Hunted {Dean Winchester 3}

Chapter 26

Malleus Maleficarum

The next day, we walked up the driveway to a woman's house. Her name was Elizabeth. She was apparently close friends and neighbors with Amanda, therefore our first suspect. 

"You must have a green thumb." Sam spoke up.

Elizabeth--who knelt by her small, but healthy garden--looked up. "Excuse me?"

"Getting these herbs to grow out of season like this."

"He's right. It's January. They never normally do well in this weather." I added. 

"It's quite impressive." Sam continued. "I'm sorry, I should've introduced myself first." He pulled out his badge, which Dean and I did as well. "I'm, uh, Detective Bachman. This is detective Turner and Stanley."

Elizabeth stood, her eyes wide with worry. 

"We're following up on Amanda Burns' death." Sam explained. "Going around talking to her neighbors and stuff."

"But didn't she--? I mean, she killed herself, right?" The brown haired and eyed woman asked. 

"Maybe. Maybe."

"And we heard you were friends with the deceased." Dean added.

"Yeah, I guess so." Elizabeth nodded her head.

"Do you have any idea about her practices?"

"I'm sorry, what kind of practices?" Elizabeth asked.

"Well, see, her house was littered with satanic paraphernalia." Sam explained.

"A regular black Sabbath." Dean added. 

"No, there's no--She was an Episcopalian." Elizabeth stated. 

"Well, then we're pretty sure she was using the wrong Bible." Dean said.  

"So you had no idea about her--" I began.

"Elizabeth." A voice said. Two woman were walking toward us. One was blonde, the other had dark, short hair. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Elizabeth nodded her head. "Uh, Renee, these are detectives. They say Amanda was--"

"Sorry, detectives." The blonde woman--Renee--said. "You can tell that Elizabeth is a little upset." 

"Of course, Miss..." Dean trailed off.

"Mrs. Renee Van Allen." She corrected, over-pronouncing each word as she stared at Dean. "Would you like me to spell it for you?" 

Oh hell no.

I took a step forward. "I think you better--"

Dean slipped an arm around my waist, pulling me back. "I'll get by, thanks." He gave my hip a squeeze, telling me to take a breath.

"This Amanda business has been hard for Liz, for all of us." Renee stated. 

"Yeah, I mean, you think you know a person..." The girl with dark, short hair began. 

"Well, I guess we all have secrets, don't we?" Dean replied. 

"Well, thanks, we'll be in touch." Sam said.

"Have a nice day." Dean added before having to drag me from my glaring contest with Renee. 

___

"Well, I'm already sold on that Elizabeth chick." Dean stated as he sped down the dark road. I sat up front with him while Sam and Millie were in the backseat. "You see that victory garden of hers? Belladonna, wolfsbane, mandrake."