1 - Unofficial Daughter - A SPN Trilogy

Chapter 20

Her phone call with Dean had left Melody shaken but she had work to do. She booked herself in for a session with Mrs Cho, under the ruse of needing help for a bad back. She figured she could scope the place out and hopefully get a step closer to solving the case - one less mystery on her plate would be a welcome relief.

-

"Come in, come in." Mrs Cho was a short, slim lady. Her silky raven hair was pinned back in a tight bun and she spoke faster than Melody could listen. She lead to Melody to a room towards the back of the house. It was dimly lit by flickering candles, the hair heavy with incense and relaxing music was quietly playing via a discreet speaker in the corner.

"Have a seat" she gestured to a white treatment couch. Melody hopped up.

Just as they were about to begin, there was a faint knock, presumably at the front door.
"Ah, my apologies. I'll be right back" Mrs Cho smiled.
Melody took the opportunity to snoop around, examining the many jars and bottles on a cabinet that spanned the entire width of the back wall.

There was nothing jumping out at her, literally or figuratively luckily. Everything seemed very above board. Lots of natural herbs, spices and ointments but nothing sinister; all white witch-esque.

The juicy stuff must be locked away. Melody assumed as she began to pick at a locked drawer, wary of the lack of time she had. It popped open and she rifled around its contents. Nothing occult-like came to light, but she did find multiple overdue bills and letters from the bank rejecting loan applications. How convenient, can't afford to expand and the shop next door just gets given to her?

Melody's thoughts were interrupted by a voice growing closer. "I'm just with a client" Mrs Cho explained to her visitor. She scrambled to close the drawer. "No problem, I'll wait here." A deep, silky voice answered. Melody's brow furrowed, she felt like she was missing something that she couldn't quite hone in on. Mrs Cho entered the room to grab a box wrapped in brown paper, left to hand it to her visitor and swiftly returned.

"Ever so sorry about that!" She smiled sweetly. "So how can I help you?"

-

Melody had fibbed her way through the appointment for her nonexistent back pain, rather convincingly if she did say so herself. She returned to her motel room feeling uneasy. She didn't want to be alone.

"Can I come over?" She had resorted to calling Hugo. "I'm stuck at the office but feel free to let yourself in, Bernie will love the company. Besides, it's your place too now ya know." The words fell out so casually for Hugo. "Thanks. I'll make us some food." She replied, trying not to acknowledge his co-habiting comment.

-

Bernie excitedly pranced around the entrance hall as Melody let herself into Hugo's house. She gave him a fuss before heading to the kitchen to start cooking the dinner she'd brought. She was terrified to make a mess; every surface was a light polished marble or smooth shiny chrome. A far cry from Bobby's rustic kitchen that she was so used to. She smiled to herself as she remembered Sam and Dean making breakfast for her birthday.

Her attention was soon snapped back when she caught a glimpse of the recycling bin. In the top was some crumpled brown paper. She raised an eyebrow. Surely not? She pondered as she examined it. Sure enough it looked like it had been perfectly covering a small box, just like the one Mrs Cho had handed over to a visitor earlier.

She didn't need her previous powers of premonition to realise the voice she overheard earlier had belonged to Hugo. Her head started spinning with dread. She needed to find that box and its contents, it was a race against time.

She immediately started searching the cupboards in the kitchen, but had no luck. She dashed upstairs and tried her best not to disturb anything in Hugo's bedroom closets as she scoured them. She came to his office door to find it locked.

Before she had chance to go searching for a key, she heard a vehicle pulling up in the driveway. Bernie barked excitedly. Hugo was here. Melody gulped.