Killer Unknown

Chapter 13: Restaurant Killer

Early the next morning, Penelope's parents entered her room shocked to see King and the girls camped out all over the room. Mr. and Ms. Cruz lightly tapped them to wake them up. Ms. Cruz began to convince them to go home, so that they could take the next shift. For the first time, both Ms. and Mr. Cruz agreed on something without arguing or Ms. Cruz putting up a fight.

"No thank you, I'm not leaving my sister!" King stated.

"Honey, you can't stay here forever!" Ms. Cruz insisted.

"Honey? Since when was I your honey? Don't act like you care about me now," King snarled.

"Don't speak to her that way! We are just trying to help," Mr. Cruz added.

"Don't tell me what to do and I'll speak to her however I please," King said, sitting upright in the chair.

"Look, we are starting to smell! I mean dumpster diving smell!" Jules pointed.

"Yeah, like homeless funk! So how about we go home and take a shower. Then we can come back in about an hour. Besides, you haven't eaten in over 24 hours," Beverly added.

"What if Cathy comes back in here and smells us? Come on King!" Jules grinned.

It wasn't until she said that last part that he quit staring at Mr. and Ms. Cruz. He got up and followed the girls out the door. They made it all the way in the front of the hospital, before they noticed that neither of them drove there. Just as they were about to put their hand out for a taxi, Cathy parked on the curb in front of them. She offered to give them a ride, since her shift didn't start for another hour. She said that she liked to come in early to see her patients and help out.

"No, were fine! Thank you, we'll wait for a taxi!" King said.

"No we won't, don't mind him! He doesn't want you to smell him since he hadn't had a shower in only God knows when," Jules said, hopping into Cathy's car.

"I don't mind, really! I understand and I admire your intentions. Come on, I promise it won't change my perspective of you," Cathy replied, opening her front passenger side door for King to get in.

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you!" King joked as he sat in her front seat.

Cathy smiled and then drove off. It didn't take them long to make it to the Lake house. King was elated at Cathy's expression when she found out that they lived there. She said that the whole property was bigger than her apartment building. They promised to invite her over one day, thanked her, and exited her vehicle. None of them said a word, but an outsider could tell that they felt uneasy about being there without Penelope. They each disbursed into their bedrooms and rushed to take that shower. Thirty minutes later, King managed to tap into his messages via the internet. He was really tech savvy that way. He discovered that he had missed over 50 calls from Nina. Before he got dressed, he dialed her number and placed the call on speaker phone.

"Hey Nina, sorry I missed your calls! What can I help you with?" King said.

"Well, I can't reach Penelope and I was supposed to train her to take over the restaurant. I already made plans, I want my life back. This is your restaurant now, come get it!" Nina begged.

"Nina, I'm sorry! Penelope was in a terrible accident and she is in a coma."

"Oh goodness, please forgive me! I had no idea. As sorry as I am, I have my own fire to put out in my family. I just can't stay here past tomorrow. I'm sorry!" Nina apologized.