Down the Rabbit Hole

Good Form

Soundtrack:

Mariah Carey All I want for Christmas

James Morrison You give me something

Utada Hikaru Sanctuary

Sickly sweet Christmas music filled Lacey's senses. She and Dean were leaning against a shopping cart, slowly pushing it along the aisle, letting the other shoppers weave their way around them. Sam was in the next aisle over picking out crackers. Dean stopped pushing the cart and examined the chickens in the refrigerator next to them.
"And Bobby didn't say why he wanted us to get all this?" Lacey asked, for the third time that day.
"Nope, just said to pick stuff up then meet him at some address."
"Do you think it's for a case?" Lacey asked, rifling through what they already had in their cart.
"Lace, I know as much about this as you do." Dean snapped. Lacey looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Sorry, I just don't have any answers for you." Dean squeezed her hand for a second before letting go and carrying on down the aisle. They met up with Sam in the vegetable section and Dean let him have free reign over their choices. After that they headed to the till and Lacey paid on her card. A short while later the car was packed and they were on their way to the address Bobby had given them. It took them an hour to reach the town of Stone Hill and they eventually pulled up outside the address. Lacey looked up from reading Mansfield Park and found herself staring out onto a beautiful view of a lake. All around it were beautiful one story stone cottages and a larger building with flags hanging from the front door. The three of them got out of the car and Lacey noticed the sign above the door.
"Sunny Villa Retirement Village?" She read aloud.
"Must be a case or something." Sam shrugged. They grabbed their shopping out of the car and headed to the front door. The room they stepped into looked like it was right out of one of those fancy wilderness hotels. Stone work was cut with oak beams and the wooden floor was polished to a high shine. Comfy sofas were set into groups around low wooden coffee tables and a huge stone fireplace engulfed one wall.
"Can I help you?" A perky brunette asked from behind the reception desk.
"It's ok Jules, they're with me." Bobby hurried over to meet them. Well, it looked like Bobby anyway, except he was wearing slacks and a fairisle sweater, his trucker cap was gone and his hair and beard were neatly trimmed.
"Of course Mr Singer, just have your guests sign in and out won't you?" She smiled at them, looking like an over tanned robot.
"Sure thing." Dean smiled at her and leant across the reception desk to sign them in. When he stepped back he found Lacey glaring at him. "What? I'm just being friendly." Lacey rolled her eyes and the three of them followed Bobby over to one of the sofas.
"So, what's going on, Bobby?" Sam asked as they sat down.
"I figured this was the perfect cover to get you in here." Bobby leant forward.
"What was the perfect cover?" Dean frowned at him.
"Christmas, ya idgit." Bobby said, indicating their shopping bags.
"Oh, right. So what are you working on?" Sam asked, leaning forward, conspiratorially.
"A few of the residents here have turned up dead or they've gone completely gaga and we're talking people who have only just retired, being found gibbering messes when they were perfectly fine the day before." Bobby told them.
"Any ideas what's doing it?" Sam asked.
"Not a clue. The bodies that have been found look like they've been mummified for a couple of centuries." Bobby told them.
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Imhotep." Lacey half joked.
"Unless we come up with some new clues soon, I'm inclined to agree." Bobby told her.
"Oh, there you are Bobby!" The four of them turned to see three women on mobility scooters heading towards them. "We were looking all over for you." One of the women whose hair was dyed an almost luminous shade of orange said as they came to a stop next to the sofas.
"Oh, hey Peachy, I was just visiting with my kids." Bobby smiled at them. "These are my boys, Sam and Dean, and this is Lacey, Dean's girlfriend. This is Peachy, Peggy and Winifred, they're neighbours of mine."
"Nice to meet you." Sam said, getting to his feet and nudging Dean to do the same.
"So nice to meet you." Peachy gave them a simpering smile. "Bobby, we were wondering if you were still joining us for Bridge later?"
Bobby looked at the three of them.
"Yeah, go have fun, Dad." Dean smirked at him.
"We'll see you at 8 then, Bobby." They watched as the three old ladies took off on their mobility scooters.
"Wow." Lacey said as they disappeared down the hall. "That is one serious old lady clique you've gotten yourself involved in. Are you their toy boy?" She teased.
"Very funny. There's two other guys who play Bridge with us." Bobby defended.
"How do you play Bridge?" Dean asked.
"Guess I'll find out later." Bobby shrugged. "Come on, I'll show you to my apartment." They followed Bobby out the back of the main building and around to the right side of the lake. They stopped outside one of the apartment blocks and Bobby led them up the front path.