⸻ ❛𝐖𝐑𝐀𝐏 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐈 𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒!❜
Rory Hargrove is obsessed to uncover the truth behind Barbara Holland's disappearance, while facing her brother's enemy and buried secrets from...
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AFTERSCHOOLTHATDAY, RORY'SNEXTSTOPWASTHEPOLICESTATION. She had to know more about Barbara, and she couldn't just leave it at that.
Maybe it was her thirst for justice, or maybe it was the gut feeling telling her something was off in this town —and no one was doing anything about it.
She threw a coat over her shoulders and popped a piece of gum into her mouth. As she walked into the station, the familiar scent of coffee and the sound of typewriters and printers filled the air, making the place feel more like a cluttered office than a police station.
"Good afternoon. I'm here to see Chief Jim Hopper," Rory said coolly, as if she were ordering a latte at Starbucks.
She had seen his name in various 1980s newspapers, and since he was the one handling the Byers case, he was the best person to answer her questions.
A woman in her sixties, Florence, who sat behind the counter, swiveled her chair to look at Rory over her glasses.
"He's not here," Florence replied without looking up from her paperwork. "He's out at Merrill's pumpkin patch and won't be back for a while."
"What about tomorrow morning?"
"Tomorrow morning? Forget it," she said with a dismissive wave. "His mornings are for coffee and contemplation." One of the officers nearby snorted, clearly used to Florence's bluntness.
Rory sniffed and chewed her gum, unimpressed. "Okay, thanks for the help."
As she turned to leave, Officer Callahan, sitting nearby, asked if she needed anything.
"Uh, not really. I think only the Chief can help me with this. But thanks anyway."
She didn't waste any time. Rory headed straight for her bike, which she'd already ridden several miles on and was ready to ride even more. The next step? Finding that pumpkin patch.
AFTERANHOUROFRIDINGAROUNDANDASKINGFORDIRECTIONS, Rory finally found the place where Chief Jim Hopper was —what felt like the middle of nowhere. The outskirts of Hawkins gave way to long stretches of dry, barren meadows that had once been lush and green in the summer but were now nothing but dirt.
Seeing the beige Chevrolet van parked in the distance felt like finding an oasis in the desert. The sun beat down relentlessly, and Rory cursed herself for not bringing a hat.
