Savage (A Blood Feud Novel)

Chapter Eleven

Rachel had parked her car at no more than three vehicles behind the Volkswagen. James had a twelve-gauge pump action shotgun. Both were wearing military camouflage with black high boots. James had on a black ski mask to go with the look.

"Rachel, you're sure this is the woman we've been looking for?" James asked.

Rachel loosened her grip on the steering wheel. She checked the time on her watch. It was a half-hour until midnight. She took a deep breath.

"Yeah, she's the one."

James took off his ski mask. He was eleven years Rachel's junior but the two came from the same cloth or so James had thought at first.

Over time the pair developed a fondness for each other which James was beginning to regret. James took out a cigarette and a lighter. Rachel watched him. She hated watching James smoke.

"Don't put that thing near me," she said bluntly.

"I'm not, am I?" James asked.

He took a few puffs of the cigarette. Rachel rolled down her window to let the smoke filter out of the van. She didn't like the smell of it.

"How long have you been watching?" James asked.

"I've had my eyes on her for about three days," Rachel said. "She's an easy mark."

James nodded.

"So, several days and we find us here?"

"Yeah sweetheart," Rachel said.

"So all we have to do is rob her and take her valuables huh? She doesn't look like she has much."

"This is personal. I was once an intern at the paper she works. The bitch had me fired from the place soon after. Now I have my chance to even the score!"

"I didn't know you had worked at the paper," James said.

Rachel said, "There's so much you don't know about me."

James had a feeling she was lying, but the last thing he wanted was to call her out. Rachel could get pissed when he opposed her.

"So how did this woman get you fired?" James asked.

"That's the thing," Rachel said. "I thought up a story idea about a double murder from the eighties. Something to do with a character named Cleaver."

"I was told about this Cleaver guy back in prison," James said. "He was a popular topic for the lads."

"Yeah, I guess so," Rachel said. "Anyways, being the eager intern, I went full steam to chase the story. It turned out the bitch had something about this Cleaver fellow and when she got wind of my chase of the story she had me fired."

"I see."

"Yeah, and the woman is..."

"Carolyn O'Grady," James said. "That's the name you told me before."

"Oh, right, yeah, Carolyn. Anyway, I knew it was real because there was a letter I stole from her box containing the reporter's address," Rachel said.

"And are you sure she's the one?" James asked.

Rachel leaned her head back a bit and yawned. James did the same. After, he stretched his hands and arms. The two lovers were tired but they knew they had a job to do and it had to be done. So far they were in sight of the target.

"It's her. Take my fucking word for it," Rosalyn said.

"Okay, let's go," James said.

He quickly put on his ski mask again and got out of the car with Rachel.