Chapter Four: Just a wrong number...

The hoagie and chips on the counter had smelled good until Hatchet had showed up and churned her senses. The hunger had left her stomach now, replaced by a yearning for someone. At first, she took for granted that the knot she felt was for Asher, but as she eyed the lone photograph on the refrigerator door she realized it was the only person left that she cared about, and the only person left she could save.

Lonely, cold, and blonde Penelope had stumbled off the train at the 30th street station in an unforgiving mood, in an unforgiving city. She felt abandoned, as though the life she dreamed of had just been stripped from her grip. The reflection of the slums on the puddles surrounding her lifted her spirits nowhere, and seemed all too familiar. Beyond the turned over trashcans a sweet but scraggly tenacious looking girl who couldn't have been more than 18 was leaning against a rusty train schedule sign taking a long drag of her cigarette when they caught each others eye. Shiloh had been waiting for someone like Penelope, and Penelope had needed someone like Shiloh. "Girl, you've got to do something about that hair.", Shiloh voiced in a raspy confident tone, "Blonde just isn't your color." Penelope let a smirk relax her. "You look like you need a place to stay, and I need somebody who needs a place to stay. Hi, I'm Shiloh. What's your name?"

Shiloh was walking past the playground outside of her apartment when she noticed the unfamiliar car sitting at the curb. This wasn't the type of neighborhood that often had visitors, and having a roommate like Penelope she constantly questioned anything she didn't recognize. She decided to call Pen to make sure everything was okay.

Waiting on Asher's call still had Penelope's ears tuned to the phone. As soon as it rang she opened it without even a thought.
"Hello, this is Penelope."
"Pen, it's Shiloh. Everything alright?"
"NO. I mean, uhh no no, you must have the wrong number. That's fine, I just like my privacy." she spoke sternly into the phone hoping that her friend would read between the lines.
She slammed the phone shut and threw it on the counter hoping to sell the act she had just given Hatchet. His look had turned from one of relief for having found her, to one of concern and doubt from the call. He asked, "What was that all ab...."
"Nothing, it was nothing. Just a wrong number. Look, I need you to go now. Things are just weird right now. Why don't you call again tomorrow when I've had a chance to figure some things out. Something just isn't right."
"I understand. I know Asher was important to you, but don't let your past here keep you on edge. No one remembers what happened two years ago. You got lucky that they didn't tie you to that lawyers murder. He was a scumbag that just wanted your money anyways. I think we can tell by the look of this place that you wish you had your money too."
"Screw you Rick. I didn't have anything to do with that. I still think those called to 'serve and protect' did exactly that, they served their wallets and protected themselves. I'm going to get my money back, and I don't need your help. I told you that in Los Angeles three months ago! If you hang around any longer, who knows I might start thinking you had something to do with Asher. So just go away for now and let me figure some of this stuff out. I'll call you."

He thought he was so close, but despite 'removing' Asher from the equation he realized that someone still had her questioning things. Who the hell had she been talking to besides Asher?!?! He had no problem leaving now, but he'd be back. Heck, he was there just the week before.

Pen walked Hatchet to the door. And as she watched him walk down the hall to the dark creaky stairwell at the end, Dora, the landlady, walked up to her and asked what she was planning to do about the gash her friend that had just left put in the wall the week before. "What gash?" Penelope asked just as she remembered the dried glue that had been used to fill it. It took her a moment to realize the rest of what Dora had said. 'Hatchet had been here a week ago???' she questioned to herself. How much longer had he been here? What had he seen? Shiloh? Asher?
The last time she had seen Asher was when he left to go home during the storm...a week ago....