Chapter 3

Nicole caught her flight from Washington to Seattle on Friday. She then got onto a connecting flight from Sea-Tac to Anchorage. She was weary upon arriving and got a cab from the airport to a hotel. She recalled reading something somewhere that Anchorage had experienced the worst earthquake ever recorded in North America in the 1960’s. There was no sign whatsoever of that destructive event.

She checked into a Ramada Inn for two nights to catch up on the time zone. Nicole dragged herself following the bell boy carrying her two suitcases to her room. After tipping him, she locked herself in, went to the wet bar to get a glass of wine. She sipped it while undressing from her tight jeans and sweatshirt. All she wanted at the moment was a hot shower and sleep.

The hot water cascaded down her body as she washed herself with a wash rag filled with soap. She even shampooed her hair ruining her hairdo from a beauty shop the other day. Putting on a silky gown that fell to mid thigh, she turned out all the lights and climbed into bed. She took a mild sedative so she wouldn’t awaken in the morning and fell asleep almost instantly. That night she had no dreams.

Awakening around eleven am, she felt rested. She smiled to herself feeling her old self again. Nicole got out of her sleeping gown, took another shower and dressed to go shopping. She ate a light meal before taking off to the stores in what looked like a nice modern mall.

Stopping a few doors away, she found a gun shop. It was manned by a heavy set man with a scraggly beard.

“May I help you,” the guy asked as soon as she entered. He had a a big grin and his eyes full of lust for the redhead. And she saw his lecherous glare.

“I hope you can,” she said. “I’m looking for a handgun for a lady like myself.”

“For you or someone else?” he asked. “There’s three day waiting time you know.”

“Hmmmm, never thought of that,” Nicole lied. “Show me what you’ve got. I’d like to get an idea.”

He showed her several small handguns and was surprised how she handled the weapons. It was evident that she knew how to use them,

“What is it for?” he asked.

“Protection!” her voice was stern.

“Then this is your best bet,” he showed her a small .22 caliber.

“No, something a bit larger and able to stop a large animal,” she said.

“I’ve got this but it looks like it might be too big for you.”

She took the glock 9mm and held it in her small feminine hand.

“Three day wait?” she asked.

“That’s the law,” he stated.

“I’m going to the mall down the street, I may be back to fill out the forms for the state,” she smiled prettily as she walked out. She heard a wolf whistle from the clerk but ignored it.

Between the gun shop and the mall, Nicole speed dialed Zachary on her cell phone. He picked it up on the first ring.

“Yes!”

“I need a hush baby,” she said then broke the connection. She knew that Zachary knew exactly what she meant. She walked into the mall to look for a woman’s clothing store that sold sexy but trashy type of clothing.