Excerpt: The White Queen Sleeps

As the last shot rang out Bella screamed a warning as Mickey pulled her into his arms and whispered, “we can run away now they’re all dead and gone.” Bella looked up into Mickey’s eyes, tears streaming down her face as her fearful sobs belayed any response except a deep heavy breath as she buried her face into Mickey’s neck and lost her balance.

Mickey held Bella upright as she cried the silent screaming cries a body lets loose when all the senses have taken over and the function of speech is lost. Mickey waved his gun at Angel signaling him, Angel nodded looking at the girl caught tightly in Mickey’s grip and then headed out the door. A heaving silent sob sent Bella into small convulsions against Mickey’s chest as he shoved his gun into his pants and hoisted her up by her waist; flinging her like a bag of potatoes over his shoulders and running towards the door following Angel.

“Mickey!” A voice called out in alarm.

Mickey spun around and found himself staring down the barrel of a gun.

“Mickey, the girl goes to,” the man’s voice trembled as it aimed the gun at the girl flung over Mickey’s shoulder. “The boss said she goes too.”

Mickey tightened his grip on the Bella’s drooping body, he could feel a warm wetness coming from her and somehow he knew he had shot her too. Mickey’s eyes remained focused on the gun pointed at Bella's ass as a low grumble preceded his response, “no Alfredo, the girl doesn’t go to. She goes with.”

Alfredo stared blankly at Mickey, “that isn’t what…”

Mickey shot Alfredo and then headed back out the door, “idiot, god damn idiot!” he yelled at no one as he made his way down the five flights of stairs to the buildings front door. Bella had stopped trembling and lay limp over his arms.

“God damn idiot!” This time he was screaming at himself.