Shelia was late again. The thirty-minute haircut had turned into an hour, and now she was going to be late getting back to work. She knew Mc’Ginty her boss would be waiting with his stupid lecture on how tardiness isn’t tolerated in this company and this would be the third time this week she heard it.

     Worrying about getting back, she wasn’t paying attention when backing out of her parking spot she smashed into the car parked behind her. She wanted to just drive away, but noticed several people looking her way. She knew if she just drove off someone would get her license number. She got out of her car with paper and pen in hand. Walked over to the smashed car and started writing. She finished and put the large white page under the wiper blade and drove off. This worked every time, people seeing her writing assumed she was leaving her contact information. She laughed when she thought how pissed the owner was going to be when he read her note that said, “People are watching so I’m writing this note to say sorry I smashed your car.”

     Looking at her watch she realized how late it was, and worrying about being reprimanded by her boss, she speeded up. Before she knew it she was going at least twenty-five MPH over the speed limit, and that’s when it happened. She didn’t even see the kid on his skateboard until she hit him. The rear wheels had already rolled over him before she could stop. God dam she thought, “Stupid little shit, jumping in front of me like that.” Shelia was upset when she saw the obviously dead kid was about nine, the same age as her son Jasper. She knew if she waited around to make out an accident report she’d be so late she’d probably get fired. If that happens my kids will end up starving or suffering some other ailment that afflicts the poor.

     She looked up and down the street and it was clear, she picked up the small body and placed it in her car trunk. She picked up the skateboard he had been ridding and thought her son Jasper would like a new skateboard. She threw it in the trunk also.

     What she hadn’t seen was the guy watching through a peephole in the cardboard box that to him was home. He saw it all, and saw when she had opened the car door one of her business cards fall to the ground. Unfortunately for her the business card had her picture on it along with home address and phone number. After she left, the bum walked over to the bloodstained pavement and picked up the card.

     She was really late now and picked up speed while driving downtown and decided she better get rid of the body before she got stopped for speeding or some other dumb thing. She made a quick turn into the first alley she saw, and hit a dog that was feasting on a pile of garbage in the middle of the alley. She liked dogs and was relieved she hadn’t killed it when she looked in her mirror and saw it crawling to safety.

     She pulled up beside a dumpster and hurried to put the boys body in it. She took out his skateboard, and wiped the blood from it with a tissue. She knew Jasper was going to love his new skateboard.

     Finally she got to work and rushed in dreading the lecture she knew she was about to get. It turns out her boss wasn’t even there today.

     That night after dinner the call came, “Shirley, I know what you did today” Shirley remained silent trying to think who could know? Then the voice said, “Give me five-Hundred dollars and I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

     “O.K.” She said. “Be here tonight at ten and I’ll have the money.” She wondered if he knew where she lived and the question was answered when he said, “See you then.”  She knew by asking for a measly Five-Hundred this guy had to be a low-life and she knew how to handle them. She sent all her kids to spend the night with her sister. She then purchased a large roll of plastic sheeting, and covered floor, walls, and furniture in the area where he would walk as soon as he entered her house. She knew the plastic would collect all the blood and any blown off body parts. She had learned this from watching the Sopranos on TV.

     Sheila sat waiting for the would be blackmailer with a Colt 45 in one hand, and a drink in the other. You gotta be tough to be a single mom, and this justified everything to her.