In The Scenes

Eighteenth

WARNING: May be mentions of abuse, panic attacks, trauma, blood, etc. If you are sensitive to these topics, please don't read.

Jane POV:

I decided to take a walk with Alex and Micah. They seemed to be the most affected by the news of Asha and Mattheo's death.

"How have you guys been doing?" I asked.

Alex didn't answer. I think he doesn't want to say anything because he feels like he doesn't deserve to grieve.

"Not bad. I mean, I'll always miss Asha and Mattheo was my best friend but I know that they're supporting us from up there and that they loved us."

I nodded and looked at Alex. He didn't look at me. Micah noticed and put an arm around him.

"You can feel bad. You don't need to keep it to yourself. Just because she was my sister, doesn't mean that I'm the only one hurting. I know it's killing you on the inside with all this stuff. You don't deserve it."

Alex took a deep breath and looked up. He wasn't crying. This was a good sign.

"I can't help but feel like I'm missing something. Why were they near Dr. Owl's office? What were they doing there? I was talking with both of them when Asha jumped up and pulled Mattheo with her. She texted me that she just remembered something that could help us solve our mystery. That's the last thing she said to me before she . . . "

Micah listened intently.

"Maybe she wanted to talk about the case with Dr. Owl."

"That wouldn't make any sense," I said. "She's not one of her patients and I doubt that Dr. Owl just randomly talks to people.

"True," Micah said. "Still, Alex has a point. Asha only does stuff like that when she remembers something bad. If there's something about Dr. Owl that she figured out . . . maybe that's what got her killed."

We all stopped.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that she might have found out a connection between the trio and Dr. Owl. What if she went to confront Dr. Owl about it and was killed?"

"That's . . . actually possible. That would explain why she left in a hurry. Why did she take Mattheo with her? Why not go alone?"

"She must've known it was dangerous and wanted someone to go with her. Mattheo was the perfect person. He would never turn down a date with his girlfriend."

" . . . They were dating?"

Micah nodded. I felt so bad for them. They were just getting their happy ending when it was all taken away from them. I noticed that Alex hadn't said anything and turned to him. He was frozen in fear.

"Alex?" I asked.

He looked at me.

"I know who owns the house. The one in Officer Eel's plan."

Micah looked alarmed.

"Who?"

Alex pointed across the street. The car that Alex and Lia were kidnapped in was in the driveway. On the porch were two people. I gasped. There was my stepfather drinking coffee with Dr. Owl.

Bryce POV:

We were cooking dinner at Lia's house when Jane, Alex, and Micah bursted through the front door. They were breathing heavily and saying incomprehensible words. I helped Jane take off her jacket, Mindy made Micah sit down, and Lia hugged Alex.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Dr. Owl is helping the trio," Micah said. "The house in Officer Eel's plan. We saw the car that Alex and Lia were kidnapped in parked in the driveway and Dr. Owl and Lia and Jane's stepfather were having coffee on the porch."

Mindy and Lia's eyes grew wide.

"Now what?" I asked. "Did you get any evidence?"

Alex showed him the pictures he took.

"I couldn't get many since we tried to act casual but I was able to get a good 5. Now what?"

We sat around. We knew for sure that the trio were in there but we weren't sure if we should act now or later. We could stick to the plan and have them taken down that way or we could alter it.

"What about this?" I said. "How about, instead of waiting for the day of the plan, we do the same thing but at Alex's next therapy appointment?"

"Why change the plan?" Micah asked.

"We had to change our plan last year for us to succeed," Lia said. "If it works, it works." She looked at us. "Everyone still in?"

We all nodded. Even Micah. He's not going to let a petty thing like this ruin the plan.

"I'll send everything I know to Officer Eel. Let's see what he says," Alex said, heading upstairs with Lia.

 Mindy and Micah went up to the guest room to make edits to our Doc. We have a Doc that explains all parts of our plan so we can all take a look at it when we need to. I was left with Jane.

"Hey. You okay?" I asked her.

"I don't know. This is worse than last year. Last year . . . it wasn't murder. I don't mean to say that the abuse wasn't painful but at least we didn't lose anyone. In fact, we gained three new friends. This year, we lost two."

I hugged Jane. When will this end?