Hardware come first.

Brittany decides to head to the hardware store first so that she can get a large portion of her Mom's list checked off. Driving down the familiar streets of her hometown she flips on the radio to her favorite country station and begins to sing along. Pulling onto the highway she does a double take as she sees a very familiar face driving along in the far lane. She starts to speed up as she tries to overtake the speeding vehicle that she is fairly sure is driven by her cousin Jeremy. 'It can't be him. He lives an hour away why would he be all the way over here' Brittany thinks to herself as she slowly gains on her cousin.

Finally pulling along side him she looks over into his car and, is suddenly very sure that it is indeed her cousin Jeremy along with a girl that Brittany doesn't recognize. Apparently neither her cousin nor the mysterious girl has noticed Brittany driving along beside them. They seem to be engaged in a very interesting conversation as both of them are gesturing with their hands a lot (Jeremy not as much since he is driving) and occasionally nodding or shaking their heads at each other. As Brittany watches the two talking she sees the girl jerk her head at the back seat and then point in the same direction. Slowing down a bit Brittany drifts back and looks into the rear of her cousin's car. There sitting on the back seat is a black duffel bag. Brittany can only guess as to what's inside. Knowing her cousin it is probably something she wouldn't approve of. Not that her cousin is a bad guy 'well maybe he is a little' she thinks, he is just a little more open when it comes to doing certain things that she would never do.

Before she can continue with her ponderous thoughts she is **** to pay more attention as traffic begins to thicken. More and more cars begin to crowd the road and Brittany is **** to fall back several car lengths from her cousin's car. Suddenly a green hummer cuts her off temporarily blocking her view. When she finally manages to get out from behind them by pulling into the right lane she sees that her cousin is also in the right lane and is taking the exit. Since this is the exit she needs to take to get to the hardware store anyway she decides to follow him for a little longer. Surprisingly a few minutes later Jeremy pulls into the parking lot of the Hope Depot that Brittany had been heading to in the first place. As he pulls into a parking space he doesn't notice Brittany parking only a few space away.

Brittany watches silently as Jeremy climbs out of the car and stretches. Then she notices that the girl is leaning into the back of the car and fumbling around with something. A moment later the girl steps out of the car and both she and Jeremy walk off towards the story. Climbing out of her van and following at what she hopes is a safe distance Brittany sees that the girl is now holding a file manila file folder and what looks like a silver case. Now more curious than ever Brittany watches Jeremy and his unknown friend turn abruptly and head around the side of the store. Taken a bit by surprise Brittany stops and debates whether or not she wants to follow them. Before she can make up her mind though she has to jump back between two cars because Jeremy and the girl are already coming back.

Peeking around the corner of the car she is crouching behind Brittany can see the girl counting out a large stack of money in her hands. Jeremy is now holding the silver case but, the folder is no where to be seen.

Full of questions Brittany is almost ready to spring form her hiding place and confront her cousin but, she is a little ashamed to have been spying on him and isn't sure she wants to reveal that to him. Looking out from her hiding place she can see Jeremy and the girl walking down the aisle she is hiding in and realizes that if she doesn't move soon they will find her anyway.