This is the prolouge to my newest story. Let me know what you think. Please be brutally honest. I know I don't go into too much character analysis but that will come later. This is certainly a work in progress so don't be afraid to really dish it out. Thanks for reading!!!
Cassandra’s hands were sweaty as she nervously gripped the steering wheel of her Jaguar. She glanced in her rearview mirror almost positive that she was being followed. Paranoid, Cassandra took a sharp left turn into a back alley, an angry horn blaring at her sleek silver car. She waited to see if another car would follow her. After ten minutes, Cassandra chastised herself for overreacting. Of course Darius had bought her story about going to brunch with some friends. He was clueless.
Letting out a whoosh of pent up air, Cassandra carefully maneuvered her car back onto the street. Trying to get rid of her nerves she attempted a feeble laugh that made her stomach fold up like an accordion. Just to be perfectly safe Cassandra drove around the city of Los Angeles for nearly thirty minutes before parking three blocks away from the L.A. Police Station. Shaking like a wet kitten she fumbled in her purse for her antacid.
Finding the roll of Tums, she peeled away some of the foil and popped one in her mouth. Flipping open the cosmetic mirror attached to her visor, Cassandra assessed her appearance. She had wanted to disguise herself, but all she had managed to come up with was hideously large sunglasses and a black scarf to cover up her auburn hair. Looking at her bare mouth she suddenly remembered Wendy’s mantra “A lady never leaves the house without lipstick and perfume on.”
Dutifully, Cassandra dug a tube out of her purse and applied the crimson color to her plump lips. As she blotted them on a tissue an unexpected image of Corey’s face popped into her head. Black rage smothered her paranoia, choking it into submission. Grim determination etched on her pretty face, Cassandra gathered up her purse and opened her car door to the California heat. Looking like just another pedestrian she meandered down the busy sidewalk.
At the doors to the police station her resolve seemed to weaken but only for an instant. Cassandra reminded herself what she had come for and she wasn’t going to back out now. With a stubborn glance over her shoulder she walked into the busy police station. A bored looking woman sat at a desk reading an outdated issue of Readers Digest. As if her magazine was extremely enthralling she slowly focused her attention on Cassandra. “Yes?” Her eyebrow arched condescendingly.
Cassandra took off her sunglasses and gave the woman a scathing look. “I need to talk to Captain Bates. Right away, it is very important.”
The woman popped her gum lazily as she reached for the phone. “I’ll see if he is here.” She held the receiver between her ear and her shoulder as she pushed a few buttons. “Captain Bates? Yeah, there is some woman here. She says it is very important.” The woman glanced up at Cassandra. “I don’t know, some crazy lady in a scarf. Yeah. Yeah I’ll let her know.” The woman smiled smugly up at Cassandra. “He said he was incredibly busy and to take a message.” She reached for a sticky note as if to jot down Cassandra’s number.
Cassandra stopped her hand from reaching for a pen. “Listen, you call Captain Bates back and tell him that Cassandra Montgomery, Darius Romano’s fiancée, needs to talk to him immediately.”
The receptionist looked doubtful, but Cassandra knew that her name-dropping had sparked the woman’s interest. “I’m not sure,” she began.
Cassandra leaned closer to her, “I am sure that Captain Bates can be interrupted for something as important as this. Just call him back,” Cassandra handed her the phone, “If he doesn’t want to see me after you have told him who I am than I will leave you alone.”
The woman dialed the Captain again. “Yeah. I know, I’m sorry. She insisted I call you back. Yes sir, I know sir. But she said her name was Cassandra Montgomery.” The woman paused. “Yes, she said she was his fiancée. Yes. Okay.” This time it was Cassandra’s turn to smile smugly. “He said he’d be right out.”
True to his word, Captain Bates materialized within a few minutes. He was in his forties, but undeniably attractive with his muscular physique, rugged facial features, a thick head of blonde wavy hair, and a slow sexy smile that made his blue eyes twinkle. Cassandra tucked her sunglasses away in her purse as he approached her. “Miss Montgomery,” he stuck out his hand, the curiosity evident in his eyes.
“Is there some place private we can talk?” Cassandra asked, her paranoia trying to creep back in.
“Sure,” He guided her through a maze of hallways and desks before opening the door to his office. It was cluttered with paperwork and photographs of his family. Cassandra picked up a picture of a gorgeous brunette. “My wife.” He said perching himself on the corner of his desk.
“She’s lovely,” Cassandra replied placing the silver-framed picture back on his crowded desk.
“Okay, let’s cut the crap,” he said gruffly, “Why’d you come waltzing in here? Does Darius know you're here?”
Cassandra laughed, a light feathery sound, as she lowered herself into a yellow plastic chair. “God, no. You think he’d let me?”
Captain Bates shrugged his shoulders. “Answer the first question.”
Cassandra swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. Here she was, she had gotten this far. She wanted revenge, now could she really go through with her crazy scheme? Clearing her throat she plunged ahead. “Darius is a murderer.”
His eyebrows shot up into his hairline. Cassandra knew that the statement wasn’t a shock to Captain Bates, the LAPD and the FBI had been trying to nab Darius for years on murder charges. But the fact that it had come from her mouth had surely been the culprit of his surprise. “You want to make a statement?”
“I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll make a statement. I’ll get you evidence to prove he has been racketeering and evading taxes. I’ll wear a wire. I’ll testify. Whatever.”
That seemed to shock him even more. He was quiet as he studied her face. Did he really think she was lying? She was risking her life just walking in here. “What do you want out of it?”
“Darius has a bank account set up for me. I want the money from that account, clear and
free of taxes. And I want in the program.”
“No taxes? I can’t promise that.” He was frowning but Cassandra knew the man was trying not to jump up and down in joy.
“Work on it. Tell the feds I’ll get them enough evidence to take down the whole LA Mafia. Oh and I want them to send me someplace warm with my new identity. I hear Hawaii is beautiful.”
A slow smile began to creep onto his face. “Why you doing this? I mean this is your fiancé. He will probably spend the rest of his life in prison because of you.”
Cassandra felt no remorse, just cold, raw hatred. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”
