“Thanks for coming to the Circle K.” Chris watches as the customer leaves the store.

She couldn’t believe she got the job a day after she turned her application in. The store manager had called her while she was at school and asked if she could come in for an interview after school. She had said yes and as soon as school ended, she practically ran to the store.

The interview didn’t last more than twenty minutes. Just as she was about to leave the store. The manager offered her the job and she started that night. Her shift ended at midnight and by the time she arrived back at her father’s workshop, she was dead tired.

She found out the next day, that the locks on the house doors had been changed. A note had been tacked to the door of her father’s workshop telling her that she was no longer allowed in the house for any reason. She was also informed that when her mother through a backyard barbecue or party. She was to remain in the workshop and hidden.

This was fine with Chris because most of her stepmother’s friends scared her. She was lucky her father had installed a toilet and a sink in the workshop. The workshop had a small water heater that provided hot water to the sink. So, she could take a sponge bath or build a makeshift camper’s shower like they use to use when she went camping with her father.

She had to rearrange the way the workshop was set up. Her makeshift bed was supported on nine cinder blocks she found stack behind the workshop. She was lucky her father had bought several sheets of three-quarter plywood. She trimmed one down and used it as the base on top of the cinder blocks. When she was moving things around in the workshop, she found the tote that had the camping gear in it. Inside was the blowup air mattress they used when they went camping. She placed that on top of the plywood and spread her collection of old blankets out on it.

If her stepmother could only see what favor she did her by moving her from the closet to the workshop. The camping tote had the two-burner gas stove they used while camping in it. She could now have hot meals. There were a few other items in the tote that would make it easier for her.

However, she was going to need to buy a heater soon. The temperature was slowly changing, and she woke up the other morning cold. Chris also had to figure out where she could wash her school and work clothes. She was down to her last pair of clean panties and one outfit. She knew some of her teachers have noticed that she has worn the same clothes three days in a roll.

Especially, Mrs. Midnight. Chris noticed that she has been keeping a closer eye on her. Just the other day, Mrs. Midnight, asked her to stay after class. Once all the students had left the classroom, Mrs. Midnight had asked if everything at home was okay.

She wanted to tell Mrs. Midnight the truth, but she didn’t want to feel the wraith from her stepmother again. The last time she had told a teacher what had been going on. Her stepmother accused her of being a lair and even had her stepbrother back up what she said.

Later, after the people from Childcare services left. She received a beating and was locked up in her closet for five days. The only time she was permitted to come out was to go to school. If she didn’t come home when she was supposed to, she received another beating.

So, she lied to Mrs. Midnight, but she got the feeling that Mrs. Midnight didn’t believe her. Mrs. Midnight had said if she ever needed help, to call her and she would come and help her. Mrs. Midnight had handed her a black business card with her number on it.

“Chris, have you restock the coolers yet?” George looks over towards Chris.

“Not yet. I was just finishing up fronting and restocking what we got in.” Chris puts the last item that was in the tote on the shelf.

“Alright, why don’t you watch the front of the store and I’ll handle the cooler.” George heads towards the coolers.

“Okay, George.” Chris hated the cooler because she didn’t have a coat that kept her warm when she was inside it.

The rest of the night, she tends to customers and refills the coffee containers. She at least got a free meal or discount buying food at the store. As for her laundry problem, she could use a laundry mat. There was one not far from where she was living. Chris figures she could use the old wagon she found in the workshop to carry her laundry back and forth.

The lawyer she spoke too, about getting emancipated from her stepmother. She said that she must show that she can support herself without any help from her stepmother. Also, her stepmother would have to be okay with it.

The last part would be a blessing to her stepmother. She would be thrilled not to have to support her, even though she hasn’t done anything for her since her father died. Technically, she has been supporting herself since his death.

At midnight, her shift ends. Chris takes home some hot dogs she made for herself. She puts the milk, juice, and soda she bought in the basket on her bicycle. She was glad her father had restored the old refrigerator he bought when she was younger. She shivers as she mounts her bicycle and starts peddling home.

Nora’s and Kelly’s House:
Nora and Kelly had talked about what happened several days ago. The car that had followed Kelly and tried to intimidate her wasn’t the same car that came after her. However, the car that came after Kelly, did come after her a few days later. The car that had originally came after her, it joined the second one.

They had tried to run her off the road, but they didn’t know how powerful her mustang was. When she bought her new mustang, she had the Shelby upgrade done to it. She never knew when the extra speed and power would come in handy. She was glad that she had the extra performance to outrun the other two muscle cars.

She did try to follow them, but an eighteen-wheeler had cut her off. By the time he moved out of the way, the two muscle cars had disappeared. She thought about contacting Hex to see if he could somehow track them.

Another concern she had was about one of her students named Chris Sumner. She has been showing up at school wearing the same outfit three days in a row. She also noticed that Chris has been falling asleep in her class lately.

When she asked Chris if things were alright at home. Chris lied to her and said things were fine at home. She spotted the lie right away and wonder why Chris would lie to her.

She checked with Chris’s other teachers and they said that they have noticed a difference in Chris as well. In some of their classes, Chris’s grades were starting to slip. They also noticed she wore the same outfits three days in a row as well.

Nora wonders what was happening with Chris? She’ll have to follow her after school and find out. Her thoughts are interrupted by the ringing of Kelly’s cellphone. She watches as Kelly reaches for her cellphone.

“Hello?” Kelly was still half to sleep.

“What do you mean the office is on fire?” Kelly sits up in bed with the cellphone next to her ear.

“I mean that the fire department is down here right now, putting the flames out.” Shelly couldn’t believe her office was on fire.

She had received a phone call from the security company that monitored the office. They had let her know the fire alarm had gone off and that the fire department was on their way to her office. When the fire department arrived, the office was in full blaze.

“Do you need me to come down?” Kelly was getting ready to get out of bed.

“No, just don’t come in tomorrow, until we find out what caused the blaze and be careful.”

“I will.” Kelly wonders who could have burned the office down.

Shelly ends the call and walks over to the Fire Marshal.

Nora looks at Kelly “what happened?”

“Someone set the office on fire.” Kelly looks into Nora's eyes.

“I wonder if this has anything to do with your current case?” Nora had a puzzled look on her face.

“Maybe.” Kelly puts her cellphone back on the charger.

She snuggles back down under the blankets and just looks at Nora as she puts her book down. When Nora was laying down next to her, she snuggles closer against Nora.

Nora wraps her arms around Kelly’s body and just holds her.