Lottery 1
Shaniqua left Janet’s room, grateful that the woman was still alive. The travel agent had been out of intensive care for two hours. She was in stable condition and expect to wake up, it was just a waiting game.
Shaniqua walked out to the parking lot and called Jenny.
“Shaniqua!” Jenny exclaimed as she answered. “Andrea is back!”
“What are you talking about?” Shaniqua unlocked her car and got in.
Jenny began to ramble incoherently.
“Okay wait. Let me call Christine and meet at the diner in two hours.” Shaniqua started the car.
Shaniqua and Christine met up with Andrea and Jenny at the diner. The stories were swapped about what had gone on the past forty eight hours. Jenny told how she was accosted by the stalking loan shark at her apartment complex. Andrea told of how she stepped out after her shift for a cigarette and woke up with a burlap sack over her head. She had also decided to give up smoking. Shaniqua ended the trilogy out with her early morning phone call. They all decided it had to be the same man.
Shaniqua thought long and hard about how the guy could know. “He must have let Andrea go when he realized Janet had the information he needed.”
Shaniqua was angry with herself. No one knew that information but her. No one knew what information she was even looking for except the girls who worked in Paradise Travels. ‘If anyone had led the man to her,’ Shaniqua thought. She had never even bothered to look to see if she was being followed. She had always assumed she was one step ahead of everyone.
Her foolish pride may have cost her more than just Janet. Whomever had the winnings were in danger now too. This was no longer the mission it had started out to be. Now she needed to find them to warn them first.
Shaniqua’s thoughts were interrupted by a phone ringing next to her.
Christine put her finger to her lips, motioning for everyone to be silent. When everyone was silent she answered her phone.
“I’m having to go out of the country for work for a while.” Aston told her over the phone. “I’m waiting on my flight out now. I shouldn’t be gone longer than two weeks.”
“Okay.” Christine said sweetly. “Have a safe trip.”
“Thanks. You have a good couple of weeks while I am away too. I look forward to seeing you when I get back.” Aston sounded almost happy.
Christine smiled. “Thanks. I will see you then.”
“I’ll pick up something for the kids. There’s my flight. Bye.”
“Bye.” Christine hung up the phone.
Shaniqua wanted to ask Christine who she was talking to, but decided not to invade her privacy.
Aston arrived at 1 High St. on foot. He glanced at the Tudor style public house and grimaced. This was not the kind of place he could operate in.
This building was a small hole in the wall surrounded on one side by a bank and the other with eateries. The public was too close and in too small a place. He would not even be able to check on anyone staying at the hotel without raising suspicion.
He longed for the anonymity of a large chain hotel, preferably one that resembled a skyscraper.
Aston looked at the roundabout across the street, and the few people standing there sight seeing. He turned and walked inside the public house, and walked up to the bar.
The bartender greeted him with a warm smile, “What can I get for you?”
“A room?” Aston questioned.
The bartender pointed to a narrow hallway.
Aston walked apprehensively down the short narrow hallway. He sighed a bit of relief at seeing a check-in desk and waiting area.
He checked in for only two days time choosing the most economical room they had open. He was pleased several rooms seemed to be booked according to the glimpse of the screen he saw. After checking in he went up to his room, showered, then walked the hallway listening.