarket that sits across the street. 

NICOLLE: Is Billy going to be there tonight? 

TATUM: He better not be. I told Stu to keep his mouth shut. I think we can live without EVERYBODY'S ALL AMERICAN for one night. 

They approach the grocery store.  Small and simple.  Nicolle and Tatum grab a shopping cart from the bin and enter the store, pushing the cart through two sliding glass doors. A lone CHECKOUT LADY behind the counter, big and frumpy, looks up from counting money. 

CHECK OUT LADY: You girls gonna have to hurry it up. We're under curfew. 

TATUM: Two minutes tops. 

They make a beeline for the junk food section just as the automated doors slide shut behind them and a GHOST MASKED FIGURE appears, out of nowhere, standing just outside, watching, quietly through the glass store windows.

"Ah shit!" Sirius shouted. Caelum held a hand over his heart, "Damn it Papa, you almost gave me a heart attack.

EXT.  POLICE STATION - SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Sheriff Burke's face heats up as Deputy Riley marches in, hurriedly. 

SHERIFF BURKE: Dewey! Where the hell you been, boy? 

DEWEY: Keeping my eye on Nicolle. 

SHERIFF BURKE: Listen up, Dewey, because it's bad. Real bad. Aircomp just faxed us. The calls were listed to Neil Prescott--Nicolle's father. He made the calls with his cellular phone. It's confirmed. 

DEWEY: Couldn't his cellular number have been cloned? 

SHERIFF BURKE: There's more. Guess what tomorrow is? The anniversary of his wife's death. It all fits. He's our man. 

"He wasn't their man, was he?" Remus asks. Nicolle shakes her head with pursed lips.

DEWEY: Have you contacted the bureau? 

SHERIFF BURKE: They believe he's out of state by now. We'll keep roadblocks and curfew in effect through the night. If he's not picked up by morning--we'll do a house to house. 

DEWEY: You think he could still be in town? 

SHERIFF BURKE: He'd have to be crazy. Where's Nicolle? 

DEWEY: She's with my sister. Should I bring her in? 

SHERIFF BURKE: Hold off for now. Just stay close to her. 

DEWEY: She'll be with her friends over at Stu Maker's tonight. 

SHERIFF BURKE: Watch her. Don't let on--just keep your eyes out. 

DEWEY: Yes, sir. 

INT.  SUPERMARKET - FEW MINUTES LATER

Nicolle and Tatum push a basket through the junk food section.  The store is completely empty.  The girls gab freely. 

NICOLLE: Billy's right. Whenever he touches me, I just can't relax. 

TATUM: You have a few intimacy issues as a result of your mother's untimely death. It's no big deal. You'll thaw out.  

NICOLLE: But he's been so patient with me, Tatum. You know, with all the sex stuff. How many guys would put up with a girlfriend who's sexually anorexic? 

"They should if you're in a healthy relationship." Lily said and women across the hall nodded in agreement. Nicolle nodded and sent her a small smile, "I figured that one out already, but thanks."

TATUM: Billy and his penis don't deserve you. 

Nicolle grabs some chips and salsa from the shelf.  Down the aisle, through the storefront window the GHOST MASKED FIGURE still stands watching their every move. Nicolle pushes the cart out of the glass door with Tatum riding it. The GHOST MASKED FIGURE is nowhere to be found. Nicolle stops just short of a laugh.  Tatum pulls the back jeep door, loading the groceries in.  Behind her, the GHOST MASKED FIGURE appears, just out of their sight, behind the jeep's open back door.

TATUM: There's that sense of humor. I knew it still existed. Ohh, Nica, let's have some fun tonight. 

NICOLLE: Deal. 

Nicolle moves to the back door and closes it shut, when from behind DEWEY stands.  Nicolle jumps, startled.

DEWEY: You girls ready. 

NICOLLE: Yeah. 

DEWEY: Looks like I'm your personal bodyguard tonight, Colle. 

TATUM: No, Dewey. You'll ruin the whole night.

DEWEY: Sorry, police orders. I'll stay out of the way, I promise. 

TATUM: Shit. 

Tatum kicks the shopping cart out of the way, blindly.  It rolls down the road by itself, gaining speed on a decline running smack into the GHOST MASKED FIGURE who stops the cart cold with one hand. 

"He's creepy as shit." Sirius says. "He's a murderer, Pads." Remus deadpans








Author's Note

Hi!

I finally got this out after much procrastination. If you want to see edits of ongoing and upcoming stories, check out my tiktok lilypadswritesshit. Hope you enjoyed!

Until next time loves ❤️

-Lils <3

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