[Leave a Message] by Cat Connor

Author:Cat Connor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cat Connor
Published: 2022-05-12T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-one:

[ Crockett: Here we go again ]

Luke didn’t have a lot to say as we walked up Chatsworth Road. It was a slow slog. My boots were better suited to riding around on the Harley than climbing a dark hill footpath. The street lights weren’t that good either. I imagine that the people who live up Chatsworth don’t walk much. Luke breathed hard next to me.

“Slow down, Crockett,” Luke said, between tired puffs. “How far does this road go up?”

“No idea. I think we’re turning off soon.” The ground flattened out a little under my feet. “Not so bad now. It’s a bastard of a hill.”

Nothing else came from Luke until we made a downhill, left turn and he stumbled on a curb.

“You right?” I said, grabbing for his arm in the dark.

“Yeah. Are we there yet?”

“What are you, five?”

Luke laughed lightly. “Well, are we?”

“Cross the road,” I said. “We’re not far away.”

A dog barked as we walked down yet another poorly lit suburban street. We rounded another corner to the right, then curved left, but were on the same road. A cat shot across in front of us. My stomach leapt.

“Jesus!” The animal population is set give me a heart attack.

“You right?” Luke said, amusement ringing his words.

“Fine. The cat startled me a bit.” A small chuckle escaped. “Glad Ronnie didn’t see me jump.”

“How far now?”

“Not far at all. My car is up ahead about a hundred metres.” Can’t say I wasn’t relieved at the prospect of finally getting to my car and being off the streets.

No noise, but our footsteps, as we approached the car. From ten metres I pressed the unlock button on my key fob. The indicator lights flashed once. In the dark I saw a faint tiny red glow under the car. Fuck!

I grabbed Luke’s arm and spun him around. He dropped his duffle bag as I dove over a low wall, dragging him with me. I shoved him to the ground. “Stay down.”

“Get off me,” he said, with a groan. “You’re heavy.”

A deafening explosion shattered windows, and rained metal chunks and debris over the area, and us. Something hot hit my back. Stung a bit.

From under my arm came a muffled voice, “What was that?”

“My car,” I replied, wondering how loud my voice was. My ears rang. “My fucking car!” I poked my head over the wall. Flames, smoke, disaster. People were moving. Lights flicked on. Curtains twitched.

“We’ve got to move before the cops arrive.”

Luke clambered to his feet and dusted himself off. I gave him a visual once over. “You okay, not hurt?”

“I’m fine,” he replied.

I wasn’t convinced, and the left side of my lower back smarted.

“Come on,” I tapped his arm to get his attention. We stepped over the wall. A few bricks were missing now. Luke grabbed his bag from the ground and slung it over his shoulder. “Stick to the shadows. We need to get across the train tracks.”

“There’s an over-bridge?”

“There is but going up makes us a little too visible.

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