The Godmother and her gang had been moving from one non-descript place to another. Ottumwa, Osceola, Cedar Rapids. No more than one night in each place as she tried to stay one step ahead of the FBI. She longed for her home in New York, but ever since she was fingered in the killings of four people, she had been on the lam. The Feebs had pulled out all the stops in trying to bring her to justice. Phones were tapped and emails were monitored. Still, the Godmother had eluded capture.
But her close friends could tell it was getting to her.
Not that she didn't have plenty of company. There was a phalanx of armed guards. There was also the omnipresent and mysterious woman who was always at the Godmother's side. Her name was Abedini (phonetic), and she was known as the Abelone. A long-time veteran of the
It was a cold day in Ames, and the Godmother was having coffee in the hotel coffee shop. Her husband had quietly arrived the night before to bring her the latest news from New York. Rumor was he had been in Washington negotiating a pardon for the Godmother.
As the Godmother and the Abalone were finishing their coffee, a bodyguard came in and approached the table.
"Godmother," he began.
Furious, the Godmother threw her coffee cup against the wall.
"I told you @&;*^*% bastards never to address me unless I addressed you first."
"Forgive, me Godmother, but brutte notizie. They know where you are. We must move immediately."
"Get my @#^*^ car. Go up to the room and tell my husband to get his *^%$#@ pants on."
Rushing up to the room, the bodyguard banged on the door. "The Godmother says we have to leave immediately."
"OK. OK. I'll be right down."
Outside the gang's cars were lining up in front of the hotel. The Abelone had jumped in one of them awaiting the Godmother. A crowd of about 7 people who had come to catch a glimpse of the Godmother were staring at the people jumping into the cars.
As the Godmother came out onto the sidewalk, she saw something strange. One of her bodyguards was running around the corner instead of getting into a car. She looked at the first car.
"Abelone!!"
It was too late. No sooner was the word out of her mouth then the car exploded in a ball of flames.
For a moment, it seemed as if her world had ended. Then, as if in a miracle, Abalone came running up the sidewalk. "Here I am, Godmother!".
"Thank God! I thought for a moment...."
But there was no time to waste. Everyone piled into the cars. The Godmother's husband was the last one rushing out of the hotel, his pants still in his hand as a bodyguard shoved him into the last car. Within a minute, the motorcade was heading out of town (minus the first car, of course).
An hour later, a car full of FBI agents arrived in town and pulled up to the hotel. One agent, clutching a photo and a couple of emails, walked into the hotel and approached the front desk.
"Ever seen this woman?" he asked the receptionist.
Looking at the photo, the receptionist hesitated then answered:
"Can't say I have."
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