Finding love with the Captain #wattys2019

Chapter 18

As night fell I packed my bag with a few clothes as well as some money that had somehow ended up in the bottom of my purse. I didn't know how nearly two thousand dollars in small bills were rolled up in there but frankly, at the moment I didn't care. I had told Steve that I was going to bed as I had a really bad headache and do not disturb me while I slept it off. Thankfully he hadn't seen through my lie and left me in peace.

I had heard Clint and Tasha speaking earlier that she was going to be on watch tonight, so I knew that I would need to sneak out behind her back. Picking up a piece of paper I left a quick note for Steve as an apology for leaving, but I knew that I needed to get out of here tonight.

Once I grabbed my bag and placed the note on my pillow I opened up the window to my room which led out onto the sloped roof at the back of the house. Tasha should be at the front. The only problem I had would be that Steve's room was right next to mine, I had to pass it to climb safely down the roof to the ground below.

I took a deep breath as I swung my legs out of the window before I reached back in to grab my bag of clothes. My plan was simple, I would walk to the nearest town and spend the night at a shitty motel where names were never asked for. I would change my appearance and then catch a coach to some far away city where I could start my life anew.

As I crept past Steve's window I held my breath as he started to mutter in his sleep before he settled back down when little snores came from the open window. Quietly I eased myself to the side of the roof where Clint had built a sturdy trellis at the back of the house; as I said a little prayer I started to climb down until my feet hit the hardened ground beneath. I hitched up my bag to fit securely on my back and ran towards the woods, disappearing into the shadows before anyone in the house realized I was gone.

**

He watched from the shadows as the figure emerged from the woods that circled the property, he had seen her leave the house through an open window and had followed her through the woods although she hadn't realized it.

Anna Smith was worth a lot of money, in fact, he had been offered a substantial amount to take her out of the picture for the money man. If she testified then the person who had offered him the contract would have his reputation ruined and spend quite a long time in jail, as once she came forward all the other women he had come in contact with would also come out of the woodwork.

He noticed that she had begun to walk down the road; she was a crazy broad to hike towards the town which was five miles away. Making sure he kept his distance he followed her to see where she would end up and what she planned on doing.

**

The trek into town had taken most of the night, in fact as I entered the borders of the little town the convenience store was just opening so quickly I walked through the store and headed straight for the hair product aisle. Once I picked up a bottle of hair bleach I grabbed a pair of scissors and made my way to the checkout.

The man behind the counter looked at me as he scanned my purchases before he looked up as the doorbell jangled behind me. In the mirror, I could see a man wearing leather trousers and jacket, with long black hair, although sunglasses covered his eyes. He looked vaguely familiar but as I couldn't see his eyes I wasn't sure where from.

As he perused the shelves behind me I paid for my items and quickly left the shop, I kept my head down in case so no one would be able to recognize me. Once I looked up I spotted a flea bit motel on the corner and decided to hire a room for the night so I could change my appearance.

Once I entered the reception area the manager, a bald man with bloodshot grey eyes and pudgy features, came out of the back room with a coffee cup in his hand