Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.
Back on the road again, Vinnie can't stop thinking about the woman he saw at the rest stop, and how much she reminded him of certain evil actresses. Could she have gotten out? Only one way to find out! See what's going on in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan! Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
I found I couldn’t stop thinking about the woman I’d
seen at the rest stop. Her image haunted me, superimposed with memories of
she-who-won’t-be named… okay, by she I do mean Caroline St. Clair—well known
actress and major nutty bitch. An intense feeling of déjà vu had washed over me
when I’d seen her, a sensation that would not quit.
So I did what any sensible person would do. You mean
forget about it, you ask? Have you met me? Of course that wasn’t my first
impulse. Instead I decided to call the person most likely to know if certain
crazy actresses were still locked up or not. Troy McGarrett, of course.
Handsome Hollywood heartthrob and good friend to aforementioned crazy actress.
As I pulled my phone from my pocket, I saw Ethan
glance at me curiously, but he made no comment. I didn’t have that many people
in my contact list and he knew all of them. Not to mention, he trusted me most
implicitly. Still, I’m sure he wondered what I was up to, but I also knew my
side of the conversation would quickly give me away.
“Hey there sexy!” My call was quickly answered by a
familiar cheery voice. At one time I’d thought Troy might be coming onto me,
although I couldn’t understand it. But having to room with him for a case
seemed to bring out a never-before-seen jealous side of Mr. Thorne, which
surprised me greatly. Now we were all three great friends. Four, counting
Troy’s live-in boyfriend, Brendan Muldoon.
“Hey there Mr. Hollywood!” I teased.
I caught Ethan’s grin just before he said, “Tell
Troy I said hi.”
I relayed the message even as I heard a gasp from
the backseat. “Troy? As in Troy McGarrett? That
Troy?” I ignored Sarah and focused on my call instead.
“I thought you’re supposed to be working,” Troy
commented. Of course he knew what was going on with us since we’d dropped off
our dog with Brendan just that morning.
“We are. Turned into a road trip,” I replied. “I’ll
explain later. And Ethan says hi.”
“That’s cool. Tell Ethan hi back.” I immediately
relayed the message.Troy was as laid back as Ethan. Nothing seemed to faze
either one of them. And they actually resembled one another in a superficial,
blond, blue-eyed way. Troy was handsome, yes, but Ethan was the better looking
of the two, in my opinion. I might be biased, though.
“Are you still on location?” I asked.
“Just finished up shooting some interiors in
Hollywood, actually,” Troy replied. “As soon as the director calls wrap, I’m
going to get changed and head to the airport. I’m already checked out of the
hotel, and my bags are in the car.”
His voice held that newlywed anxiety that told me he
had Brendan on his mind. How cute was that?
“That director wouldn’t be Gordon Daimler would it?”
I guessed. We’d run into him before while working a previous case, and he
hadn’t made a particularly good impression with me. Mainly because he had the
bad taste to date her.
“No, it’s not. This director is a woman, and a
really good director, as well as being a friend.” Troy sounded amused at my
question. “Why do you ask?”
“Oh, no reason,” I mumbled. I was trying to think of
a clever and innocent way to ask my next question but I completely failed at
that.
“Is that crazy witch still locked up?” I had debated
using the b-word but deferred to a relatively less insulting term in view of
the fact that they were still friends. Unless the status quo had changed. One
could always hope. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Ethan shake his head,
but he said nothing. Any recriminations he had might come later. Or he might
have given up on getting me to change my opinion of her. Again, one could hope.
“Carrie is still recovering at the sanitarium,” he
confirmed. “Doing quite well, from what I can tell.”
I didn’t bother to ask how he knew that because I
already knew he visited her now and then. No comment on that. “Does she get out
sometimes? Like on a day pass?”
“Vinny, you’re worrying me,” Troy responded. “And
your questions are oddly specific. Before we continue with the interrogation,
mind telling me why you’re asking?”
I immediately felt my cheeks warm. Damn, I hadn’t
meant to sound so… I couldn’t think of a sufficient word to describe how I must
have sounded to Troy. I really needed to let up on that front…once I was sure
that it could not have been her I saw.
Before I could answer, Troy said, “Just for the
record, I don’t think she goes anywhere, to be honest. But she does have
visitors. Family, friends, fans… She’s happy with that, I think, and is working
on getting better.”
I had my doubts as to whether that was even possible
but for once I held my tongue.
“So, what’s going on, Vinnie?”
“Well, I just thought I saw someone who looks like
her, that’s all.”
“Where?”
“Um… at a rest stop here in Virginia.”
“Carrie? At a rest stop? In Virginia?” I couldn’t
blame him for sounding skeptical. It sounded as ridiculous to me when I said it
aloud. And yet…
“She was dressed like she was in Roanoke, when she
was incognito at the grocery store,” I continued.
“Vinnie, it has to be a coincidence, that’s all. Why
on earth would Carrie even be there? You seriously think she’s stalking Ethan?
You know that was just to make Gordon jealous, right?”
I knew that. Damn, I felt stupid.
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry to bother—”
“You’re never a bother, don’t say that. Call us
later, okay? Gotta go.”
He clicked off and I returned the phone to my
pocket. Guess I should find a better theory, huh?
to be continued
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