Her name was Toodles Abramowitz and she liked to shop at the Irving Mall, in Irving, Texas. It was a crisp October evening, there was nothing on TV and besides, where else would she be at this time of year? She had no inkling that within the next 90 minutes she would commit an action that would lead to a chain of deaths, crimes of passion and a series of murders for hire. Toodles aimlessly wandered through Dillards and Macy's and then all of the sudden she heard a commotion coming from the Food Court.
As she edged closer to investigate she was shocked to see her ex-husband in the middle of it. How can he be here, she thought. He's supposed to be in Huntsville serving 50 to life for armed robbery and kidnapping!
A wave of panic rushed over Toodles as she realized her ex spotted her and was pushing his way towards her. Where could she hide? She didn't know how he had found her and knew that there was only one thing he wanted - her dead! After all she was the one who turned him in for kidnapping the Mayor of Irving. But he would first want the ransom
money she had "stolen" from him.
Toodles looked around. As the adrenaline began to flow through her body, her mouth went dry giving it a metallic taste.
She turned and ran blindly. She did not care where she ran to she simply had to get out of there. As she ran she saw her husband, Enrique, running after her shooting wildly. An Old Navy clerk gasped as the blood began to effervesce from his shoulder. Her mind was moving hurriedly. What can I do? Where can I go? She had no answers, so she continued to move on instinct.
She zig zagged up the ramp toward Barnes and Noble. This was her chance in the labyrinthine bookshelves she knew she could loose Enrique. She turned immediately upon entering the Science Fiction section and began to crisscross through the stacks. She could hear the people screaming behind her and knew Enrique was the source of the disruption.
She backed up to a shelf in the history section and heard him yell, "Toodles come out and all these people don't get hurt!" He panted then yelled "You answer me woman!" She gingerly tugged a copy of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" from a bookshelf.
With all the force she could muster she flung the book into the children's section. She waited hoping he did not see the book, but just heard it as it hit the ground. At the same time she pulled her 9 West pumps off her so she could move with more speed and stealth. There it was the sound of movement as he headed in the direction of the children's section. She doubled back moving as close to the cafe as possible.
She passed the entrance and headed back toward Sears where she had parked.
The mall had cleared of people. Not a soul was in sight.
Toodles was a former cross country runner so she was in her element. It was, in fact, the reason she had met Enrique. He had been a soccer player at The University of Dallas along with her. Before things had gone bad and he dropped out of school.
Just as she approached the entrance to Sears she heard the boom of a shot.
In the tight indoor space of the mall the sound amplified as if the big gun on a battleship had gone off and she had been on deck. The glass shattered at the nail salon next to her with such force that shards hit her in the face causing the crimson blood to ooze forth. She pushed herself even harder and looked around there was no help in sight.
Luckily there were plenty of obstacles in Sears, so she began to pull over clothing racks as she ran. She looked back just in time to see Enrique attempt to hurtle a rack and instead catch his front foot on the rack and hit the floor hard. Toodles hoped it hurt and even more that he would stay down. Regrettably he was quickly back on his feet, although it must have hurt as the string of words coming from his mouth would have made a sailor blush. She also noticed that his nose was bleeding profusely.
She finally made it to the hardware section and immediately exited to the right. Toodles knew she was no match for Enrique in a foot race and hoped she had bought herself enough time. When she exited there were people outside, but when Enrique exited brandishing his gun they all turned and either ducked for cover or ran.
She spotted Elvira, her 1970 black Monte Carlo coupe. This was the one time in her life she wished she had a modern car as it would take time to unlock her doors, time she was not sure she had. At this point all she could do was hope and pray and run fast.
She jammed the key in turned and opened the door. Just has Toodles sat down and put the key in the ignition Enrique grabbed her. He pulled the door open and was on her yelling "You going to pay woman, you going to pay! All that time I served ain't going to be for nothing!" Toodles thought this is it. This is it. I'm dead. She was looking into the muzzle of Enrique's Glock .40 caliber pistol. Enrique's face lit up with a sinister smile as he pulled the trigger.
Click.
Bewilderment now changed his face.
Click.
Toddles did the only thing she was in a position to do. She pulled her leg up as hard as she could and kneed him in the groin. He went down hard again whining several expletives.
Toddles turned the key put the car in reverse and peeled out hard; shifted over and then Elvira screeched as they left the parking lot.
She could hear the soaring moan of police cars as they approached the mall parking lot. If she had been any later she would have been trapped and interrogated. Now she needed time to think, to plan. If not she knew she would pay with her life.
She did not go home. If Enrique had escaped the police that was the first place he would go, to the house they had shared together. Instead she went to Leon's.
Leon was a friend from her days as a student at MacArthur High School.
Leon had been her boon companion through thick and thin. When she was struggling on what to do with herself after the divorce Leon had been there for her. Toodles had played with the idea of there relationship being something more than friendship, but Leon was a drug dealer and she could not deal with that aspect of his life, however at this very moment this aspect was exactly what she needed to get away from Enrique.
She pulled up to Leons house off Grauwyler Avenue, over between Story and O'Connor. Leon's GTO was not in the drive way. She'd have to call him on his cell. She pulled her phone out of her Doney and Bourke purse, purchased with the ill-betotten funds. She dialed with one hand while she screeched backwards out of the driveway and headed south on MacArthur, leaving him a breathless message to meet her at Joe's Diner & Restaurant in one hour.
Before she could meet Leon, she needed to ditch the car as it is so recognizable. Just as she turned on Rock Island heading to Joe's she spotted the garage for City office and the Library. She made a quick right into the garage looking for a parking spot that would not be visible from the road. She spotted Leon - pulling out of the garage and waved him down.
"Let me park this white elephant, I want to hide it in here" said Toodles.
But Leon made another suggestion, "Follow me".
He led her downtown to the Trinity Rail Express lot and told her to park it in plain sight and maybe Enrique would think she was running to Dallas or Fort Worth. She quickly parked and climbed in with him.
"So", he said "you need my help once again."
Now, you decide where the story goes next!
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