The Wrong Side of Midnight Read Online Free PDF Page B

to contact them other than through the office, and was told to only do so for emergencies.
    Becky saw her friend’s mood change, and was afraid she was thinking about her parents. The last thing she was going to do was watch her fall apart again. “Let’s go shopping! We have time, so get ready.”
    Chloe looked up and smiled gratefully. “What would I do without you?”
    “Like I’m ever going to let you find that out.”
     
     
    ∞  ∞  ∞  ∞
     
     
     
    The girls decided to take Chloe’s Jeep, because driving up to a used car lot would be painful in Becky’s Jaguar. Becky threw her keys in her Prada bag and climbed in the passenger seat. Before looking in the mirror to apply some lipstick, she glanced at her friend's face to make sure the sadness was gone. It was.
    Chloe told the guards she was going to Becky’s. As she drove off the estate, she looked down the street at Matthew’s truck. “The car has to be a beater.”
    “What about your Jeep? You’re not trading it in are you? What’s a beater?”
    “Becky, I love you, but you should let me do the talking on this project.”
     
     
    Pulling up to the dealership, a man dressed in a cheap blue suit and tie approached them.
    “Hello, ladies. My name’s Bob. Can I help you find your special car today?” he said while he let his eyes roam up and down the young women.
    “That would be great, Bob .” Chloe shook her head at Becky.
    “What’s your price range?”
    Millions.
    “I’m not really sure.”
    “What kind of money do you make? I can see what kind of financing you can get.”
    I don’t make money. It just shows up.
    “I might be able to just pay cash for it. I’ve been saving for a long time.”
    “Do you want a car or truck?”
    “I think I should get an older car.”
    “Do you want something sporty?”
    God, I feel like I’m joining the military.
    “Bob, how about you just take me over to the cars and let me have a look.”
    Bob talked nonstop, and Becky was on the verge of telling him to shut up. Chloe could tell by her snarl. Finally, after what seemed like a five mile walk, they arrived at the back of the lot where the older cars were parked.
    “How about that one over there?” Chloe pointed. Becky gasped. It was a small, very used and rusted brown car. One of the tires was flat.
    “That one doesn’t run right now. We just got it in. How about something like this?” Bob led the girls to a used Taurus. Chloe and Becky peered inside. It was dirty and had cigarette burns on the seats.
    “You’ve got to be kidding me…” Becky blurted.
    “Can you give us a few minutes to look around? If we see something we like, we’ll come and get you.” Bob stared the girls up and down a little bit more before asking them their first names. Finally, he left them in peace.
    Becky grabbed hold of Chloe’s arm when her friend wandered towards a car that had holes on the doors and a mirror hanging off. “There are some rules, Chloe. Have some dignity!”
    “I can’t find a car in here. There’re a hundred of them at least. I want a beater, not something that’ll give me a disease when I drive it.”
    “Let’s go get a paper and look up some vehicles. I don’t like Bob. I want to kill Bob.”
    “Get in the Jeep.”
     
     
    Sitting in a small coffee shop, Chloe circled a car in the paper with a pen. “This one looks like a strong possibility. It’s pretty old but not in horrible shape. Ready to head over there?”
    “What if the guy’s a whack job? No one will know where we are. We have to have a plan, Chloe.”
    “A plan. Okay, here it is. If they come at us, I’ll throw a wad of cash on the ground. That’ll stop them.” Laughing, the girls drove off.
    Becky couldn’t believe the change in her friend. Her spirits were brighter, she was determined, and her laughter was real.  She couldn’t figure out if Chloe was doing this to get closer to Matthew, or doing it for herself . But at this point, it really didn’t