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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Miss Parker had almost made it through the day without being badgered. She got off in a little less than half an hour, and so far hadn't been bothered by Claude or Ramona.
There they were now, sitting at Claude's desk, chatting cheerfully with each other. Sighing unhappily, she rose from her chair ready to bite the bullet and talk to them.
"They're gonna pick us up at 7." Miss Parker heard Ramona inform Claude.
"Where?" Claude asked, raising her eyebrows.
"At your place."
Miss Parker almost laughed. Claude was outraged and if her following outburst didn't convince Ramona, nothing could.
"You told them where I live! Why didn't you give them your address? We don't even know them, they could be homicidal maniacs for all we know!" Claude exclaimed emphatically.
Miss Parker felt a chill crawl up her spine at Claude's words, but shook it off to interrupt them instead.
"Hey, guys, do you have a minute? I think we should talk." Miss Parker initiated what was to be her first honest conversation with them.
Looking slightly bewildered, Claude and Ramona readily agreed despite needing to get going to meet their dates.
Unfortunately Will poked his head out of his office then, and asked, "Lydia, can I speak to you for a moment?"
It had taken her all day to build up the courage to offer them the truth, now she would have to start all over tomorrow. This reprieve she was being offered, however, would give her even more time to decide how much of the truth they really needed to hear.
Shrugging her shoulders, she moved to follow him inside. "I guess we'll just have to talk some other time." She smoothly pacified Claude and Ramona before closing Will's door behind her.
* * * *
"What's up, Will?"
Moving around his desk, he retrieved a folder marked urgent and handed it to her. "This is."
Curious, she opened it and pulled out photos. The chill that was elicited earlier by Claude's remark "'… they could be homicidal maniacs for all we know!'" came creeping back. This just could not be happening.
"That's from the bar's surveillance camera across the street. It looks like your gig might be up Parker."
Swallowing the nausea that was rising, she stood and shakily handed the folder back to him.
"Not yet." A determined look on her face she stood and offered, "I really appreciate you looking out for me like this. Thanks for all the help, Will. Jarod and I appreciate everything you've done for us."
Will stepped around his desk to deliver a hug. "Speaking of Jarod, did I or did I not see him here the other day?" Will teased.
"You know he doesn't know how to follow the rules." Will released her and ushered her out the door.
"You should probably get going, you and Jarod need to disappear again, adopt a new identity, start a new life."
"I know, but first there's something that needs to be taken care of."
"Well, good luck with whatever it is!" Will wished cheerily and watched her leave.
Miss Parker grabbed her purse, and dashed to the elevator. Cursing as the doors closed in her face, she turned and headed for the stairs scrambling down them at a break neck pace. She was in the lobby before she knew it, breathing heavily from her mad-dash down the stairs. She looked around for Claude and Ramona but didn't see them. They had already left.
Popping out her cell phone, she dialed a rarely used number to find out if this information was real or just a coincidence. Impatiently waiting for him to pick up, she exited the building and hailed a cab. She gave the driver the address for Claude's place, and prayed she'd get there before their dates did. Especially if their dates turned out to be the "homicidal maniacs" Claude had been so worried about.
When a sleepy voice answered, she desperately asked, "Where is my poor excuse for a brother?" 'Please say he's there, please' she thought tightening her eyes and her grip on the phone, wishing for anything that the pictures she had seen were just a trick of the light.
He knew better than to ignore her question to exchange pleasantries.
"He left a few days ago with Willie. He said something about business. But I'm not sure where he went Miss Parker." He answered gently.
"I do. They're here." She hung up and chewed on her lip anxiously. Feeling the cabby stop, she looked up.
"What are you doing?" She hissed impatiently.
"It's a red light miss." The cab driver was used to dealing with the impatience of passengers. He brushed her off gruffly and returned his attention to the road, and the now green light.
Leaning forward, Parker scanned the road ahead of them. "There are no cars in front of you, will you step on it!" She demanded.
"Little lady, I think you need to sit back and relax before I let you out right here." The driver threatened.
Grinning viciously, Parker reached into her bag. Her life may have become more stable, but she was still far from trusting. The only thing that had changed in regards to her trust issues was the size of her gun. This one was much smaller... easier to conceal.
"I don't think so. Now move!" He looked in his mirror and shuddered at the look on her face and the weapon aimed at his head. He slammed his foot to the accelerator, and expecting her to be slammed backwards, found her holding onto his seat when he ventured to look in his rear-view mirror again. She wasn't paying him much attention now, she was concentrating on the road, and waiting to arrive at her destination, so he continued to drive according to her wishes. She was a very intimidating creature. He would need a new pair of pants after this ordeal, he thought miserably.
As soon as the car came to a stop, Miss Parker jumped out and threw her cab fare back at the driver. She climbed the stairs into the apartment complex and headed for Claude's door. She started banging her fists and demanding for Claude to open up.
Claude threw the door open to stop Lydia from causing such a ruckus in the hall.
"Lydia, what is going on?" Miss Parker pushed through the door once Claude had opened it, and franticly searched for their dates. Not finding them, she turned her attention to the two confused women that were staring at her as if she had grown another head.
Finally able to let out a calming breath, Miss Parker attempted to explain.
"You can't go out with your dates tonight. From personal experience, I know that they are both very bad people. When they get here, just send them away. Say that something came up, and you can't make it. Do not go anywhere with them." She warned worriedly, searching their faces for understanding.
Ramona was still not sure they knew enough about Lydia to trust her. So, when she heard the knock at the door she ignored the pleading look Miss Parker was giving her.
Miss Parker stood rooted to the spot behind the kitchen counter as Ramona invited evil incarnate into Claude's house. The feeling of fear that she associated with her brother was present, but it was being buried beneath her cold, Centre persona. When Lyle looked at her, the dangerous, maniacal sparkle, that is always present in his eyes, was reflected back at him. Of course, being the psychopath that he is, he didn't even seem to notice. He grinned viciously at this little present being dropped right in his lap.
There they were now, sitting at Claude's desk, chatting cheerfully with each other. Sighing unhappily, she rose from her chair ready to bite the bullet and talk to them.
"They're gonna pick us up at 7." Miss Parker heard Ramona inform Claude.
"Where?" Claude asked, raising her eyebrows.
"At your place."
Miss Parker almost laughed. Claude was outraged and if her following outburst didn't convince Ramona, nothing could.
"You told them where I live! Why didn't you give them your address? We don't even know them, they could be homicidal maniacs for all we know!" Claude exclaimed emphatically.
Miss Parker felt a chill crawl up her spine at Claude's words, but shook it off to interrupt them instead.
"Hey, guys, do you have a minute? I think we should talk." Miss Parker initiated what was to be her first honest conversation with them.
Looking slightly bewildered, Claude and Ramona readily agreed despite needing to get going to meet their dates.
Unfortunately Will poked his head out of his office then, and asked, "Lydia, can I speak to you for a moment?"
It had taken her all day to build up the courage to offer them the truth, now she would have to start all over tomorrow. This reprieve she was being offered, however, would give her even more time to decide how much of the truth they really needed to hear.
Shrugging her shoulders, she moved to follow him inside. "I guess we'll just have to talk some other time." She smoothly pacified Claude and Ramona before closing Will's door behind her.
"What's up, Will?"
Moving around his desk, he retrieved a folder marked urgent and handed it to her. "This is."
Curious, she opened it and pulled out photos. The chill that was elicited earlier by Claude's remark "'… they could be homicidal maniacs for all we know!'" came creeping back. This just could not be happening.
"That's from the bar's surveillance camera across the street. It looks like your gig might be up Parker."
Swallowing the nausea that was rising, she stood and shakily handed the folder back to him.
"Not yet." A determined look on her face she stood and offered, "I really appreciate you looking out for me like this. Thanks for all the help, Will. Jarod and I appreciate everything you've done for us."
Will stepped around his desk to deliver a hug. "Speaking of Jarod, did I or did I not see him here the other day?" Will teased.
"You know he doesn't know how to follow the rules." Will released her and ushered her out the door.
"You should probably get going, you and Jarod need to disappear again, adopt a new identity, start a new life."
"I know, but first there's something that needs to be taken care of."
"Well, good luck with whatever it is!" Will wished cheerily and watched her leave.
Miss Parker grabbed her purse, and dashed to the elevator. Cursing as the doors closed in her face, she turned and headed for the stairs scrambling down them at a break neck pace. She was in the lobby before she knew it, breathing heavily from her mad-dash down the stairs. She looked around for Claude and Ramona but didn't see them. They had already left.
Popping out her cell phone, she dialed a rarely used number to find out if this information was real or just a coincidence. Impatiently waiting for him to pick up, she exited the building and hailed a cab. She gave the driver the address for Claude's place, and prayed she'd get there before their dates did. Especially if their dates turned out to be the "homicidal maniacs" Claude had been so worried about.
When a sleepy voice answered, she desperately asked, "Where is my poor excuse for a brother?" 'Please say he's there, please' she thought tightening her eyes and her grip on the phone, wishing for anything that the pictures she had seen were just a trick of the light.
He knew better than to ignore her question to exchange pleasantries.
"He left a few days ago with Willie. He said something about business. But I'm not sure where he went Miss Parker." He answered gently.
"I do. They're here." She hung up and chewed on her lip anxiously. Feeling the cabby stop, she looked up.
"What are you doing?" She hissed impatiently.
"It's a red light miss." The cab driver was used to dealing with the impatience of passengers. He brushed her off gruffly and returned his attention to the road, and the now green light.
Leaning forward, Parker scanned the road ahead of them. "There are no cars in front of you, will you step on it!" She demanded.
"Little lady, I think you need to sit back and relax before I let you out right here." The driver threatened.
Grinning viciously, Parker reached into her bag. Her life may have become more stable, but she was still far from trusting. The only thing that had changed in regards to her trust issues was the size of her gun. This one was much smaller... easier to conceal.
"I don't think so. Now move!" He looked in his mirror and shuddered at the look on her face and the weapon aimed at his head. He slammed his foot to the accelerator, and expecting her to be slammed backwards, found her holding onto his seat when he ventured to look in his rear-view mirror again. She wasn't paying him much attention now, she was concentrating on the road, and waiting to arrive at her destination, so he continued to drive according to her wishes. She was a very intimidating creature. He would need a new pair of pants after this ordeal, he thought miserably.
As soon as the car came to a stop, Miss Parker jumped out and threw her cab fare back at the driver. She climbed the stairs into the apartment complex and headed for Claude's door. She started banging her fists and demanding for Claude to open up.
Claude threw the door open to stop Lydia from causing such a ruckus in the hall.
"Lydia, what is going on?" Miss Parker pushed through the door once Claude had opened it, and franticly searched for their dates. Not finding them, she turned her attention to the two confused women that were staring at her as if she had grown another head.
Finally able to let out a calming breath, Miss Parker attempted to explain.
"You can't go out with your dates tonight. From personal experience, I know that they are both very bad people. When they get here, just send them away. Say that something came up, and you can't make it. Do not go anywhere with them." She warned worriedly, searching their faces for understanding.
Ramona was still not sure they knew enough about Lydia to trust her. So, when she heard the knock at the door she ignored the pleading look Miss Parker was giving her.
Miss Parker stood rooted to the spot behind the kitchen counter as Ramona invited evil incarnate into Claude's house. The feeling of fear that she associated with her brother was present, but it was being buried beneath her cold, Centre persona. When Lyle looked at her, the dangerous, maniacal sparkle, that is always present in his eyes, was reflected back at him. Of course, being the psychopath that he is, he didn't even seem to notice. He grinned viciously at this little present being dropped right in his lap.
