Winchester Surprise

Chapter 8 Not An Intrest Free Loan

"I'll just be right back." Dani hopped off the stool and made her way to the bathroom leaving Sam at the counter with Hal.

"Can I get you anything?" Hal asked.

"Oh uh, just a coffee please."

"Sure."

"Thanks."

Hal poured the dark liquid into a clean mug. Hal observed the man across from him. He could see Dani in him, fairly watered down but still there. A moral dilemma flooded Hal's brain. Knowing of the man's existence was one thing but seeing him sitting there in front of him, filled him with the urge to inform him of his niece. He had a right to know, didn't he?

"Yall any closer to finding out what's going on?" He settled on getting as much info on the guy as he could without raising brows, for Dani's sake.

Sam offered a confused look.

"Oh right, forgive me." Hal extended his hand. "I'm Hal."

"Dani's grandpa right?" Sam clasped the hand offered.

"Is that what she calls me? Well, I'm honoured." Hal laughed.

"I'm Sam, Sam Winchester."

"Well, it's nice to meetcha Sam." He slid the coffee cup across the counter. Hal lifted an eyebrow expectantly. "So the hunt? Are you looking out for our girl?"

"Trying to. I may have found something, I'm not sure yet. Dani's been a big help though."

"Yeah, she's a good kid. Smartest one I know." His voice rippled with affection.

"How long have you known her?"

Hal let out a nostalgic laugh.

"Oh since she was up to here." He gestured just below his knees. "She was six. Her mum had just brought her home the week before. She'd brought her in here for a treat. She loved my milkshakes." Sam smiled at the sentiment that the man clearly had for her.

Sam's eyebrows tugged together.

"What do you mean brought her home?"

"Oh, she didn't tell you?" Sam shook his head "no". "She's adopted. From what I know she was put up for adoption when she was about two weeks old, then she was in the system till Jewels found her. Something about hunting an angel. Don't know how Dani was caught up in it the whole situation seemed pretty nasty."

"Must have been hard."

"It was. It took Dani a while to settle in. She kept thinking she'd be sent back like all her other foster homes did. Took her a good while to trust anyone. Honestly, she's tough to stay such a good person after everything she's been through. I don't think anyone would blame her if she shut the world out"

Sam fell into a thoughtful silence.

"Does she know her parent-um biological parents?"

"No."

"Eh, their loss," Sam muttered softly. Hal smiled brightly.

"Definitely. And our gain."

The bell above the door jingled as a familiar boy entered.

"Jason!" Hal greeted. "Sam this is my grandson Jason."

Jason froze staring at the man. Sam felt odd under the boy's stare. All of a sudden it was like Jason snapped out of whatever trance he had been caught in. He thrust his hand forward. Sam grasped it shaking firmly. The boy's eyes shifted to his grandfather's then let go and slumped into the barstool. Hal sighed heavily.

"She's working today," Hal said simply. Jason perked up a little.

"I didn't come to see her, grandpa." There was no malice in his voice he was simply making a point.

"I know."

Hal chucked an apron across the counter it thunked against his chest and into his lap. Jason unrolled it and hooked it around his neck.

"Jason? You're working today." The three turned to see Dani.

"Yeah." He sounded almost nervous. Dani glanced at Hal then back to Jason.

"Well...good we're short-handed." Her voice was softer than they all expected even Dani herself. Sam watched the two. Something unspoken seemed to pass between them like they were talking just with their eyes. Dani nodded and slid onto the stool on the other side of Sam.

"So whatcha got?"

"Right, yeah." Sam pulled out some copied newspaper clippings. "So I couldn't stop thinking about the way Gerald was acting it definitely seemed like something was going on with him. So I did some digging. Turns out three days ago was the fortieth anniversary of him getting cast in "Phantom Of The Opara."

"That's what started his career."

"And since then every ten years people go missing, another one every decade. Back in the 90s, it was one, then in 2002 it was two then in 2012...Three. An extra soul for every ten years."

"Like paying intrest on a loan. He pays back as many souls as decades lived then one more for the next ten. I mean a demon could go for that, it dose means more souls for hell, right?"

Sam nodded grimly.

"Maybe. We gotta be sure though."

"Wait, in the shack. There were only three bodies. It's been forty years, doesn't he need one more." Dani's eyes lifted and scanned the diner.

Almost as if his ears had been ringing the bell above the diner door jingled and Gerald stepped through. His eyes locked on Dani.

"Dani!"

"Gerry, Hi!" In a flash, Dani's face went from concerned to a happy calm.

"Ah, and your uncle is here too, good."

Hal's eyes widened a little looking to Dani for confirmation. She subtly shook her head.

"Look," Gerald continued. "I just wanted to apologise for my actions this morning. I was very rude when you were only trying to look out for my well being."

"Oh that's alright Ger, I mean I would react the same way if someone had implied that I was involved with something like that." Dani smiled, playing it off effortlessly. Gerald smiled. "Oh by the way I was thinking about those singing lessons and I was wondering if you'd be free this evening when my shift is over?"

"Oh well this evening I was goin-"

"Please! There's this song that I've been really wanting to work on. I think it was one from a show you where in a few years ago."

Gerald's eyes shifted with thought then brightened.

"Well if you insist I would be the best person to teach you it I suppose." The man looked overly proud of himself.

"Oh, you most definitely are. Five o'clock then?"

"Well, it's the least I can do for talking to you the way I did today. Five o'clock." The man bowed a little, literally bowed then walked to the door. Dani slid back around to face the counter.

"Please tell me you didn't just do that?" Jason asked his mouth agape. Dani shrugged.

"What? That way we can keep an eye on him. Plus it makes it more likely he'll go after me and not someone else."

"You just offered yourself up as bait?" Sam asked gobsmaked.

"Good right? Just stroke his ego a little and he plays right into it."

"Dani." Hal sighed in disbelief. 

AN: Hey all sorry it's taken me so long to update. I've had a lot of Uni stuff to get through and there have been some growing pains with moving in with my flatmates. I'll try to write more in the next wee while. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this part. I'd love to see what you think of it (I love comments😉). 

Write again soon.

Meg 💙💋