BABYSITTER'S GUIDE TO SURVIVING SLASHERS

7 - Billie

My car is parked at the hospital lot in no time at all. The building isn't very big which is understandable considering how small of a town Auburn Grove is. So, when the nurse at reception directs me to Nancy's room on the second floor it is an easy find made even easier by the police officer stationed outside her room.

I guess the sheriff really wanted to make sure his daughter wasn't in for a round two with whoever did this.

I walk up and the door to her room opens. A boy just about as short and skinny as I am walks out. Nancy's gay bestie Lucas almost always looks on point, but I almost didn't recognize him pretty much stumbling out. His hair is a greasy mess, and the dark circles under his eyes could put a goth to shame. He just gives me an awkward smile as he passes without even so much as a hello.

Before I walk into Nancy's room I pause, taking a second to mentally prepare for how she might look. It is a pleasant surprise however when I enter to see she looks almost perfectly fine, save for a few cuts and bruises. I imagine the stab wound is neatly bandaged and stitched under that hospital gown she is wearing. She even looks comfy in that bed.

Nancy's face lights up at the sight of me and it is honestly what I needed to see.

"I need you to tell me", I demand. "how Lucas looks ten times worse than the girl who got stabbed."

Nancy stifles a laugh but winces. They need to give her stronger painkillers. She points to the chair on the other side of the bed I guess where Lucas had been sitting while visiting.

Right down to it I suppose. Then again, the girls had sent a message in the group chat when I was in the elevator on the way up that they were heading out so we really don't have that much time.

"So, what is going on?" I ask. "What did you need to tell me?"

Nancy reaches forward and takes my hand in hers as I lean in to let her. "I wanted to tell you that no matter what, to keep doing your podcast. I need you to keep a fire under my father's ass so they don't give up this time. He can't get away again."

It has been no secret amongst our group, how bad things have been between Nancy and her father, so this really comes as no shock.

"Did you see who did this?" I ask.

Nancy shakes her head. "Nothing. I was hoping though, you could help me look into some things to give to my dad to investigate. Just while I am incapacitated. Plus, Reagan and Stacey would finish me off themselves if they find out I'm digging into this." Oy. Everyone is trying to hire me as their private investigator today. "My dad told me this morning they had officially reopened Laurie's case since they're definitely connected."

This makes sense. Another stabbing on the anniversary of Laurie's death.

"I just want to help him get some leads, that's all." She squeezes my hand gently. How can I possibly say no to her? "Please."

"I wouldn't even know where to begin." I've never chased down real leads before, at least not like this. Despite the recent popularity of my channel, all the case information I give is public record people could easily look up themselves. I'm just the one who brings it all together for them, so they don't have to.

"I do." Nancy leans forward the best she can. "There is something I tried to tell my father when Laurie was killed. He said he looked into it, but when I had asked again, he said there's no evidence to support it and basically forbade me from breathing a word of it. I couldn't be certain back then, but it's a good place to start. You could ask anyone questions without it being suspicious."

That is a logical line of thinking, and maybe Jason's train of thought too. This piled on with Jason's promise of his own lead has me struggling to resist. I mean Jason is right, people might start asking the wrong questions if I turn a blind eye to all of this. Nancy is giving me her blessing too.

"Alright." I relent. "What have you got?"

"The night Laurie was murdered she wasn't supposed to be babysitting. She took over for someone else."

This isn't anything I have heard before. "Who?"

"Me."

Plot twist. My silence is loud, but I don't know what to say. How many times today will I be speechless?

"Only a couple people knew she had agreed to go in my place." She continues. "But, what if the killer didn't know?"

I can't suppress the gasp as the dots connect. "So you think you might have been the actual target that night?" Reagan must have known this, she's always told me about Nancy feeling guilty for Laurie's murder but it never made sense to me why.

"Maybe." I can tell this is indeed the very thing that has haunted her. It all makes sense now. I cannot imagine the weight of it.

"But who would want to kill you?" I ask. Maybe that was a stupid question. She is the daughter of the sheriff, but other than, you know, a handful of gruesome murders, this town doesn't seem to have that much trouble.

"You know our history teacher?" she asks. A rhetorical question, of course I know him. Not a wide variety of teachers in a small town after all. "Earlier that day, I had gone to Mr. Englund's office after class, except he wasn't there. His computer was open, and I saw he was on some blog site. I saw people were posting some crazy-obsessive stuff about Wyatt Harris."

Just the mention of his name raises the hair on my arms. It always has. Of course this has some connection to him, it always goes back to the beginning. "When he came back in, he freaked out and yelled at me to leave before I end up like the others."

My jaw nearly unhinges. "And your father... the sheriff of Murder Grove... didn't take this seriously?" This takes police incompetence to a whole new level if so.

"I bugged and bugged until he told me that Mr. Englund had an alibi and demanded for me to not get involved since it could screw up an investigation. I just think there is more there. What if he is an obsessed fan? You should have seen the posts on that site."

I can imagine how bad it was. I have seen the kind of comments people have left for me, both anonymous and not, glorifying the things Harris did that night. Sick people who almost certainly have no way of fathoming what he actually did. Or maybe they do, it wouldn't surprise me in this world.

"Just please look into him." Nancy pleads. "I'll text you the name of the site. Maybe you can look into it."

I really can't say no. If Mr. Englund really is a crazed fan turned copycat killer than I have the best chance of getting something useful out of him. The top expert and a top fan. It should be easy. If anyone catches wind I'm snooping, I can just say it's for content. Which is valid.

"I'll do it." I say. "So can I see where you got the- you know?"

Nancy barely puts her gown back down after showing me the stitched-up stab wound when Reagan and Stacey come in. Almost perfect timing.

While they get their hugs and hellos in, I pull out my phone to text Jason. If I'm going to do this, I'm going to be smart and take all the help I can get. A ripped hunk with a lust for vengeance might just be a good safety net.

I'm in. Just no guns plz. I've also got a lead. I'll show you mine if you...

Jason responds almost immediately. At least there'll be no question of this being a top priority for him. School history teacher. Possible motive.

At least we are on the same note. Damn, we have the same lead. Crazed fan of Harris?

Another immediate response. Harris' next-door neighbor and childhood friend.

My jaw almost unhinges yet again. Fourth period history is going to be very interesting tomorrow.