Miss. Winchester ( volume one)

Chapter five

Dean, Sam, and Eliana found themselves standing on Haley Collins' porch, a critical lead from the Ranger prompting their visit. Dean knocked on the door, and it swung open to reveal a girl, presumably Haley.

"You must be Haley Collins. I'm Dean; this is Sam, and this is Eliana. We're rangers with the Park Service. Ranger Wilkinson sent us over. He wanted us to ask a few questions about your brother Tommy," Dean introduced.

Haley hesitated for a moment, suspicion in her eyes, and then cautiously requested, "Lemme see some ID."

Dean smoothly pulled out a fake ID, bearing the name 'Samuel Cole,' and held it up against the screen. Haley scrutinized it, glancing between the ID and Dean, who flashed a reassuring smile. After a moment's contemplation, Haley decided to trust them and opened the door.

"Come on in," she said, inviting them into her home. As the door swung open, Haley's eyes caught the sight of the Impala parked outside.

"That yours?" she asked, admiring the iconic car.

"Yeah," Dean replied with a touch of pride.

"Nice car," Haley complimented, turning to lead them into the kitchen, where Ben Collins sat at the table with a laptop. Dean, ever the expressive one, subtly mouthed something to the twins, earning an eye roll in response.

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"So if Tommy's not due back for a while, how do you know something's wrong?" Sam inquired.

Haley returned to the room, her expression carrying a mix of worry and frustration. "He checks in every day by cell. He emails, photos, stupid little videos—we haven't heard anything in over three days now," she explained as she placed bowls on the table.

"Well, maybe he can't get cell reception," suggested Sam.

"He's got a satellite phone, too," Haley added.

"Could it be he's just having fun and forgot to check in?" Dean questioned.

"He wouldn't do that," Ben interjected, speaking for the first time. His words hung in the air, and Dean's gaze lingered on him, prompting Ben to look away. Haley continued serving food, providing more context. "Our parents are gone. It's just my two brothers and me. We all keep pretty close tabs on each other."

"Can I see the pictures he sent you?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Haley agreed, going to get a computer. "That's Tommy," she said after pulling up the pictures. The three Winchesters gathered around her.

Haley clicked twice, revealing another picture, and then a video. She pushed play.

"Hey Haley, day six, we're still out near Blackwater Ridge. We're fine, keeping safe, so don't worry, okay? Talk to you tomorrow," Tommy spoke in the video. Eliana noticed what looked like a shadow passing behind him. She glanced over at Sam, who seemed to have spotted it too.

"Well, we'll find your brother. We're heading out to Blackwater Ridge first thing," Dean assured.

"Then maybe I'll see you there. Look, I can't sit around here anymore. So I hired a guy. I'm heading out in the morning, and I'm gonna find Tommy myself," Haley declared, moving to stand behind Ben.

"I think I know how you feel," Dean added in a slightly sad voice. Eliana gave him a sympathetic look before turning her attention to Sam.

"Hey, do you mind forwarding these to me?" Sam requested.

"Sure," Haley agreed

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The Winchesters sat at a table in the bar, waiting for Eliana to return from the bathroom. Sam delved into the unsettling history of Blackwater Ridge, laying out the eerie pattern of disappearances.