Educating Elizabeth. Yasmine Hyde

there was really no place for her to go. She was out of money. She couldn't even post a letter if she had someone to write to. She thought about her friend Margie, but officers by now would have questioned her. Margie and the entire city would know Ronald Gerner was discovered dead at the Taylor house. No, she couldn't wire Margie; it was too risky.

      She didn't even think it was best to stay in this city. If she didn't think of a plan, the law would eventually track her here. No one had to tell her that the hunt was on for Elizabeth Taylor.

      "What will I do?" She stared at the bundle of letters and papers on the nightstand. Perhaps she could give them to the owners of the boarding house and ask them to post them. "But where?"

      She had a thought about the agency that had set Bethany up with the proxy husband and sent her on her way.

      There came another knock.

      When she opened the door this time, there was the round woman with the short, capped, dirty blonde natural curls, another man with a cleric collar, and another slim man dressed all in black whose eyes were dark as coal in his pale face. The last man made a cold chill slide down Elizabeth's back.

      "I've come to give the last rites." The priest was the first to come in as he was followed by the other two.

      There was a lot of discussion happening about cleaning the body and getting it moved and the room having to be aired out, all while the priest was removing a small, clear bottle from the folds of his dark robe.

      As he uncorked it, he asked, "What's the name of the deceased?"

      "Beth…Elizabeth Taylor." Her own name came tumbling out of her mouth before she could process her actions. Numb, she watched as he tipped what she assumed was holy water on his fingertips before he touched the dead woman's forehead, making the sign of the cross.

      Another chill washed over her and made her nauseous as she listened to the man send a benediction for the end of the life of a woman known as Elizabeth Taylor on the same day that marked her birth.