Darius' truck didn't look like it was going to stop as hurled towards her. "Jesus!" she cried as he laid on his horn and barreled by, nearly missing her as she jumped back. The whirl of the truck pulled her with it, knocking her into the back end of a parked Buick. She grunted and caught her balance on the trunk as she turned to watch him speed away. "What in the actual fuck was that?" Jane ran a hand over her face and looked around her, checking to see if anyone else had witnessed the crazy chase. There were no signs of life on either side of the street and she whistled. It wasn't often the quaint neighborhood saw any action and it surprised her that not one person could be seen pulling aside their drapes.<br/><br/>After getting her breathing under control, Jane stepped back up onto the sidewalk and bent to retie her shoe. She still needed to get milk and she could use the long job as time to mull over whatever just happened out in the street. She reached into her pocket for her earbuds and tucked them into her ears. She chose some mellow music and started off down the side walk, keeping to the right.<i>Perhaps that wasn't Darius. I could have been imagining things, but I am pretty sure that was his truck. And the driver looked just like him, but what the hell would a crime novelist be doing running down a van? Especially a crime novelist who spoke against chasing adrenaline rushes. Something seems off. <br/>
</i><br/>Jane slowed her pace as she neared the drug store and removed one of her ear buds. She dipped inside and smiled at the familiar ding of the bell as the door opened. A cashier clerk greeted her as she passed by. She picked up a basket at the head of the cooler isle and wandered past doors lined with drinks and frozen food. She found the milk and loaded her basket up with several cartons. She snatched a bag of chocolate from an end cap and made her way up to the check out counter. The cashier, an older woman with graying brown hair smiled at as she swiped the milk cartons over the scanner. "Got a bad case of kitten love?" she joked as she bagged the last one. Jane chuckled and briefly explained Ms. Galloway's cat situation. "Hey, by the way, you haven't seen or heard anything out of the usual tonight, have you?" Jane asked as she dug through her wallet for her debit card. The woman thought a moment and then shook her head. "No, not really. There was some shouting down the way near Mama Garcias's, but that's not unusual." The clerk noticed Jane's arched brow and added, "Mexicans," as if she was supposed to catch her underlying racism.<br/><br/>"Thank you," Jane said curtly as she gathered her bags and hurried out of the store. "That was rude.." she mumbled once she stepped out into the early night. Jane glanced down the way at the darkened store front belonging to Mama Garcia's and furrowed her brow. If she wasn't lugging around two sacks of milk, she probably would have done some snooping. She thought about the hungry kittens and grunted, turning to hurry back home the short way.<br/><br/>Jane turned some of the milk cartons over Ms. Galloway and asked if she'd heard or seen from Darius while she was gone. She told her she hadn't and thanked her for the milk. Jane returned to her apartment and stashed her milk in the fridge before she cleaned up with a shower. She was hungry, but she was also nosy, and decided to skip dinner for the time being. She wanted to confront Darius.<br/><br/>After changing into a pair of loose fitting sweats and a T-shirt, she stepped into her slippers and headed for the door. She locked it behind her and power walked down the hall to Darius' door. The tapped her fist against and stepped back, tapping her foot impatiently. If he wasn't home, she was going to sit and wait for his return.