Caught Red Lipped

Chapter 11

Dana drove recklessly through the streets, not caring at all for the condition of her lustrous,  black Bentley.  She was flustered, yet feeling clever. After all, she had made her getaway now, before police ever even began their search.
'Play all my cards right, and I can still easily outsmart them' her deranged mind told her.
She drove all day, until she reached New Mexico. She had crossed state borders, and she was confident police wouldn't expect that.
As she drove along a rural street that circled a small lake, her air of smug confidence returned.
'I am Dana Lorington.' The actress reminded herself.
'No one could possibly suspect a thing.' Then she chuckled a bit to herself about that.
Glancing to her right at the beautiful lake, Dana noticed an inviting Bed and Breakfast nestled into the edge. It was quaint and rustic. It looked exactly like an elongated log cabin, complete with a smoking chimney.
Dana had been driving all day, and she could only imagine how much her body would welcome a fresh room to spend the night. So, she pulled into the small parking lot at the end of the dirt road and waltzed in, feeling very out of place in her platform heels and sunglasses.
There was no one at the front desk, and Dana got the impression that the business didn't get many customers. She supposed that was good for her. It was much easier to stay hidden here if no one knew where she was.
Thinking on the fly, the actress tucked her long hair inside the collar of her blouse and lowered the brim of her hat so as to cover a large portion of her face. Feeling adequately covered, she then rang the small, silver bell at the end of the wooden counter. A petite girl with a shy countenance appeared from a back room.
"Hello, are you here to rent a room or do you just need directions?"
Dana thought that was an odd welcome, but replied anyway, doing her best to disguise her famous voice.
"I need a room, please."
"Of course." The girl beamed " How many nights?"
How was Dana supposed to answer? She hadn't the slightest inkling how long she would be here, but, knowing that money was no matter, she decided on a week. She could always leave early if she felt she had to.
"And may I have a name for the room?"
"Uhhh... Danielle Locke." Dana hesitated, then grinned at the name she had invented on the spot.
"Perfect! Here's a key, Danielle. Your room number is 14."
With a nod, Dana took the jangling keys and headed down the hall to her room.