Losing Hope | {BOOK 4}

72| Mother/Daughter Road Trip

"I haven't found anything on these surveillance cameras. I mean, it's like they just disappeared. How about you? Any of the local beat cops see anybody that shouldn't be there?"

"It's pretty rural. Not a lot of beat cops. I've checked all the motels, abandoned buildings. No sign of any of them."

"Alright," I sighed, running a hand down my face. "I don't know. You know, check... real-estate offices. See if anybody bought or rented a place. I mean, these people had a freakin' plane. Maybe they do things legit."

"Okay. I understand. I'll call you in the morning."

"Cass, hey," I said, pacing in the Bunker as I spoke. "So here's the thing. It's been kind of weird here with, you know, Mom being back. It's like we don't know how to act around each other, so we kind of make this small talk and act normal, but- it's so not normal."

"Um, I'm- I'm not sure," Cass stammered on his end of the phone. "What- what has she said to you?"

"Well, nothing. That- that- that's the whole point."

"Okay, what have you said to her?"

"Well, nothing," I repeated. "I'm- I don't know what to say to her, you know? It- it's- it's like it's all too much, and... I don't want to overwhelm her."

"Don't make things needlessly complicated, as you humans tend to do. I'll call you."

The phone beeped as Cass hung up on me and I stared down at it in my hand.

"Yeah. Great. That's helpful," I said to it sarcastically. "Thanks."

My mom entered the room then, wearing a robe.

"Any news on Sam, Dean and the kids?"

"Um, so somewhere outsi- here," I pulled out a chair to let her sit down. "Somewhere outside of Aldrich, Missouri. Cass is going through it with a fine toothed comb, and I've cracked every database I could."

I sat down in front of my laptop to show my mom what I was doing.

"Every what?" she furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Right. No internet your first time around," I smiled a little.

"Our house didn't have an electric typewriter," Mom smiled. "So... are you really afraid of overwhelming me?"

I swallowed, staring at her as I shook my head slowly.

"Mom, look, I am... thrilled you're back. I mean, I am so damn happy, I-I-I can't even stand it."

"I just... it's gonna take me a second to catch up, you know?"

"Yeah, no, no. Look, look- take all the time you need, alright? It's- it is what it is."

⁘

"Hey, how'd you sleep?" I asked the next morning when my mom joined me in the kitchen.

"I had dreams all night."

"Good dreams?"

"Stuff I'd forgotten about. Funny stuff your dad did. He was a great father."

I just nodded my head as my phone rang.

"Hey, Cass, what do you got?"

"I think I might have found their location," Cass replied. "It's a farm. It appears empty, but it was rented two weeks ago to a woman with an English accent."

"Did you have a look inside?"

"No. No, it's- it's powerfully warded."

"Powerfully warded?" I echoed. "Okay, see, buddy, that- that was your headline right there."

"Are we still discussing the same thing?" Cass asked, sounding confused.

"Where are you?"

"I'll text you the address."

"Okay, got it. I'm on my way."

I hung up the phone and Mom got up from the table across from me.

"I'll get my coat," she said.

"Wait," I stopped her. "Uh, okay. Why don't I take this one solo, okay? We just- we don't know what we're walking into here."

"We never know," Mom pointed out. "We're hunters."

"Right," I nodded, swallowing hesitantly. "Um... Okay, I-I can't do my job if I'm worried about you."

"Ellie. You won't have to be. I can handle myself. Okay? Alright, good talk."

"Oh boy," I muttered to myself as she exited the kitchen.

While we drove in the Impala, my mom came up with a plan.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," I shook my head, white knuckling the wheel.

"I'm your mother," she pointed out. "You have to do what I say. Look. They targeted the Bunker. They obviously know a lot about you and the Winchesters. They'll be expecting you. I'm the last person they'd expect."

"You were good at this, weren't you?"

"Very. The thing is, hunters... no matter how good they are, they all end up the same way."

"You know, after you died, it changed Dad. He started picking up odd hunts; tried to keep them close to home so he wouldn't leave me alone, but I knew. That was what was going to get him killed, and I told myself I wouldn't go down that road. I wouldn't leave the shop."

"So what changed?" Mom asked curiously, staring over at me.

"The Winchesters. Their dad went missing and they wanted help finding him. Wanted Dad's help, actually, but he'd died five years earlier. So then they asked for me and I turned them down. Dean got mad, stormed out while Sammy stayed behind to talk a little longer."

I tore my eyes from the dark, rain-soaked road briefly to look over.

"He was the one who convinced me to tag along, just for a little while. I told him the second we found John, I was out. But... there really wasn't anything for me there anymore. Not with both you and Dad gone. Sam and Dean... my kids... they're all I had in this world."

"What happened to it? The shop?"

"I sold it. Um... three years after I left with the Winchesters. Dean had... had gone to Hell because of a demon deal and Sammy was off doing his own thing. There were... too many memories back at the shop, so I ended up putting it on the market and moving."

"Dean went to Hell?"

"Yeah... so did Sammy. I've technically visited, too. Same with Heaven... and Purgatory... We, uh... don't really have time to get into all of that, though. Eventually, maybe. You can sleep, if you want, Mom. We won't be there for a few more hours."

I reached over, turning the music up slightly while my mother settled in against the window, closing her eyes. I looked over at her, letting out a slow breath.