Death and Destruction (Jeff the Killer Fanfic)

23. Bad timing

Kitty

We all came to the conclusion that sending Chelsea in to knock on the door was the best idea, leaving her Xterra down the road while we walked the rest of the way to the house. There were no police here but still we kept our distance, the boys sticking down the street while I snuck up to the side of the wall to listen. I scanned the living room before I ran around to the tree I'd used to get to her window the last time I was here and I scrambled up the branches, looking into her room to find that things had been moved, gone through; they must've been searching for any evidence. I quickly opened the window and listened through the door as I caught Chelsea's voice.

"Hi, uh I'm so sorry to disturb you," she started, "is Nina home?"

"N-Nina?" Her mom stammered. "Nina's...who are you?"

"Oh I'm so sorry, my name is Chelsea Lockhart, I'm a friend of hers from up in Silver Cove. I told her I'd be in town today visiting family and wanted to swing by and say hi to her."

"She did mention someone was coming to town," she admitted, exhaustion filling her words, "I'm sorry Chelsea, Nina's missing. She never came back to the hospital last night and we got a call this morning that...that she was a suspect in a murder case."

"Hospital?" Chelsea inquired, "I-I had no idea..."

"Her brother Chris was involved in a really bad accident, someone tried to kidnap him and threw him from the car. She hasn't left his side since it happened and now...now all of this..."

"I'm so sorry Mrs. Hopkins, um, I— I'll leave you be. I really hope Chris feels better soon and that...Nina comes home, and that it's all just some big misunderstanding."

"I hope so too, I'm sorry you had to come over on the worst day this week," her mother chuckled and my breath heaved in my chest as I choked back tears. Chris was in the hospital?

"If you don't mind me asking, may I visit Chris? I'd like to bring him some flowers, we talked a few times and I'd like to wish him well."

"No, please do! He's going to need as many friends as he's got right now, he's in room number 203, tell them to call me if there's any issue. I appreciate the kindness."

"Spreading kindness is the best thing to do when things are looking a little bleak."

I'd heard enough. I moved to leave the room and climbed back out the window, spotting the boys down the street as I closed it and hopped down. I explained everything to them as quickly as I could and they were both absolutely shell-shocked to learn about this new bombshell. Chelsea joined us a few minutes later, directions written down on a little sticky note.

"He's on the first floor, if we want to go see him we've got to go now. Kitty and I will go in and get passes, see if he's awake and able to answer questions. My bet is he knows what happened but he's not going to give up his sister to anyone but us."

"This is so fucking bad!" I swore as I slammed her car door shut. "You two know who reported this, right?"

"Yeah, the girl who's been bullying her," Thomas explained as he looked back, the city flying by.

"I want you to take me to her house. Tonight. I'm going to make that bitch talk."

"Not if I get to her first," Jeff snarled, his eyes reflecting mine. This was our Nina, our confidant, my baby fucking cousin. There was too much at stake.

We pulled into the visitor lot and the boys stayed out in the car while Chelsea and I stormed into the building, doing our best to keep a calm demeanor while inside I knew we were both itching to make someone bleed. The nurse at the front desk was nice enough as we greeted her, Chelsea taking most of the lead sheerly because she knew if I opened my mouth I'd start making a scene.