Authors: Melissa Gaye Perez
Randle then pulled his gun from under his jacket. He opened the cylinder and slowly turned it in a circle making sure every chamber contained a bullet. He snapped it closed again and returned it to its hiding place. Lia’s eyes widened with fear. She was beginning to realize this wasn’t a fun trip after all. This was for real and they could all possibly be killed.
“We’re almost there,” she then heard from Marc up front.
Her body began to slightly tremble now as she looked ahead and their vehicle turned into a long driveway lined with trees with a huge Spanish style home sitting at the end. There were a few decorative lamp posts lining the front of the house but otherwise it was basically dark.
Marc didn’t pull the vehicle all the way up to the house on purpose she could tell. He parked a few yards away. It would be a short walk to get there from here.
“Ready?” James then asked.
“As much as I ever will be,” Randle replied with confidence.
Randle and James opened their doors so they could exit the vehicle but Marc stayed put.
“Are you sure you don’t need me?” Marc then asked turning his head over his shoulder to look at Randle.
“No. You do exactly as I told you. If something goes drastically wrong you get her the hell out of here.”
“Yes sir,” he replied promptly.
Out of sudden fear Lia scooted across the seat quickly to him and grabbed both sides of his shirt almost pinching her nails into his flesh.
“Randle please be careful,” she pleaded having no idea what was about to transpire.
Randle bent and quickly kissed her square on the lips as if it would be for the last time. He pulled her hands away from him. “I love you Princess. And don’t you dare get out of this car.” He shut the door then disappeared into the front door of the house with James following closely behind him.
Lia sat more nervously than ever now. She stared constantly toward the front door praying he would return soon. It had only been about ten minutes but to her it seemed like an hour. Then ten more and still no sight of them. She began to tap her foot on the floor as if having a nervous twitch.
“Relax darling,” she then heard Marc finally speak. “Randle knows what he’s doing. He’ll be out soon.”
He made it sound as if this were an everyday ordeal for him. Like no big deal. Lia didn’t share his optimism. But finally the front door of the house opened and she could see Randle and James coming back toward them. But not so calmly. They were running fast and she heard Marc start the car before they made it to them. Clearly a sign all was not well.
Both back doors flung open and they jumped in on either side of her.
“Haul ass!” Randle yelled out. “Get the hell out of here!”
Lia’s stomach tightened but she didn’t speak a word. She had seen two more men run from the house shortly behind Randle and James. They too jumped in their car and were now following them down the abandoned country road. They sped faster and she could tell Marc was trying to out run the other car.
Randle and James now drew their weapons. Here it comes she thought. We’re all gonna die. Then a loud bang and Lia screamed hearing the shattering of glass.
“Get down!” Randle yelled as his hand shoved her body to the floor at the same time. “And stay there!”
This was no joke she knew. She crouched on the floor and was afraid to move. The men in the car behind them had shot out the back windshield of their vehicle. She glanced up seeing that Randle and James both had their knees on the floor, she crouched between them, their elbows were on the seat just enough so that they could peer up over the top of the backseat allowing them to see out the shattered back window.
Randle’s right arm rose with gun in hand and she saw his arm jerk slightly backward after he pulled the trigger. She could hear tires squeal but knew they were still being chased. Then more shots. James and Randle randomly bobbed up and down shooting almost without aim.
“Marc, when I tell you I want you to stop this damn thing in the middle of the road.”
Marc looked at him as if he was crazy but only replied, “Yes sir.”
“Get ready James. As soon I tell you let’s get out and blast these bastards.”
James only nodded willingly.
“Stop now!” he then ordered.
She felt the vehicle jerk to a near instant stop.
“Now!” he then yelled to James and at the same time both of them jumped from the vehicle crouched nearly to the ground outside and opened fire with much rage.
Lia could hear glass and medal crashing and clanging but dared not to get up. Then just as suddenly all fell silent and the two jumped back in the vehicle slamming their doors closed.
Randle yelled to Marc, “Get us the hell out of here!”
They began to move again faster then before. But not fast enough for Lia. She was looking up now still afraid to move and could see Randle looking over his shoulder to make sure the men in the car were done. Then finally he reached down and pulled her back to the seat next to him with a smile of victory on his face.
He looked to James almost laughing. “I think we’re done here.”
“Yes sir, I do believe so,” James replied.
“Get us to the airport,” he then ordered to Marc.
“I’m already headed that way sir,” he replied knowingly.
Lia just couldn’t understand how anyone could kill someone like that and seem so happy about it. What kind of man was Randle after all? But then again what did these people do to double cross him? Could anything justify such an act? But she knew he had always loved and protected her since she was a child and she had seen the good in him. But after all this she found herself confused and she wasn’t sure what to think about the man she so much admires.
Finally Randle looked down to see Lia staring straight up at him with the strangest look about her face.
“What?” he asked almost seeming to be in too good of a mood for someone who had just killed two people.
“I’m not
even
gonna ask,” she replied meekly.
“Well it’s about time,” he acclaimed as he hugged her head to his chest.
A few weeks had passed now since their trip to Arizona. It was a beautiful fall morning in September and Lia was dressing for breakfast. The last few weeks had been peaceful back in the safety of home but so much more was missing now. She yearned more now than ever before to get out and see as much of this magnificent world as she could but wasn’t too excited about doing that with Randle anymore. She feared his secret life more intensely now than she ever had and couldn’t see herself living that way forever.
But after seeing the beauty of the new city as the plane had landed and being able to mingle amidst the fancy hotel with all its glamour made her hunger to see more. But how will it ever happen? she wondered as she again joined Randle in the dining room. He would surely never allow her to go out in the world on her own. Not without him or his security hovering over her every second she was outside this house.
“Good morning my beautiful little Princess,” he greeted more enthusiastically than usual. “Ready for a new adventure today? I have plans for us.”
Lia glanced back with surprise and reluctance to whatever it was he was up too all at the same time as she took her seat at the table.
“A new adventure? I’m not too sure I can handle that…not with you anyway.”
Randle chuckled silently at her response. “Sure you can. You love the adrenaline of it too. You just refuse to admit it to yourself. And I think it’s high time you learn how to better protect yourself in case of danger.”
Now he had gained her full attention. “And how do you suppose we do that?” she asked not sure she wanted to hear his answer to this one.
“We’re gonna take a little trip out to the shooting range this morning.”
Her eyes widened at the prospect of this one. “Shooting range?” she questioned with uncertainty.
Then he reached to floor and brought up a black case and sat it in on the table next to his plate. She watched curiously as he flipped the hinged lid open exposing a shiny little revolver. A handgun that looked small enough to fit in a ladies purse she could tell.
“And just exactly what is that?” Lia asked astounded.
“Your new little .45,” he responded proudly still looking over the small silver revolver with its black pearl handle as if admiring its beauty.
“I’m not shooting that thing,” she proclaimed with a rather surprised look.
“Sure you will,” he didn’t hesitate to reply back. “You’re my Princess and I know you can handle anything.”
“You’re actually gonna teach me how to shoot that thing?” she asked still in disbelief at the thought of it.
“Yep. And I better not ever again catch you leaving this house without it afterwards.”
“But why do I need it? You have Jeffery go everywhere with me. Isn’t that enough?” She sounded as if she were protesting and not at all happy about becoming armed just like him and the rest of his men.
“We’ll discuss Jeffery later,” he then stated with slight disgust leaving Lia at a total loss for words.
What could he possibly have meant by that she quickly wondered but feared the answer so she dismissed the question from her mind.
“Aren’t you afraid I might get mad and shoot
you
with it?”
Randle smiled at her remark. “Oh Princess. I think you’re the least of my worries.”
Finally he placed the gun in a small leather carrying case that he pulled from his pocket and secured it closed with a small velcro strap then simply slipped it back into his jacket pocket.
Betsy now placed their food on the table and left them alone together again.
“Now eat up. We have a long day ahead of us,” he ordered playfully.
He seemed far too happy about this and had Lia confused to an extreme. What possibly could have persuaded him to think she needed a gun of her own?
When they had finished Randle seemed much too anxious to start training her to use this weapon. He hurried her through their meal the best he could and was ready to begin their journey immediately. Almost acting like a child headed for the playground.
“Let me get my purse would you?” she smirked with an edgy attitude. Then she made her way up the stairs to her bedroom, reached to grab her purse from the dresser then appeared back at the head of the stairway. She knew now if she was going to possess this thing she needed a place to conceal it.
“Hurry up!” Randle exclaimed from below.
“What’s your hurry?”
“I’m anxious to see you do this,” he replied with a laugh. “My little Princess…as mean as me.”
“That will never happen!” she exclaimed.
Randle laughed out loud now as she met him at the doorway. She looked out now seeing his Mercedes parked out front instead their usual chauffeured limo ride.
“Oh wow, we’re actually driving ourselves,” she let out rather cheerfully as she flung the front door open and ran down the outside steps with the sound of her heels clicking on the concrete. She rounded to the driver’s side.
“Please let me drive,” she began pleading.
“Oh hell no,” Randle exclaimed not at all laughing at the prospect of it.