Vinyl simply pointed toward the windshield, while looking at Joey, “Eyes on the road, Dean.”
A creepy unsettling smile spread on her lips.
“Otherwise…” She paused.
“… we’ll die first!”
Dean immediately looked forward.
A car was approaching dangerously close from the opposite direction.
“Shit!”
He quickly turned the steering wheel and corrected the car.
The vehicle passed them by only a few feet.
The three of them, except Vinyl, exhaled sharply.
Joey placed a hand over his chest, “I think my soul just left my body.”
Dean glanced at the rear-view mirror, “Your soul isn’t returning soon today.”
“What do you mean–” Joey looked at his side.
Vinyl was sitting still looking at her legs.
“Vinyl, i-is everything okay?” Joey leaned forward.
“V-vinyl?”
Suddenly, Vinyl’s head dropped sideways and landed directly on Joey’s lap.
Joey froze as his eyes widened, “Uh…” He slowly looked at Yvaine and then at Dean, “She isn’t dead right?!
Yvaine turned back slightly, “Try to wake her up.”
Joey gently shook her shoulder, “V-vinyl.”
He shook her again, “V-vinyl, wake up.”
Joey looked toward Yvaine helplessly, “Should I slap her?”
“No,” Yvaine reached for the small water bottle and handed it to him.
“Sprinkle some water on her.
“I don’t want to perform an exorcism on my lap!”
Yvaine covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
“Do it.”
Joey opened the bottle and sprinkled a few drops of water onto Vinyl’s face.
Her eyebrows twitched.
Her lips moved slightly, “…let me sleep.”
Joey blinked as he immediately pulled his hand back, “I don’t even know what’s happening anymore.”
Joey quietly placed her head on the seat, while Vinyl remained asleep for the rest of the drive.
The silence continued as Dean drove toward Rosewood Drive.
Finally they reached the destination.
Police vehicles were parked outside the private villa.
Dean slowed the car and pulled over beside the other vehicles.
Joey immediately looked at his beside, “I’m not carrying her anywhere!”
“Let her sleep there.”
Troy was already standing near the entrance.
Before Dean pressed his car keys to lock the car, the back door opened and Vinyl stepped out of the car.
Troy’s eyes immediately moved toward the three of them and then at Vinyl, “Why is she here?”
Vinyl completely ignored everyone and simply walked toward the entrance.
Dean, Yvaine and Joey exchanged confused glances.
Vinyl’s expression suddenly crumpled as tears started filling her eyes.
She looked toward the villa and called out loudly, “Miley!”
Her voice trembled, “Miley, I’m here!”
Everyone froze.
Vinyl took another step toward the entrance, “Please open the door!”
Dean’s expression changed, “Vinyl–”
Before he could finish, a soft electronic beep came from the door.
The modern lock suddenly flashed green.
Click.
The door unlocked.
Everyone stared.
Vinyl’s tears disappeared for the briefest fraction of a second.
Then, she rushed inside.
“VINYL!” Troy immediately stepped forward.
But before any officer could follow,
BANG!
The door slammed shut.
Troy stopped inches away from it.
The officers rushed forward.
Dean, Joey and Yvaine stared at the closed door.
Joey whispered, “…Did she just speedrun with the Shift key?”
Troy’s expression hardened as he stepped away from the door and answered his ringing phone, “Yeah?”
A strained voice came through the receiver.
It was loud enough for Dean, Joey and Yvaine to hear.
“Sir, we checked everything you asked us to. Nothing suspicious came up until we reached the house.”
Troy’s eyes narrowed, “What happened?”
“We were about to knock when we noticed the front door was already open.”
A brief pause followed.
“There’s a body inside.”
Dean’s expression changed, while Joey stopped breathing for a second and Yvaine’s face went pale.
“Whose body?”
“We believe it’s Mrs. Foster, sir. But there is a problem, sir.”
Troy’s jaw tightened, “What?”
“He is missing. We checked the entire property and he is nowhere. And the thing is our detectives found that he may have a loaded gun with him.” New chapters come out on g.com first.
Troy’s eyes immediately hardened, “Search everywhere he can go.”
“Yes, sir.”
The call ended.
For a moment, Troy said nothing, but then he stepped closer to the three of them, “Miley is inside.” Troy’s voice became more serious, “We spoke to her through the door but she refuses to let us inside.”
Dean looked toward the villa, “So she’s okay?”
We believe she is,” Troy replied.
“But we don’t know what is happening inside.”
He glanced toward the two officers standing nearby, “I’m keeping these two officers here.
They’ll stay outside and keep an eye on the place and on you three.
Troy’s phone suddenly vibrated.
He checked the screen, “Damn… I have to go. An urgent case just came in.”
Troy placed a hand briefly on Dean and Joey’s shoulder, “Don’t play hero.” His eyes moved between the three of them, “And if anything happens, you call me or these officers. Understood?”
The three nodded.
“Understood,” Dean said.
Yvaine nodded quietly and Joey raised his hand slightly, “Crystal clear.”
Troy gave him a suspicious look, “I hope this crystal clear doesn’t make the situation worse, Joey.”
Troy shook his head with a faint sigh before getting into his vehicle.
Within seconds, he drove away.
Joey sighed, “There goes our bodyguard.”
Dean rubbed his forehead, “I’m hella nervous.”
Yvaine looked toward the villa, “So what now?”
Dean stepped toward the entrance.
He pressed the doorbell, and they waited, “Miley?” he leaned closer to the door, “It’s Joey, Yvaine and Dean.”
A faint mechanical click interrupted him.
The lock released, as the door slowly opened.
Joey whispered, “Okay…”
Yvaine’s eyes narrowed, “That was fast.”
Dean looked at the both of them, “Stay close.”
The three of them stepped inside.
The door suddenly slammed shut behind them.
Joey jumped, “Okay! I officially hate this house.”
Yvaine slowly looked deeper at a window, “Guys…”
Dean and Joey followed her gaze.
Someone was looking at them from the other side of the window.
Then it disappeared.
“Miley?”
“Vinyl?”