Chapter 54

Everything moved so quickly, then slowly in Carl's view. He and Doris were shackled hand and foot in plastic cuffs and forced to kneel while they watched Maxwell threaten Ellen and lay out his plan. After that, there was yelling, a gunshot, and a jarring swinging back and forth of the lights. Amidst the mayhem, time appeared to slow down. A stream of blood erupted from Ellen's chest, and he saw her corpse fall with a thump to the ground.

Maxwell yelled at Vannie and hit her across the face in rage. You're such a diva that you messed up everything! There goes the neighborhood! "You're the reason I'm dead!"

You have to stop trying to murder him! I dumped his whore instead! A scream came from Vannie.