The Carcajou

Chapter Seventeen: All In the Family

 "Ding-ding-ding-ding!" Ethan said after he lightly stabbed Sam in the shoulder, causing Tara to grab her and move away from the psychos.

"She's finally starting to get it," Ethan continued.

"Now!" Bailey shouted as the girls found themselves surrounded. "It wasn't until I saw that photograph of what Luke had done to him that I knew. That I knew that both you and he had to die! You both had to be punished! Along with anyone else who stands in our way."

"There she is," Quinn said as she walked up to Sam, holding the knife under her chin. "There's the killer."

"Great parenting job, by the way," Tara quipped.

"Shut your mouth!" Quinn shouted, shoving Sam and Tara out of their attempted cover. Sam quickly checked on Tara before turning back to Bailey.

"Have I been a perfect dad?" Bailey asked. "No. Have I maybe overindulged Richie's love of these little movies? Yeah, maybe. For me, they're just a little dark. But... Richie really loved them. He loved them! He even made a few of his own.

"Did you know?" Bailey asked as he turned to the screen, which now that Sam thought about it, looked more like a fan-made it than Hollywood. "Did you know?"

"So you think I didn't post a holiday special," a younger Richie said on the old screen. "Well, I tried to. I really did try. That I could interact with."

"There's an extraordinary bond between a father and his first son," Bailey said, unaware of the jealous glare Ethan gave. "Which is why I helped him build this collection."

"This was all his?" Sam asked.

"Yes, he's a very passionate collector," Bailey answered. "And he inspired others. We had to kill those two wannabe film students because, well, we had to kill you and Luke first, Sam. I put the theater in their name, and good ol' Detective Bailey would've just stumbled on it, but I didn't have to because, by golly, that Gale Weathers sure is one heck of a journalist.

"I built a tribute to my son," he continued. "Which is why this is where you have to die, Sam. Just like Luke, the beast who actually killed Richie. Surrounded by all the things he loved the most."

"What happens next?" Sam asked. "After you're done with us, you just disappear?"

"No!" Bailey answered. "We got to hurry over to the hospital and make sure Gale doesn't pull through. Because everybody dies, Sam! Everyone who had anything to do with the death of my son suffers and dies."

Sam looked away from the barrel of Bailey's gun and down to the brick still in Tara's hand. She looked back at Bailey as Ethan said, "Yeah!" and Quinn shouted, "Heck yeah, they do!"

"Now put on the mask," Bailey ordered. But Sam had a better plan.

"He was... so pathetic," she said.

"That's not true," Bailey argued.

"Yeah, your son," Sam continued, "he was a man-baby, who made his girlfriend do all the killing."

"He was a strong, virile young man!" Bailey shouted, letting his anger get the better of him. All according to Sam's plan.

"He was a limp-crotch little piece of crap who cried when I stabbed him," Sam said honestly. "Especially when Luke stopped me from slitting his throat."

"Shut up!" Bailey ordered, but Sam kept going.

"And his screams when Luke skinned him?" she asked. "I would've thought he was a toddler."

"Shut up!" Quinn shouted as she moved to stab Sam, but Tara was faster. Gripping her brick, she swung it into Quinn's face, causing her to spit out half of her teeth. Someone then shot at Bailey from behind.