Shadows flitted past the corners of my eyes. I couldn’t place any one person tailing me, but the feeling was unsettling. Almost as unsettling as the message from Charlie. The police had my number. I needed a new one. I was running low on cash, but the alternative was broadcasting my location to the cops every step I took. I dropped into the same phone shop on the boardwalk Danny had visited and got another pre-pay phone. What the asshole said about Ann worried me. I took a mazy route back to her place. She had nothing to do with this and I really didn’t like him getting her involved. I paused by the door and looked around. Nobody appeared to be paying me any attention. I knocked gently on the door and slipped into the old storage room. Ann was curled up on her mattress, back to the door, face to the wall. Her snores sounded wet, like she was choking on phlegm. I gently rolled her over and stepped back. ‘Shit.’ Her upper lip was split and blood caked her cheek. She moaned and pulled back.
