The Wedding Party

Part 71: A Family

Jairo's face flushed with anger as he confronted Killian, his voice rising to a near shout. "You were just going to leave, with Amelia out there somewhere? What kind of friend are you?"

"Hey, I didn't want to leave her," Killian snapped back, defensive. "But with everything that's been happening, we had to make a choice."

Olive's eyes darted between Jairo and Killian, her heart pounding as the tension in the room threatened to boil over. She couldn't help but think of her mother, of the unanswered questions surrounding her death.

"Speaking of which," Killian said, locking eyes with Olive, "I'm sorry, Olive, but Preston tried to save Ash, but it was too late." The words hit Olive like a punch to the gut, tears springing to her eyes.

"Who killed her?" she choked out, her voice barely audible. "Who killed Ash?"

"Nobody knows yet," Killian murmured, sympathy in his eyes.

Before anyone could say another word, a pair of headlights suddenly flooded the room through the windows, accompanied by the faint sound of music playing from outside. Miguel's instincts kicked in as he grabbed his rifle, his posture tense and alert.

"Stay here," he whispered to the others as he and Killian cautiously made their way outside.The night air was cold and damp as they approached the truck, its headlights shining brightly against the darkness. Killian reached into the open window and turned off the ignition, the music coming to an abrupt halt. As he stepped back, Zackary emerged from the shadows, racking his rifle with an unsettling grin.

"Looking for someone?" he taunted, aiming his gun at Killian.

"Zackary, put the damn rifle down," Miguel commanded, trying to defuse the situation. But Zackary seemed unphased by the demand, his finger hovering dangerously close to the trigger.

"Where's Ash?" Zackary demanded, his voice cold and hard.

Killian hesitated for a moment before answering. "She's dead, Zackary. Something's going on here, and we all need to stick together."

At first, Zackary refused to believe it, but eventually, the reality of the situation sank in. With a heavy sigh, he lowered his rifle and agreed to join them inside, knowing that they had no choice but to face the killer lurking amongst them. Together, they returned to the Manor, unsure of what dangers awaited them, but determined to protect their friends and family at any cost.