"This is just great! I've always wanted to be trapped in a Russian elevator for my summer with my co-workers, my sister's ex's sister, and a couple of kids including the ice cream twerp! It's just what I wanted to do all summer!"
"Well, look on the...
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Chapter Fourteen: Found?
(The Case Of The Missing Lifeguard, Pt. 6)
***
Cami's legs were burning as she biked down the darkened road, rain lashing at her face as the storm roared overhead. Beside her were Max and El, as drenched as she was, as they biked like hell toward their destination—toward the house El had seen when she mind-walked, after she'd composed herself to tell them.
They'd left the second after she stopped talking.
Now, they were in a suburban street and Cami was panting, the exertion of biking in the storm catching up to her, but she refused to let that slow her, not when Heather could be in danger, not when the three of them could still help her or make sure no one else could get hurt.
Cami looked over, wiping rainwater from her eyes, as she saw El grip Max's shoulders tighter, and the redhead slowed down. Cami did the same, allowing her to see it the same time as Max—a nice-looking house, with a red door.
Just like what El saw.
"Is this it?" Max asked, as El looked at it and nodded.
The three girls looked at each other before hopping off and leading their bikes up as far as they could. When they did, they walked up to the front door. Cami knocked, but when there was no response, she and Max looked at El. The telekinetic girl looked at the door, and with that look, it swung open, right on the crash of thunder.
Giving each other another look, Cami, Max and El stepped inside, walking down the hallway, where Cami saw a photo portrait of Heather with two other people—her parents.
"This is her house," Max realised.
"What?" El asked.
"Heather's house."
And then they heard the laughing.
¿Qués diablos?
Cami looked at her friends before they went down the hallway, as now Cami could hear a woman say, "Isn't that cute, huh? He's so funny."
When the trio came to the end, they were meant with a jarring sight.
Warm light filled a dining room where the people who had to be Heather's parents were sitting at a dining table, laughing, smiling and eating as music played. And in the middle was Billy Hargrove, laughing and smiling like nothing was wrong. Like he hadn't abducted and hurt, maybe even killed, the daughter of the parents he was eating dinner with.
He noticed them first, saying, "Max."
That had Heather's parents look at them as Max told them, "We didn't mean to... barge in. We tried to knock, but maybe you didn't hear us over the storm."
