Duskwood Mysteries

Part 8

A sudden knock on the door startled both of us. His eyes narrowed. "Were you expecting someone?" he whispered. "No." I whispered back. "let me check." I walked towards the door and peered through the spy hole. It was Lilly. I turned to face Jake and mouthed that it was Lilly. He motioned me towards him. I walked over and he whispered, "She doesn't know I'm here." I nodded. He pointed towards the bedroom and mouthed that he would hide there. I nodded again.

She pounded on the door again. I walked towards the door and opened it. She sauntered in and said, "Took you long enough." "I'm sorry I didn't hear you knock the first time." I said. "Here you go princess." She said placing a huge brown bag on the dining table. "Lunch, dinner, breakfast, etc, etc. I thought you would be hungry." "Princess? Really?" I exclaimed. "Yeah what's wrong with Princess?" she asked. "No, I expected more on the lies of conniving b****" I said dryly smirking at her. "I would have, but I like dogs too much. Why insult them?" she said. My smile wilted. I really didn't understand this woman. Maybe I still hate her. Just because she is Jake's half sister doesn't really change that I should or should not hate her. "What are you doing here so early? I thought you would be here in the evening." I said. "Its snowing out. I don't think any new "guests" would visit the motel now." She said with air quotes. "Besides, you did not answer anything in the group chats." I had completely forgotten about the phone. I hadn't touched it since Jake got here.

"I really didn't get a chance to look at it." I said grabbing my phone. It was dead. I had forgotten to charge it. "What happened?" I asked. "Oh. Thomas and Cleo are at the police station filing a missing report on Richy. Jessy said that Richy's mom does not know anything about a cabin or his friend's having a cabin in the woods. Dan is acting like a smartass as always." She said her eyes rolling. "Wow that's good. I hope the cops can find Richy soon." I said. "Doubt it. They haven't made any headway about Hannah yet," she said sadly. I felt bad for her. It had been weeks since Hannah's disappearance. Richy was missing for over a few hours and that wrecked me, Lilly must absolutely be devastated. "We'll find them," I said placing my hand on her shoulder. She gave me a small smile.

"So.... Did you speak to Jake?" she asked. "About?" I asked back. "You know about you waltzing into Duskwood." She said. It just struck me. Lilly had told Jake that I was here. But she did not know that Jake was here and had told me that she had ratted me out. For her I still hadn't told Jake about me being in Duskwood. "No. I mean I will talk to him once I have settled down." I said quickly. "Look its none of my business but what you both have is something that should not be ruined by secrets. Like Hannah started keeping secrets from me and look where we are. It feels like I hardly know anything about Hannah anymore." She said genuinely. "Yeah, I will tell him. Soon. Don't worry about it." I said. She looked at me mischievously and said, "So....what's he like?" "Jake?" I asked.

"Obviously. Who else?" she said as a matter of fact. I didn't answer. How could I when the person she was talking about was literally under the same roof. Of course she didn't know that. "He is nice," I offered hoping to squash the conversation. "Nice?" she jumped from her seat and smirked, "That's all you have to say about the guy you are madly in love with?" I cleared my throat, "That's what you Lilly say not me." I retorted. "Oh yeah then why do you blush like a newlywed bride when I mention his name?" she scoffed. "Come on Jade. You must know something. How does he look? Is he cute looking or he looks like a nerd? How does his voice sound? Is it sweet or mysterious?" she babbled. "Okay stop you were right it is none of your business." I interrupted quickly. "Jade he is my brother. You can tell me. I'm really curious. Is he now your boyfriend? Has he asked you out?" she interrogated but it was more on the verge on teasing me relentlessly. "Ok enough. If you wanna know about your brother, ask him yourself. I am sure he would be happy to answer all your questions. Now please I need to sleep." I shut her off. "Jeez you are no fun. Fine I'm leaving. Here." She said handing over a piece of paper. "It's the letter that Hannah received for the meeting Ted Madruga. Thought you would want to take a look at it. By the way are you going to tell the others that you are here as well?" she asked. "No not now. I just some time to collect myself. Ok? What about the bracelet?" I asked. "Oh I think Cleo and Thomas are going to be at the police station all day plus with the snow I don't think they will get a chance to go to the pawn shop. So tomorrow maybe?" she shrugged.

"Ok," I said. She stood up and walked towards the door. "So I'll see you tomorrow then? Its getting late." She said. "Thanks for the food." I said. "No problem." She replied and went out the door. I locked the door and saw Jake walk back into the living room. Before he could say anything I quickly said, "This conversation did not happen ok?" He raised his eyebrows, "I was going to ask about the Ted Madruga letter. If I could see it." I handed him the paper. I then walked past him towards the bedroom. "Hopelessly in love huh? And the boyfriend tag doesn't seem so bad. Should I be asking you out officially?" He muttered as I passed. I stiffened just a bit. "I am going to take a nap and try to forget the royal embarrassment this was." I said walked into the bedroom as he giggled and sat down on the couch. The way Jake and Lilly mercilessly teasing me strengthened the thought that they were definitely related. Like brother like sister.