Page 56 of Flyboy
Alyssa hadn't seen Bio-Monster in fifteen years and the shock of seeing her now, only a few feet away, kept her motionless for long moments while she studied this older version.
Nothing had changed except maybe some extra lines around the eyes and mouth; it was hard to tell through the car window. Gina still sported bleached brittle, stark-white hair in ragged hanks to her waist, clothes far too tight and revealing for a woman in her fifties who hadn't taken care of her body, and an ugly sneer curling her lips.
No, Gina hadn't changed at all. She was still the poster child for skank.
How long had she been standing there?
Alyssa hadn't noticed her when she'd come out of the store, although she really hadn't been looking around as she walked to her car. Something Jack and Roark would yell at her for.
Gina didn't seem interested in approaching, her stance, while not friendly, appeared relaxed, and settled as though she were quite happy to wait. Something Alyssa was grateful for. She didn't want a confrontation in the parking lot of a grocery store—the fewer people who knew about Bio-Monster the better—so there was no way she was getting out of her car.
This little encounter confirmed one thing though, Gina was definitely in Sunnyville.
In the week since Roark and his team of bodyguards—and in spite of them telling her that's not what they were, they totally were—had arrived to repair the security system on the house and keep watch over Penny, no one had seen or heard from Gina. Including her. The calls that had come in multiple times a day had stopped on Monday.
The day Roark and his men arrived.
Alyssa didn't think that was a coincidence, which meant her suspicion about Gina watching them had been right. In this instance she would prefer to havenotbeen right.
Did Gina think if no one saw her or heard from her, the men would leave? Although now she'd shown herself, she couldn't think that was a possibility.
Had she tried to contact Penny?
Her sister hadn't said anything, and Roark had reassured her and Jack every day he hadn't spotted Gina while he accompanied Penny everywhere.
For a week it had been as though Gina had given up harassing them.
And now she was here.
Why?
And why the hell had Alyssa been thrilled to not have a shadow like Penny?
If she'd let one of Roark's men follow her, she wouldn't be alone right now.
Not that being alone with Gina was an issue. She wasn't scared of the woman. Hell, Gina had always been on the thin side but now she was skeletal, and her skin had a yellow tinge. Maybe she was sick. Alyssa wouldn't be surprised. After years of alcohol abuse, it wouldn't be a shock to discover her liver and kidneys had packed it in.
Was that why she was here? To get money for treatment? Ask for a kidney?
Alyssa gave herself a mental slap. As if. The only thing Gina ever wanted money for was alcohol. Or drugs. She'd never done drugs when Alyssa lived with her, but Penny had let a few things slip over the last few months that led her to believe Gina had finally succumbed to a new addiction.
Which was a good reason to get out of here. Now.
Checking for cars, she took her foot off the brake and eased it onto the accelerator, reversing out of her spot. She didn't ignore Gina, but she didn't acknowledge her either.
At the parking lot exit, before pulling out into traffic, Alyssa flicked her gaze to the rearview mirror.
Gina was gone.
She didn't have time or the desire to find out where. With a little more pressure than necessary, Alyssa drove out of the lot. She'd drive straight to Ry's and call Penny, make sure her sister was safe at home with Roark and his team. Mrs. Alverez had the day off and had taken a trip to San Francisco to do some shopping, which was why she'd tried to convince Penny to join her at Ry's.
Penny had used studying for finals as an excuse to stay home.
Why hadn't she made Penny come with her? Or Jack?
She sighed. She knew why. After the first week in their new house and all the extra shifts Alyssa had picked up, the second week hadn't fared much better. Then again, with her working nights she hadn't seen Jack or Penny more than a few minutes here and there. Penny wouldn't have come with her even if she had wanted to, which she hadn't. She'd made it more than clear spending time with her big sister was not on her list of fun things at the moment.
Although, with the sighting of Gina it was better that Penny hadn't been with her. Who knows what would have happened if they'd been together just now. Her sister had threatened to slap Gina if she came close to her. Something she and Jack and Roark had advised against. Thankfully she hadn't found out if Penny's assurances she wouldn't get violent if she came face to face with Gina had been genuine.
