DARK PARADISE ⎯⎯⎯⎯ ETHAN LANDRY

x. tracing the call

     WE HAD COME UP WITH A plan to find Ghostface and take them down. Ethan, Mindy, Chad, and I all sat on chairs in the back of an Enterprise van as we watched Kirby get ready to track Ghostface's call. Currently, Sam and Tara were walking around the park as they awaited Ghostface's call.

I sat next to Ethan, looking at him in disgust as he shoved Cheetos into his mouth. He noticed my look and furrowed his eyebrows together, holding the bag over to offer me some. I politely pushed away the bag and gagged a bit.

"What, you don't like Cheetos?" Ethan asked, seemingly appalled at my rejection for the chips.

"No, I hate them. They're so gross. You should've gotten the hot kind," I frowned at him, to which he dramatically rolled his eyes at. I laughed, leaning over to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, though."

Gagging noises came from beside me and looked over to find Mindy heaving. "So much PDA," She gasped.

"Shut up, Mindy," Chad said.

"So we're doing the phone tracing thing that never works in the movies?" Mindy questioned condescendingly, not believing that Kirby would be able to track Ghostface. "Keep him talking Sam, we almost got him," She mimicked. "And then he hangs up two minutes before we can get a location."

"I can trace a call in under fifteen seconds," Kirby clapped back, nodding her head in pride. I sent her a salute in impression. "Thank you, Malia." Ethan and Chad shared impressed looks as well.

"Right. Now they're out there as bait," Mindy continued, leaning forward in her seat and closer to Kirby.

"Well, the killer usually calls from somewhere nearby."

"And you think it's safe because it's broad daylight in a public place?" Mindy shot, her face full of doubt. I rolled my eyes at her continuing negativity and rested my head onto Ethan's shoulder.

     "Look I am here and so is Bailey," Kirby reassured the questioning teen, also getting fed up with all of her skepticism.

     Mindy sighed, "This is exactly how our Uncle Randy died. Broad daylight. Yanked into a van. Stab, stab, stab. No more Randy!" She looked over at Chad who blew a slow breath out. Kirby hummed and Ethan now offered Chad some Cheetos. I bit down on my lip to keep my laughter in, keeping my eyes closed.

     "Hey Sam?" Kirby spoke through her ear piece. "Stay frosty out there, okay?"

     Ethan continued to smack on his Cheetos, until I finally yanked them from his hand and rolled the bag up, setting them on the floor. "What the fuck did you do that for, Lia?" Ethan asked sadly.

I nuzzled into his neck, forcing him to put and arm around me, his hand resting right above my bottom. He retracted it quickly, muttering apologies, but I put it back in place. "It's okay, Ethan."

"Yep, geo-location coming through right now," Kirby spoke, watching the screen in front of her intently. "He's on the upper west side. He's at an apartment building halfway across the city." Her tone was laced with confusion. Tara said something to her to which she responded, "How did you know that?"

Sitting up quickly I shrieked, "Oh, my God, Gale." Everyone shouted out at me to come back when I bolted out of the van. I could hear Ethan begging me to not go, but I didn't care, Gale needed out help. Sam was talking to Bailey and Tara was already in his cop car, starting it up.

     "Tara!" I shouted as I made it within a few feet of the car. The girl smiled widely as she saw me and unlocked the car doors. I slid into the backseat.