We should perhaps first return to what happened with Jacky (really Sharon) after she left the bar with the medallion back in her possession.
Rick was waiting for her in a parked car across the road from the bar. He had been keeping an eye on Jacky knowing that the person he thought was Sharon was sedated and sleeping in the back seat. “Sharon” had seemed really traumatized. He didn’t understand why she was so upset. What had he done to make her run away? Why was she raving about that Jacob fellow? And why was Jacky so determined to meet with this Dana chick? Nothing was making sense.
He was very much regretting the last 24 hours. It was not in his interests to garner police attention and was fearful that they might link him to past activities that could cause a lot of trouble. Unfortunately he had lost his cool at the idea of Sharon running away from him and publicly taken her back. He had no doubt that Sharon’s screaming had caused the apartments block’s residents to call the police. A drive past mid-afternoon had shown police cars at the scene. Now 10 years of his alias as “Rick” might have to come to an end. Luckily he had a safe house where he could hide for a few days and a new identity ready to be activated. At least he had the foresight to put the title to the house in Sharon’s name. He looked at the sleeping woman. He would be sad to leave her but what choice did he have? He had never come clean to her about his past and she had known enough not to ask.
Rick had watched Dana go into the bar and sit with Jacky. The tall blonde was the girl who had been in Jacob’s apartment with Sharon. She was a looker as well. She and Jacky would no doubt get a lot of male attention and Rick was not happy with that. He had told Jacky to sit by the window and raise her arm in a Nazi salute if she needed his aid. Wanted by the police or not he was prepared to go and retrieve Jacky if she signalled to him. She didn’t.
His plans for the future included Jacky. She was a runaway already so no doubt she would be happy to relocate with him. He had only known her for a few days but he somehow had already felt a deep connection with her. She seemed to understand his moods, his likes and dislikes. He felt comfortable with her. It just felt right that they should stay together. It didn’t hurt her cause that she was a looker as well. An upgrade on Sharon. Much as they had enjoyed a good life together, Sharon was getting old.
Finally Jacky left the bar and gave Rick a thumbs up to indicate that she had got what she wanted. He immediately started up the car and was ready to drive off as soon as she was inside. He couldn’t risk the police catching him.
‘Got it. She was very compliant’ Jacky told him.
Rick didn’t understand what was so important about this necklace. It obviously had a deep personal meaning to Jacky. ’Did you find out anything about the police? Are they looking for me?’
‘Yes. On three counts of kidnapping apparently’
‘Three? I’m only guilty of one count’ Rick was mystified.
‘Jacob the owner of the unit where we found Sharon and Jack the guy whose apartment we stayed in last night can’t be found. The police have you as the prime suspect in their disappearances as well as Sharon’s’
‘That isn’t fair. I have had nothing to do with those guys’
‘I have a way of clearing your name’
‘It won’t do me any good. If they have my fingerprints I’ll be in deep shit. I’m going to have to disappear’
‘Deep shit? Is there something you need to tell me?’
‘Things from my distant past, even before I met Sharon. My real name isn’t Rick. I’m wanted for serious crimes that it is in your best interests not to know about’
‘Well I knew you were not a clean skin’
‘ I have an escape plan. A new identity. Will you come with me?'
’What about Sharon?’
‘She ran away. It seemed she wanted out. She has the house in her name, so she would do okay. I’d like her to come with me but I know how hard it is hard to start over. It has to be her own choice. Mind you I will miss the old girl if she decides to stay’
That was an answer Jacky was happy to hear. ’You really do love her don’t you?’
‘I guess I did. But she’s gone stark raving mad. Acting like a lunatic. I wish I knew why’
‘I have an explanation. But you will find it hard to believe’
‘An explanation for what?’
‘For why Sharon has apparently changed personality. It has to do with the necklace’
‘What necklace? The one you got from the blonde chick?’
‘Yep. It’s magical’
‘Now your sounding like Sharon. Are you going crazy as well?’
‘It could solve all your problems. Let me explain’
Rick listened as Jacky told some preposterous story about the necklace. The girl was growing crazy. Had she and Sharon been on some new drug?
Rick listened for a while but eventually had to vent his thoughts. ‘This is crazy Jacky. You are telling me that you are really Sharon and that the woman in the back of the car is that fat slob from the apartment? I’m sorry you are just as crazy as Sharon. When we get to the safe-house I’ll give you a cocktail as well. Hopefully you will feel better when you wake’
‘I know it’s hard to believe. I’ll demonstrate once we are there’