Lake Manitoc, Wisconsin
EXT. CARLTON HOUSE – DAY
INT. CARLTON HOUSE – DAY
Will Carlton sat on the kitchen counter eating cereal, Bill Carlton at the table reading the newspaper. Sophie Carlton came through the room.
Sophie kissed her father on the cheek. "Morning, Daddy."
"Morning, sweetheart," Bill replied.
Sophie went to get something out of the refrigerator.
"All these workouts, Soph, I don't know. Guys don't like buff girls," Will said.
"Yeah, well, girls don't like guys who still live at home," Sophie shot back.
Will drains the milk from his cereal bowl and slid off the counter before saying, "Ha ha ha."
"Ha ha." Sophie opened the door to leave.
"Be careful," Bill warned.
"I will." Sophie closed the door.
EXT. LAKE – DAY
Sophie stood on the dock, looking at the lake. Will watched from a distance as she dove in. She swam and came up for air, looking around; she saw no one. She kept swimming. She came up for air again and looked around some more; still no one. Someone approached her from underwater and pulled her under. Bubbles formed, then there was nothing.
EXT. HOTEL – DAY
A truck went past a neon sign that said HOTEL, behind a building that said The Lynnwood Inn. The Impala was parked in front.
INT. RESTAURANT – DAY
There was a mostly empty plate in front of Dean, who was circling obituaries in a newspaper. Zach tapped a pen on the counter in rhythm.
Dean circled an obituary that read: CARLTON, SOPHIE -The Carlton family is sad to announce the death of their beloved daughter in a tragic swimming accident. Sophie Carlton, 18, was having her [...] Lake Manitoc WI, an [...] suddenly [...]
An attractive waitress, whose name tag said Wendy, approached.
"Can I get you anything else?" Wendy asked.
Dean looked up and grinned around the pen he was chewing on.
Sam came over and sat down. "Just the check, please."
"Okay," Wendy replied, walking away.
Dean dropped his head, then looked at Sam. "You know, Sam, we are allowed to have fun once in a while." He pointed to Wendy walking away; she was wearing short shorts. "That's fun."
Zach rolled his eyes and Sam looked at their oldest brother.
Dean handed Sam the newspaper. "Here, take a look at this, I think I got one. Lake Manitoc, Wisconsin. Last week Sophie Carlton, eighteen, walks into the lake, doesn't walk out. Authorities dragged the water; nothing. Sophie Carlton is the third Lake Manitoc drowning this year. None of the other bodies were found either. They had a funeral two days ago."
"A funeral?" Sam repeated.
"Yeah, it's weird, they buried an empty coffin. For, uh, closure or whatever."
"Closure? What closure? People don't just disappear, Dean. Other people just stop looking for them."
"Something you want to say to me or Zach?"
"The trail for Dad. It's getting colder every day."
"Exactly. So what are we supposed to do?" Zach asked.
YOU ARE READING
Bless the Broken Road
Mystery / ThrillerEverything Zach knew changed when he was just a toddler. Life became a lot scarier, and a lot harder. Now he and his brothers are on a quest to find their father, to avenge their mother and to rid the world of monsters once and for all. Sounds eas...
