When The Devil Wants

Chapter Seven

(Eleanor's POV)

"What?" My hands tightened around the phone. Tiffany looked up at me.

"Who's involved?" I asked, expecting the worst.

"It's Miss Stella." She paused, "And the police somehow got evidence of you tampering with the car." She finished, her voice shaking towards the end, like she couldn't believe it herself.

"The police?"

"Yes, ma'am. They're currently on their way to your location." My world spun around me. I found it hard to digest what I had just heard, but nevertheless, I couldn't get caught.

It's harder to gather evidence behind bars.

"We need to get out of here, Tiff," I grabbed a hold of her hand and ran towards the side door.

"What's going on, I didn't get to see who was in the car," she complained but still followed me along.

"We don't have time for that, Stella was in an accident," I hurriedly spoke, still trying to catch my breath. Then she pulled me to a stop as she steadied her arms on her hips.

"So why are we running"

"The police obtained evidence against me," I strained.

"Oh my God, Len, you would’ve talked to me about it. I could’ve helped you cover up the traces." My eyes widened at her words.

"Jesus Christ Tiff, it’s not what you’re thinking," I breathed.

"I didn’t do it."

"Oh," her tone dimmed.

"So how did they get evidence?"

"I don’t know either," I ran my hands through my hair as the frustration set in.

"Someone’s setting you up," she analyzed, her eyes looking around as if she’s searching for something, or rather, someone.

"Let’s get you out of here first."

She whispered. Then we both hurried off in the opposite direction, unaware of the pair of eyes that trained on us from the moment the car door opened.

—--

"Here," Tiffany handed me a glass of warm water. “ You should be safe here for a while.” She sat on the sofa next to me.

The water warmed my throat all the way down, but the panic in my system remained. I couldn't place a finger on what was going on. Whoever was playing this game, I had no idea, I gulped down the rest of the water and set down the glass. I ran my hands through my hair again in frustration. Where do I even start from?.

"Does Marcus know about any of this?" Tiffany asked. I shook my head.

"I have no idea," I replied. "Not like he'd even care.” I was the only way out for myself, and I needed to know what was going on.

"I need to get home first."

"What?" Tiffany stared at me like I had grown two heads.

"The police are after you and you're going back there?" She scolded.

"You sure have a lot of guts."

She stood up and picked up the glass for a refill.

"That's the only place I can get information about what's going on."

"Fine then, I'll get you home," she paused.

"But if anything happens while you're there, you're on your own."

She turned her face from me, clearly not liking the idea.

"It's okay, Tiff, I'll be fine."

I picked up my clutch and headed for the door. She trailed slowly behind me.

Just as she pulled the doorknob, the door opened to reveal Sarah. Their stay-in nanny, Sarah.

The look on Sarah's face was complicated. Tiffany noticed it too.

"What's wrong, Sarah?" Tiffany's voice came before mine.

"Ma, the police are outside." My body stilled. Panic rushed up my system faster than I expected. Different thoughts running through my mind.

"Someone tipped them off."

The certainty in Tiffany's voice scared me. Someone was watching my every move. Goosebumps ran down my arm. I was no longer sure of what to do or where to go.

Tiffany grabbed my arm, reminding me that she was there. Her eyes burned with something fierce.

"Hold them off for a while, Sarah."

Then she turned to me.

"Let's get you out of here fast.” She pulled me towards the double door at the end of the hall.

“You're going to need to take off those heels,” she bent down to undo her shoe knots, then pulled them off in one swift motion. I did the same and hurried behind her.

Behind the door was a smaller room. One that looked so old and untouched like it wasn't part of the building, the air smelled of peeling walls and the cold floor sent sensations up my feet.

Tiffany stopped to catch her breath, her chest heaving up and down, I looked around the room.

"Where's this Tiff," I asked, she stopped for a moment, something uncertain flashing across her eyes. Then it left as fast as it came.

"It's an old storeroom, but it's no longer in use" she pulled down a wood to reveal an opening. I scrounged my face at the look of the tunnel.

" When was the last time a human used this place," I winced at the noise that came from under my foot as I stepped on an old piece of metal.

"Well, desperate times call for desperate measures," Tiffany slid down the tunnel like she had been doing this her entire life. I pulled my dress all the way up and wrapped my hair up with a piece of hairband I carried around all the time. With no further thoughts, I slid down the tunnel too.

Then without warning, I dropped. My butt making contact with the fresh grass, Tiffany stood there dusting the dust off her dress like it was perfectly normal. We stood in the middle of a green field, the ambiance was a clear contrast of our situation.

“There's an exit at the other end,” she strolled off towards the passageway.

“When did you call a car,” I hurried towards her as the black Maybach pulled up in front of us. She stopped almost immediately, panic rushing across her face, “I didn't,” she stepped in front of me in an attempt to shield me from view.

The car door opened. Two slender feet pulled up one after the other, a face I had never expected to see, then the grey metallic object in her hand caught my attention. She pulled the safety on the gun as she twirled it around her fingers. Her lips curled up in a slow smile, “Well…look who I found”.