Al & Betsy!

Postcards - Chapter 1

Wednesday, October 22^nd

“Agent Al Dockson, huh? That’s clever,” Betsy said.“Thank you, darlin.’ Call me Al, from now on. Al Dockson.”

“About time you showed up, whoever you are. Things were getting dicey here,” Lily said, as she buckled her seatbelt.

“Yes, it is, Sister Lily. Trust the timing. The Master never betrays us,” Al said.

“Let’s get out of this wretched town while we can. Fucking cops!”

“That bad, huh?” Al said. “Sorry to hear that, darlin’.” Al started the engine.

“I’m not Betsy Riddle anymore. I just killed her when I walked out that door. I’m Lily Rhone now,” she said as she put on her sunglasses. “I don’t think I could have taken more than one day here with these fucking people. I should get an award for lasting this long. But things went according to the Masters’ plan. We should be grateful for that at least.”

“Yes, we should,” Al said. “And you’re sure all three are dead? The singer, her dad and George Nettles?”

“Yes, I overheard those idiot detectives talking about all three murders and those cipher puzzles we sent them over the past few weeks. They didn’t suspect a thing,” Lily said.

“Good!” Al laughed wickedly. “The Masters’ plan worked. Revenge on the wicked,” Al said happily.

Lily glanced at her beau. “Faith in The Master!”

“Faith in The Master!” Al said.

“Faith in The Master!” They said together.

“Do we need to stop by your apartment and get your things?” Al asked kindly.

“Yes, a quick stop to get my things. In and out. Five minutes. Once they find out you’re not who you said you were, they’ll swarm the place and put us away for life. We have to disappear on the road,” Lily said.

They drove to her small apartment on the edge of town, some ten minutes away, to retrieve her stuff. Al parked a few spots away so as not to draw attention to them. Lily and Al calmly walked to the front door.

“In and out. Everything’s in the middle of the living room.” She had everything already packed—one suitcase for her clothes, one for shoes and one for her makeup and hygiene accessories. Al grabbed two bags and Lily picked up the shoe bag. She quickly locked the front door and put the suitcases in the trunk. Lily got back in the car and buckled her seatbelt.

“Ready?” Al asked. “Did you get the special package, Lilybean?”

“Yeap, I did. We can mail it to Detective Riley in Little Rock. Let’s hit the road,” Lily said.

“We’ll be long gone before they realize we took the game on the open road.”

“Think they’ll be dumb enough to follow us?” Al asked curiously.

“I’d bet a tattoo of a whale on both my ass cheeks that they’ll chase us,” Lily said with a smile.

Al laughed and smiled at Lily. “Boy, do we have a game for them.” Al drove his green, 2010 Ford focus south out of Bloomfield and merged onto I–55 towards Memphis. They passed a huge billboard on the Interstate, advertising some ambulance-chasing suits. “The Everett Smears Law firm. Downtown Memphis. Come to think of it, we’ll need a good lawyer when we go before some old-ass judge. If they catch us.”

“They can try. Depends on how bad they want to catch us. The Master will take care of us, Al,” Lily said. She wore blue jeans and a white, long-sleeved shirt with hearts on the front.

Al still had his dark suit on. “Faith in the Master. We’ve made it this far. I think we’ll be okay.”

“The best part is not having to live as Betsy Riddle anymore. I hated who I became during those three terrible years. Being alone was depressing. Eating alone. Sleeping alone. No one to talk to or tell how my day went. Couldn’t really go anywhere out of town. I didn’t recognize myself anymore since some time before summer. Stir crazy doesn’t explain it. More like stir insanity.”

“That bad, huh? I can’t imagine living like that. It’s almost like a prison in itself. Having to pretend to be someone you’re not,” Al said.

“Yeah, you have no idea. Holy shit, did I ever hate that job? Such arrogance from those cops. Finally, I get to be my true self, who I was born to be—LILY RHONE!” She shouted. “My universal name. The name that belongs in the books of famous twenty-first century American crimes.”

“That’s great, sweetie pie! I think I’ll stick with Al Dockson until told otherwise by The Master.”

“Why?” Lily asked.

Al looked at his bride with a powerful sense of satisfaction. “Pride mostly. Every man dreams of being an outlaw on the run, just like in the wild west days. Having a famous alias like Billy the Kid or Bonnie and Clyde. Ha! Baby’s that’s us—the Bonnie and Clyde of the 21st Century. Hot dog!!” Al slapped the steering wheel and laughed at Lily.

Lily looked at Al. “I have to admit, I thought we were for sure going to get caught before we left the police station,” Lily said. “Throw our asses in the cells I cleaned the night before.” She smiled at Al. “But you pulled it off pretty damn well. I give you credit.”

Al smiled at Lily. “Yeah, baby, those cops weren’t too bright, I reckon. Seeing as how I just strolled in there like I was Santa Claus and took you away. I hope our long walk didn’t trouble you none, Lily. I didn’t want them to get the plate number. It’s bad enough they have me on camera.”

“No, not at all. I enjoyed the stroll back to the car with you, Al. I felt so safe, like the first time we met.” Lily stared out the window as the green grass and trees flew by on the side of the road. Her mind drifted back to an all-too-familiar place in her small, central Pennsylvania hometown of Towbriel. She smiled at Al.

“What are you thinking’ about over there, sweet cheeks?”

“The first time we met all those years ago, back in Pennsylvania. Spring of 1995. I was seventeen. You were twenty. I walked home from school the day we met in front of the library on Main Street. You had on khakis and a light blue polo shirt. You looked so handsome, Al. I walked home that way every day until school was out just to see you. My parents hated you. Remember? But I knew you were so damn special. We finally left town after that one football game that fall and never looked back.”

“Yeah, I remember that day. Hell, I’m still handsome after all these years.”

Lily laughed. “Yes, you are,” she said as she leaned over to her love for a kiss.

“I remember you wearing that yellow dress. Your blonde hair down, blowing lightly in the wind. It was longer then but you looked like an angel on that sidewalk. Something told me that you and I would be together someday, Lilybean. The best part is having us together again. I’ve missed you so much Lily, like you wouldn’t believe. So many nights, I sat out on the porch looking up at the stars. Wondering where in this big old world my Lilybean was and yearning for the day I’d get to hold you in my arms again.”

“I’ve missed you too.” Lily squeezed Al’s hand tightly.

Al smiled at her.

“I love you, Al. Thanks for rescuing me this time.”

“Love you too, Lilybean!”

“Hey love, what’s our plan out here on the open road?” Lily asked.

“Wherever mischief and chaos take us, darlin’.” Al laughed.