It was a green vinyl handbag with a long thin strap. He lifted it up and set it between his legs as he drove. He pulled out a leather wallet and opened it. Her California drivers license said her name was Eleanor Susan Capwell. 168 Morning Dew Lane, Capitola CA. Eyes green hair brown 5'9" 137 lbs. DOB 6/12/1965.
She had 43 dollars in her wallet and several credit cards. Inside the purse was also the nickel plated .38 as well as several lipstick cases, a compact, an hotel key for room 569 at the Belaggio, a pack of spearmint gum, a pack of unfiltered Camel cigarettes, a shiny lighter that looked expensive, and a tattered paperback copy of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.
'Hmm' Johnnie thought to himself. ' A literary psycho'.
'Or a literary hit-woman. No, she was no hit-woman. That was obvious. She had said her gun was named revenge and she meant it. But what had he ever done to her? He didn't remember her but that didn't mean much. There were countless times Johnnie had been told of things that he had done that he had no recollection of the next day. Perhaps this was one of those cases. Had he slept with the woman and not called her the next day? He had known women who had freaked out about that but being killed for it seemed a bit excessive. No, it had to be something bigger than that. Money? Did he steal her money? Did he shame her in some unforgivable way. 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.' He thought. 'Had he "scorned" her'?
He pulled one of the Camels from the pack and lighted it with the expensive looking lighter. He had cheated death once today, a few more cigarettes couldn't hurt.
What it was he had done to this woman to drive her crazy he would have to figure out because she probably wouldn't quit now.
He thought about going to the police but he knew they would be no help. After countless run-ins with the local police Johnnie had a bit of a reputation as a ne'er-do-well. They would be happy to see him gone. They might even consider helping her. No, he was going to have to deal with this crazy lady himself. Perhaps now that he knew who she was he could scare her off. Then he remembered the gleam in her eye as she had said 'Revenge' and he wasn't so sure.
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