On the Run by M Zeigler (short story to read TXT) 📖

to be given a silent reprimand, whenever my father gives that irritated look it’s a good time for the person he’s looking at to remain silent and not push their luck. Jack may be old, he may not be in his youth, but he’s still more than able to whoop up on someone. He’s had a few people make an attempt on his life in recent years, it never ends well for them, sadly, after the fight, Jack spends the next two weeks on pain medication but no one is strong enough to take him down and Devon has long since given up because my father has nothing more monetarily to offer the jerk.

“Like I said a minute ago, I knew that Rodney would be offering you a badge so I took the Mustang back to the shop and brought the whole team in on the project.” My dad starts as he fishes around in his pants pocket for something. When he pulls his hand back he has a handful of receipts, a wadded up straw wrapper and about twenty dollars all tangled up around my car keys. Barrette gives an amused snort at my father’s confused expression while everyone stands and watches him untie the mess of papery items from the car keys. When he finally frees my defenseless car keys Jack take’s lead out the front door over to the garage door that is currently closed.

The family is also curious to see what my father has done with my beloved car so they each creep out one by one until everyone is standing on the brick built path way outside the front door. Now that everyone is present for this revealing, Jack starts talking.

“Since we know how Devon is with guns, and honestly everyone knows how you drive I figured it would be a good idea to give you an official police vehicle.” Jack says then slides open the garage door. A shutter of fear runs through my causing my eyes to slam shut praying silently that he did not bolt police lights to the roof of my car. My only calming offer is Barrette’s approving whistle after a thunderous rattling of the garage door sliding open.

“What do you think?” Jack asks finally, taking one last deep breath I crack open my left eye just enough to see that my mustang looks pretty much the same as it did before it was impounded except the color has changed to a more candy apple red. My License plate is also been replaced with an official FBI plate telling me that my dad knew long before I did that I was being offered a place in the FBI. From here I can also see that the blood stained interior is no longer; in place of the old seats are well cushioned race bucket seats, front and back. 

“After some long hard work I can say that you have a new engine that clocks in with an astounding…god help the other drivers, eighteen hundred horses, and reaches a maximum speed of two hundred and seventy five miles per hour.” Jack begins as he waves me into the garage, I watch as he reaches in the open driver’s window to pop the hood. I can see the brand new chromed out engine showing all fancy high tech car parts, though I cannot name a single one of them, I know what they do to make the car run.

As Barrette and my sisters, plus Alex reach the front of the car, jack is leading me around the side where he stops by the passenger’s door; he knocks on the roof then looks at me. “The exterior is the same except I reinforced the inside to make it armor plated, it’s solidly bullet proof even armor piercing rounds will have an issue passing through. The windows on all sides are now bullet proof as well; the interior is stain resistant leather, the bucket seats are lined with memory foam, should make traveling a little less painful.” Jack adds then points through the passenger window to the dash board on the driver’s side. “You can see the racing gauges in the dashboard, there’s a brand new top of the line sound system with CD and cassette tape deck capabilities. And to make things a lot less cramped, I extended the trunk and did this.” Jack says then leads to the trunk where he uses the key to open the trunk, he lifts up the floor of the trunk to expose a full arsenal. All of my weapons are safely hidden in my car, there’s even a new addition to the family I notice just as my dad is reaching for the AR-15. “And Merry Christmas.” Jack says handing me the gun, I beam a huge grin back at him as he hands the riffle over to me. “Thank you dad, for everything.” I say carefully leaning in for a one armed hug that he easily returns. “That’s it, can you adopt me?” Heather asks sounding serious; Jack laughs off the question probably not sure how to answer that.

 “Get going, you’ve got a bad guy to catch.” My dad announces as he tosses the car keys over to me, I catch them easily then turn around to place the new riffle back in its slot. Afterwards I look to Barrette who is already getting into the car so I take to the driver’s side of the car finding that the classic is already unlocked. Inside the vehicle I take a moment to appreciate the insanely comfortable seats and the smell of new leather interior also noticing that the Bonnie is scrawled into the leather dashboard.

Barrette sighs as his manager Marcus calls through, I recognize the ring tone from the one time Marcus called back at the cabin in Nevada. I waste no time in starting the car but the timing is bad on Barrette’s behalf, the roaring sound that comes from the engine all but silences Barrette’s greeting to Marcus.  “I’m riding with Bonnie to Georgia, Devon managed to escape capture.” Barrette explains to Marcus, I hear a disapproving shout on the other end of the line as I wait for everyone behind the car to move. I might actually feel bad if I ran one of them over, especially my dad because this couldn’t have been cheap or easy for him to do. That must be why he in so much pain today, I keep telling him not to over exert himself because of his broken back but he never listens.

“I know, Marcus, Bonnie just joined the FBI and Devon is still on the loose, her and I started this whole mess and Devon did swear vengeance. We really have no other choice we have to finish this together, I’ll give my best effort to be to the concert on time but I can’t make any promises. It’s only a three day drive to Georgia but we are taking our time getting there, we want to make sure Devon stays on our trail instead of causing another Floyd incident.” Barrette says then quickly hangs up on Marcus who instantly started yelling after Barrette fell silent.

“Let’s roll.” Barrette says as I drop the car into reverse, everyone outside the house clears out of my way as I roll the car out of the garage then the drive way and a little ways down the sloping street before hitting the gas pedal to the floor sending the car shrieking louder than ever up the street.

“If we don’t die on this trip it will be a miracle.” Barrette mutters under his breath as I tear down the street with my sights set for the freeway thinking of how to locate Devon and lure him into Georgia. That’s the hard part is finding Devon and getting him to follow us, if he hasn’t attacked my dad’s house yet then he isn’t following us anymore.

“Is your Georgia stop listed on your website?” I ask Barrette when a sudden thought sparks into my mind. Barrette gives a silent nods yes confirming that it’s easy public information on where he will be touring. “I need you to call someone and have Marcus interviewed so he can explain to the world that we both think Devon is in prison even after a big scare last night thinking he was somehow free and that we are both heading to the Georgia concert.” I explain my idea to Barrette without pausing to breathe. Barrette looks at me with a pleading look almost begging him not to do what we both know he has to, finally he grimaces knowing that he needs to call this favor into Marcus, there just isn’t any other option.

Chapter 15

 

On the run chapter 15

Two weeks and counting

Bonnie’s perspective

“I have Mr. Hank with me today, the band manager for hit singer songwriter Barrette Green, who sadly couldn’t be here today for the interview.” The red haired peppy reporter on the big star news television show introduces when the camera comes back from commercials.

“Hello.” Marcus says to her giving a nervous nod towards the camera somewhat greeting the people watching on last night’s recording. “Marcus can you tell us what has been going on with Mr. Green? I mean he goes missing after a big show at the orange county fairgrounds and then turns up on America’s most wanted three days later after his partner becomes wanted for murder. Now, all charges against both him and Miss. Bonnie parker were dropped.” The reporter inquires seeming way to intrigued to gather an answer.

“Well, I can’t go into detail on what exactly happened but basically a crazed man decided to tempt Barrette’s bad boy nature and Miss. Bonnie parker is distantly related to the man. All that we know outside of that is Miss. Bonnie Parker the second, late, direct descendent of the outlaw Bonnie Parker did take Devon Morgan down in Floyd, Louisiana. Of course that’s kind of amusing; the two thought they saw Mr. Morgan wandering through the pre- award party last night at the spur awards. They chased some poor party patron about eight blocks away before they realized it was not Devon.” Marcus explains sounding as if he isn’t lying at all, he executed that story perfectly like the retired cop he is. The woman interviewing sets her microphone down on her lap with a very poor show of laughter.

“Wow that is so crazy! Tell me this, where is Barrette now, why couldn’t he be here tonight?” The interviewer asks leaning in towards Marcus to add to the intriguing act she’s going for. “Barrette is on the road right now with Bonnie Parker, the two decided to take one last drive together before they go their separate way. They are headed for Georgia but they are about two days behind me. Last time I called they were leaving Braxton Oklahoma headed the Arkansas border.” Marcus confirms our exact location minus the details of what town we are currently in not that I could even tell him where we are.

“Marcus pushed that along perfectly.” Barrette says closing the lap top computer we were watching the interview footage on, we had to bring his computer with us because I’m