Jen DeSantis Week 7: Game Changer

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Jen DeSantis’ Choice: 2

Title: Game Changer

“Pull the goddamn trigger, Malloy,” she whispered. “Just do it and stop fucking around with me.”

“Bang,” I replied, and holstered my gun. “We need to be quick.”

“The hell?”

Her knee was in bad shape, and I was sorry about that, but needs must win out when one is in a battle of wits with a trained assassin.

I’d realized early on in my chase that I wouldn’t be able to kill Shell. But I had to make it look like I’d tried, given it my best, and then I needed to disappear. How I disappeared would be up to Shell. There was still a chance that she might kill me; I’d have to play my cards perfectly to walk out of here and into a self-imposed oblivion.

As I wrapped her knee, I explained my plan. I wanted her to make it look like she’d killed me and burned my safe house down. I’d provided the body that would serve as my stand in. All she needed to do was walk away and hide herself.

“Who hired you?”

“Cracken.” My lips were tight as I secured the gauze around her knee. “He’ll go after you again.”

“Only if I don’t find him first,” she replied simply.

She stared at me as I worked on her leg. I hadn’t torn anything major in her knee, but it’d be sore for a while.

“I work alone, Malloy. I’m not adopting you as a partner.”

“I’d never ask you to.”

“Someone’s bound to be watching,” she continued. “What do you plan to do?”

“Ride out in your car. The back seat if you’re feeling generous; the trunk if you’re still pissed.”

Shell snorted and I had an idea where I’d be traveling.

“Why shouldn’t I just kill you and leave you in the bonfire?”

My blood ran cold. Her voice was soft as a lover’s caress, but I could tell she was really thinking about it. I’d drugged her, hunted her, and made her think I was going to kill her. I didn’t blame her for wanting to put a bullet in my head.

“For old times’ sake?”

She rolled her eyes. “I must be nuts. I’ll do it. But you listen to me real good. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

I nodded stoically. I’d expected as much.

“Ever.”

“Never.”

“The end,” she said.

Good to her word, she drove me to the outskirts of town. The trunk popped open and she never even got out of the car. She sped away as soon as I slammed the trunk. Good to my word, I made sure she didn’t see me when I went looking for her.

I found her by a lake, the picture of romantic beauty, entwined in the arms of a lover. Or was he a mark? She twirled a red umbrella in front of their faces as as they kissed, her left foot popping up in bliss. It would have shocked any other witness to see her lover fall to the ground in a heap, his eyes wide and his lips turning blue as the poison slowly killed him. Any other witness except me.

Shell was and always would be, a game changer.

**A lot of readers have enjoyed Shell and Malloy. This will be the last entry that features them. I’ve used these weekly picspirations to get to know these characters and I am now in the process of crafting a full length novel featuring these two characters. Thanks for the opportunity to give Shell and Malloy a test drive! I’ll let you know if the book ends up working out.

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Jennifer DeSantis is a Horror and Paranormal Author and host of the #FridayPictureShow. She lives near Philly with her family. In her spare time is an aspiring ninja.

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