Do I Want To Know?

Chapter 23- Brother's Blood

   Joe Hardy wasn't someone who scared easily. He had tackled more suspects, and taken down more scary guys with guns than he could count. But when he approached Guy Owens' front door, and found it was already swung halfway open, Joe felt his stomach drop with dread. He slowly inched toward it, his eyes glancing every which way to try and discern if he was alone. His ears were listening hard, for any sign of life and yet they were met with silence.

   Slow guilt filled his chest too, as he put his hand on the edge of the door and pulled it all the way open. He should've stopped and thought, even for a moment before deciding it was a good idea to leave Guy home alone for the night. Of course whoever tried to kill Guy at the amusement park would know where he lived. It probably wasn't hard information for anyone on set to get, anyway.

   Joe swallowed, peeking inside and hoping he wouldn't find a body.

   He wasn't surprised to find signs of a struggle. A potted plant was overturned, broken to pieces a few feet into the entryway, and as Joe walked further into the house, he found it was just as destroyed.

   "Somebody really lost their patience..." Joe muttered, looking around in dismay. A couch in the living room was flipped onto its back, a lamp shattered beside it. Joe thought Guy must've really put up a fight for it to look that bad. He couldn't imagine how the director's ribs felt.

   If he's alive. Joe thought nervously, and continued to search around the house for Guy.

   He didn't find him. It was as though he had vanished, if not for the mess he and the culprit left behind.

   Joe sighed, pulling out his phone to call Frank.

   He and Nancy will want to get down here pronto...

   He put the phone to his ear, listening as the dial tone droned on for a while.

   "Come on Frank..." Joe said to himself, tapping the side of his phone impatiently.

   He didn't have time to register the footsteps behind him, until something was shoved forcefully over his head. Joe gasped in surprise, dropping his phone almost immediately as he tried to pull whatever it was off of him. His assailant was strong though, and yanked the material backwards so it was wound tightly around Joe's neck.

   He's trying to kill me! Joe thought, quickly reaching back to desperately grasp at his attacker's hands. It wasn't long until he started to feel lightheaded from the lack of air, and the cloth on his skin began to burn as he writhed against it. Joe realized it was most likely a pillowcase over his head, but he wasn't one to question a murder tool as it was being used on him.

   On instinct now, he jabbed his elbow blindly backwards, along with his foot in hope of catching him off guard.

   He was lucky when his foot slammed down hard onto his attacker's, who let out a pained grunt. He stumbled backwards too, when Joe's elbow connected with his rib. Unfortunately, he took Joe with him, the blonde detective letting out another choked gasp as the pillow case was forced tighter around his throat.

   Joe was starting to see stars, and so he decided he'd stumble back too to loosen the grip his attacker had on the pillow case. He collided with the other man, who groaned in surprise as they were both sent toppling over.

   The assailant's grasp slipped from the pillowcase, but it didn't matter. Joe felt his head hit the edge of something hard as he fell, and the stars he saw turned black.

***

   Bill was caught off guard by Nancy's declaration, stuttering slightly again as her eyes stayed glued to the photo of the teenager. The teenager was a younger version of Guy Owens' assistant, Cedric.