UNDERCOVER {Competed} 😌

chapter 28(ii)

Joshua.

I sat on the bed in Bates motel and put Joe Piper's tape into my and was settling down to give it another listen. I smothered my jolt of hope and got up to answer the door. If it is Mercy,and I was fervently hoping it wasn't, well,I'd tell her to take a hike.

Jim nearly raped her,for Gods sake,yet she had the nerve to say I screwed up!  There was a limit to what I could take.

I jerked open the door,banging it against the inside wall. Mercy gave a jump and stared up at me from beneath spiked eyelashes. She smiled shyly.

"Hi."
She looked small and fragile and infinitely delectable,all bundled up in that oversized shirt. Her curls tumbled about her round eyes and I ached to crush her on my chest.

"You want something?" I asked curtly.
"To talk." She stepped forward,"can I come in?"
"What's wrong?" I replied caustically,but I stepped aside and let her in anyway. "Did you fail to find the date to the wedding?"

"Actually, yes. But that's not why I am here."

"Sure it is," I  responded,unwilling to listen to her lies. I hurt,deep within,in some secret and usually protected place.

"You mean more to me than the story." She rubbed her hands together,entwined her fingers,and held them in front of her. Looking directly in my eyes,she announced. "I love you,Joshua."

Every muscle in my body froze. Her words rang with sweetness. Oh,sweet,so sweet,and they sparked a longing so intense that it terrified me.

Terror took over and I lashed out. "Bullshit. Don't kid me Mercy,you have come to ask me when the wedding will be."

"No" a shake sent her curls flying. "I'm here to tell you where the wedding will be held. I want you to have the story,"

"In my dreams!" I spun away and walked to the window, gazed out on the paved parking lot. "Get out of here Pepper. I'm tired of being used."

"Used?" Her voice thickened,yet still I didn't turn around. Silence filled the room, broken only by a slamming of a car door outside. When she spoke again, it was without resignation,"I supposed to have the right to believe that."

"I asked you to leave." I couldn't stand to hear anymore lies.

I heard footsteps the door opened. "The wedding will be at Two Mo–"
"Out" I shouted.

I expected a slamming of the door,but heard only a soft click. Mercy was gone.

My body felt heavy,like am old man's, as I shuffled back the cassette player. Everything I've worked for,dreamed of,was at stake. I knew I had cut my own throat by refusing to heat Pepper out but I hadn't believed she'd give me the true location anyway. It was probably a lie just to throw me off truck.

I pushed the play button on my recorder and sat down to listen. The muscles on my back screamed,my shoulders spasmed,and I flexed them to ease the tension,noticing that believing the worst of Mercy made me feel better. After I finished reviewing the tape,I'd think of the worst thing she has ever done. By the time I left for the city,I'd have the story in my bag and a million grievances against her.

Suddenly I realized I wasn't hearing any sounds from the recorder. I pushed the fast forward button and heard nothing. A few more seconds passed I found the tape blank.

A howl of range burned through my throat and in that instant I knew I had still clung to one slim thread of hope. Now it was snapped. I leapt for the door and run down to Mercy's room.

I pounded on the door yelling,"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!" And received no answer.

Other doors opened,voices murmured. Someone asked,"what's going on?"

I stopped the slamming and noted several people staring at me in alarm. Struggling to control my rage,I mumbled. "Uh,she's a heavy sleeper. Sorry to disturb you."

I stumbled back to my room and my mind was spinning. Where had Mercy gone? Had she left for the City? I laughed bitterly. With the time and location in her pocket? Highly unlikely. But still I called the front desk and asked if she had checked out.

"No," the woman replies."although she was here a little while ago asking about rental cars."

After asking the woman to arrange a car for me too,I hung up and reviewed my options.  Never wondering why Mercy even bothered since she had the tape in her little hands. I congratulated myself in fending off her attempts to ferret the date from me.

I still had my hand on the telephone when it rang.
Mercy! She had come to her senses.
Steeling myself to be gracious, yet aloof,I picked up the receiver.
"Joshua," said agent Joe's voice on the other end,smashing my fragile fantasy. "Listen,darling,o have something to tell you,From Mercy."

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Teenie Bee