Julia

Glancing behind me, I see the cops are quickly closing in. I know I have to do something before it's too late, but I'm not exactly sure what. Watching the scene unfold, I realize that I have three choices; I can spend the rest of my life behind bars, shoot them, or run like hell. I play out the scenarios in my mind. Shooting them will definitely get me killed, and I've come too far to give up now. Looking back one last time, I take off across the lot.

I imagine being gunned down in the parking lot. I then picture my family crying over my grave. I'm not going down like that. Not now, not ever, if I can help it, I think, picking up my pace. My stomach starts churning in fury as I push myself further.

"Stop, or I'll shoot." The officer screams as I turn the corner. Seeing the dark parking garage, I quickly duck inside. Glancing around, I see a distraught gentleman climbing in his car. Opening the passenger door, I plop down inside.

"What the...?" The gentleman begins, as I slide to the floorboard.

"Go! Go!" I scream, trying to situate my body within the limited space. Reaching for the lever, I quickly retract the seat. Much better, I think, repositioning myself again.

"I ah I..." he begins.

"Just do it, now!" I yell, cocking my gun. Seeing the weapon pointing towards his face, he nervously starts the car.

"W... where do you want to go?" he asks, pulling up to the exit.

"Take me somewhere safe and no funny stuff either, got it!"

***

Rachel

I'm trying to finish up a stack of paperwork at my desk when I see the Captain running towards me. I glance over at the detectives, they shrug in response.

I've been with the police force for fifteen years. My career began after I helped the captain and his partner, Jerry, solve the widowmaker case. I loved police work so much, that I decided to join the academy. I made Detective in a little under four years and a Sergeant in eight, after Jerry's health issues forced him to step down.

"Sergeant, we have a situation on the square."

"A situation, Sir?"

"Yes, a criminal fled as she was being detained for a felony warrant out of Delaware."

"How do you want to handle this, Captain?"

"I want you three to go back to the square try to retrace her steps. Get camera footage, eyewitness statements, anything that'll help us find her."

"We're on it, Captain," Jerry says. He's been a part of the force for nearly thirty years. His goal was to become Chief of Police, but health issues got in the way.

***

Larry

"I don't know what's going on lady, but running from the law is only going to make things worse," I say, driving through town.

"I don't need your lectures right now, I need to figure out a way to get out of this mess."

"I'm an attorney and I might be able to help if I knew what this is."

"You're a lawyer?"

"Yes. So let's go back to my office where we can discuss your case, figure out your legal options." I see her contemplating the idea in her head.

"Not your office, your home."

"My home?"

"I'll feel a lot safer there."

I'll feel safer once I get a hold of that gun, I conclude, watching her swing the weapon around.

"Home it is."

***

Rachel

I see a couple of cops interviewing potential witnesses, as we pull up to the scene.

"Someone must have seen something," I say, scanning the busy parking lot.

"You'd think so." Jerry agrees, shutting off the car.

"Jerry, I want you and Kirk to check security cameras. I'll see if the officer's found anything."

"Sounds like a plan, Sergeant," Kirk says, climbing out of the car. He's been at the station for thirteen years, ten years of that was spent in the lab.

Walking over to the first officer I see, I tap him on the shoulder. "What have you found out so far?"

"The ones I've talked to said they arrived after the incident occurred."

"Didn't the arresting officer detain any of the witnesses?" I ask, scanning the growing crowd.

"He was chasing the suspect."

"Keep looking, maybe someone saw something." Looking around, I continue.

"Has anyone talked to the shop owners, yet?"

"Not yet."

"That's where I'll be if anyone needs me."

"Yes, ma 'am." I'd just stepped out of the coffee shop when I see Kirk walking towards me.

"Did you find something, Kirk?"

"I checked the security tapes from the bank. It shows her running into the parking garage but doesn't show her coming out. So I'm going to check the garage cameras see what I can find."

"Keep me posted."

"I will, Serg."

***

Larry

"You ran because you were stopped for speeding?" I ask, glancing up from my notes.

"No, no, I ran because the floozy I stole the ID from has a warrant for her arrest."

"What floozy are you talking about?" I ask, trying to understand what she's telling me.

"My first husband's mistress. See, I stole her car, her Id and came to Arkansas."

"Your first husband?" I ask, more confused than ever.

"I've been married twice. The first time to Andy and then under a false name to Bill."

"So what is your real name?"

"Julia Moffit." Writing her name at the top of my legal pad I continue.

"Where's this other woman and your husband now?"

"Dead. Andy killed her, then I killed him."

"Whoa, wait a minute. You killed your husband, then fled to Arkansas?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you. It was self-defense, really it was, but the police aren't going to believe me."

"They might."

"The cops didn't believe me when it happened and they won't believe me now." Jumping up, she checks the window. Seeing nothing has changed, she starts pacing across my faded green carpet.

"Wait, what do you mean it was self-defense?"

"Andy tried to kill me in a house fire. When he found out I survived, he took me out in the woods to kill me once and for all." I start remembering the case, as she continues to explain. According to national news, she supposedly set fire to her husband's car with him and the mistress inside.

"Do the police know that he tried to kill you?" I ask. Looking up, I see she's checking the window again.

"Yes, but they're more concerned about his truck blowing up than what he did to me."

"How did his truck blow up?" I wistfully glance towards the bar.

"I rigged up an explosive to ignite when he started the truck."

"So let me get this straight, you planned on killing him and nearly died yourself. When he found out you were alive, he tried to kill you again. This time, you killed him and then stole his mistress's identity?"

"That pretty much sums it up."

"You are in a mess."

"Do you think you can help me?"

"I don't know if anyone can help you at this point."

"Oh, please Larry, you have to help me. You just have to," she begs, grabbing a hold of my hands. Looking over, I see her big baby blues tearing up. As you well know, I have a thing for helpless women. Especially when it comes to blond hair, blue eyed beauties like her. Dirty thoughts start creeping in my head as I gaze into her eyes. Down Larry, I tell myself. tearing my eyes away from hers.

"Why didn't you just leave?"

"I tried to, believe me, I did, but he'd find me and beat me worse than before. I had to kill him, Larry, otherwise I'd end up dead. Oh, what am I going to do? What am I going to do?" she sobs.

"We're going to need tangible proof if we want your story to hold up in court."

"I overheard the two of them talking about how they're going to kill me."

"Did you tape it?"

"No."

"That won't hold up in court. Did you report the abuse to the police?"

"Once, but they didn't believe me."

"What do you mean, they didn't believe you?"

"Andy and his friends told the cops I'm making the whole thing up. Since there weren't any marks to prove different, the cops believed them over me."

"Did you ever visit the hospital?"

"Yeah, but he'd force me to make up excuses like running into doors, falling down the stairs, things like that."

"If I can get my hands on your medical records, we just might have a case."

"You think so?"

"It's worth a shot. Do you remember which hospital you went to?"

"Bayside Medical."

"I want you to call and have them fax all of your records to this number."

****

Rachel

I'm finishing up with a shop owner when I see Kirk running towards me.

"Sergeant, Sergeant, I have great news," he says, as he closes the distance.

"What is it, Kirk?"

"A camera shows her and a man driving away in a Black Cascade. When I ran the license plate number it came back to a Larry Wilson. I have his address right here."

"Let's get a team together and head over there."

****

Larry

"The hospital should be getting the release form, any minute now," I say, glancing towards the machine. As if on cue, my fax machine roars to life.

"Here comes something now." Hearing pounding coming from the front of the house, we both turn towards the noise.

A deep commanding voice blares through the door."Berryville PD, open up!" A deep voice reply. Turning, I see Julia running for the back door.

"Don't do it!" I warn. My door bursts open, followed by an army of cops trampling through my house. I hear a loud bang, then watch in horror, as Julia's frail body crumbles to the floor.

"No!" I scream, running to her side.