Losing Hope | {BOOK 4}

33| Making a Plan

Since the sheriff was interviewing Crystal's parents, I headed to Rose's house to interview hers.

"Rose and Crystal were friends since... forever it seems," Rose's mother said. "Uh, you think that Crystal could still be in danger?"

"We do, Mrs. McKinley, and the fastest way to find Crystal is to find out who did this to Rose," I set a picture of the two girls down on the coffee table. "Did you notice any change in her behavior recently- uh, new friends, a new boyfriend, maybe a crush?"

"Rose was... a shy girl," Mr. McKinley admitted.

I looked over his shoulder at a picture of him and Rose.

"But... you think she might know who did this to her?" Mrs. McKinley asked.

"In Rose's case, she not only knew the person, but, uh, she was trying to have intercourse with them," I said. "So I'm just trying to figure out whether it was a boyfriend or whether it was just some random roll in the hay."

"No," Mrs. McKinley shook her head. "Uh, there were no relations that we're aware of."

"No relations at all," Mr. McKinley raised his voice, getting angry. "What the hell is this, Agent?"

"I'm just doing my job, Mr. McKinley," I replied.

"By suggesting my daughter was a slut?"

"I'll admit the thought crossed my mind," I told him, voice even. "Then I came here, and I smelled the deceit and the beatings and the shame that pervade this home."

"You shut your face right now."

"And you know what?" I continued, ignoring him. "I don't blame Rose anymore. No wonder she put on that skank outfit and went out there looking for validation, right into the arms of the monster that killed her. Joe, who did this?"

Mr. McKinley lunged across the table, punching me in the face, but I remained seated, face expressionless as I stared up at him.

"No! Joe!" Mrs. McKinley cried.

Mr. McKinley threw another punch.

"Who did this?" I asked him calmly.

"Stop!" he yelled.

"Joe," I kept my voice even, taking out my gun and pointing it at his stomach. "Who did this?"

"I don't know," he said, breaking down in sobs. "I don't know."

As I left the house, heading toward the Impala I was still in possession of, I suddenly whipped around, pointing my gun at a boy who had watched Mr. McKinley and my exchange inside.

"Whoa!" the boy cried, holding out his hands.

"What?" I barked.

"Crystal, she's still..." he trailed off.

"Why?"

"There were these guys living out by Cross Creek, said they were rehabbing a cabin out there," he told me, and I put my gun away. "Mostly, I think they just wanted a place to drink and meet girls."

"And Crystal and your sister knew these guys?" I asked. "But you couldn't be bothered to tell the cops when your sister turned up dead?"

"I was sort of the one who brought them out there in the first place."

⁘

When I arrived at the cabin, one vamp was outside, washing blood off his hands. As he turned to face me, fangs bared, I swung my machete, sending his head rolling. Heading over, I kicked down the door, stalking inside. As I looked around, I saw a man holding Rudy with a knife to his neck. Rudy's face was beaten. On a bed, Crystal was kneeling with her hands tied to a post.

"Eleanor, uh, this is Reggie," Rudy said. "We're just gonna talk, alright? And- and come to an understanding."

Reggie pointed his blade at me.

"Back your ass out of the room, missy, and leave the blade."

I looked down at the bloody machete in my hand, then back over at Reggie and Rudy.

"Yeah. No. Rudy, walk away."

"No, El- no," Rudy shook his head. "E- Ellie, just do what he says, okay?"

"He's not gonna kill you," I said, voice emotionless. "You're his insurance, all right? Now man the hell up and walk away."

"Oh, I will kill him, friend," Reggie told me. "You keep yappin', I will."

"Do it," I challenged.

"Ellie!" Rudy cried.

"Back up!" Reggie commanded.

"Do it," I challenged him again, slowly making my way towards them.

"D-don't test me," the vamp stuttered.

"Ellie, stop!" Rudy yelled.

"You don't have the guts," I taunted.

Reggie pointed his knife at Rudy's chest. Rudy's eyes widened in fear as I made a move as if to jump at Reggie.

"Hah!" I yelled.

It was enough to scare Reggie into plunging the knife into Rudy's chest. Over on the bed, Crystal screamed. I just stared at the vamp, annoyed as Rudy's body fell to the floor. Swinging my machete, I beheaded Reggie as Crystal continued to scream and cry.

"What did you do?!"

I looked down at the two bodies and then walked over to Crystal.

"You're Crystal, right? Yeah, well..." I cut her bonds. "I just rescued you."

"He- you could've talked," she said. "You just..."

I turned away, stepping over Rudy's body as I exited the cabin.

"You're welcome."

⁘

Back in my motel room, I stood in the bathroom, trying to scrub the blood off my hands. As I looked up at the mirror, I saw a flash of Dean's face, all bloody. Looking back down at my hands, I started scrubbing harder. When I looked up again, I saw Rudy as he fell to the ground. Clenching my jaw, I looked down once more, then punched the mirror without looking up. Immediately after, I slammed the phone off the wall and headed over, picking up the TV and throwing it across the room. I continued trashing the motel room, only stopping when there was nothing else to throw or break. Breathing heavily, I closed my eyes, jaw set.

I grabbed a notepad and pen, scribbling a note and leaving it on the pillow on the bed, along with the keys to the Impala. Then, I took my phone out and texted Sam the address and room number of the motel. When I was done, I headed out, hijacking a different car and driving off. I had a plan, and I needed to find somewhere out of the way to follow through with it. I just hoped I could set it in motion before Sam or Dean caught up to me.