ngghhhh, we're nearing the end of the book!
I really hope you guys enjoy the next couple of chapters, and I'll get working on that second book as soon as possible.
promise
anyway, enjoy!
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Jeff had a strange feeling boiling in his stomach. It'd been about 10 minutes since he'd called everyone to the den for a meeting. Everyone sat, almost anxiously, as Jeff's beady eyes scanned over them.
"Has anyone found anything worth sharing?" Jeff coughed. Throughout the entire investigation for Ben, he'd seem to have caught a cold whilst running and diving through different weather around the country. He came back barking and hacking around the house, but would swear he's fine. By the way he was coughing you'd think he'd just had his throat removed. Nobody answered his question, and the room stayed dead silent.
"Um," sally started, standing and looking down at her hands, "I think I know where he is."
"Where?" Jeff questioned, his response following immediately after in a stern tone.
"At a house kind of near where we found his hat. I saw a--"
"Sally, hun, you'll have to speak up so Jeff can hear you." Liu softly stated, placing a gentle hand on her back. He was sitting right next to her and he could barely hear what she was saying. She looked at him with uncertainty, then looked at Jeff, who raised an eyebrow in agreement. She cleared her throat before she continued, a bit louder this time.
"I saw a old man coming out of this house and I could've sworn I saw Ben at the front door talking to someone else. I-it was like a few days ago, I think on Saturday. But I don't --"
"Ok, I have no fucking clue what you're saying." Jeff sighed, walking closer and squatting down in front of the small girl, raising his eyebrows impatiently. He looked in her eyes carefully and waited for her to start over, further proving Liu's point on him not being able to hear her.
"Sal, what's got you so quiet? You usually speak loud enough." Jane commented, leaning forward from her spot on the couch's arm to properly look the girl in her eyes. Honestly, Sally was not one to be quiet. And now the entire groups attention was drawn on her.
Truth be told, her mind was still on Toby. He wasn't at the meeting, she scanned her eyes over everyone to make sure. The night he attacked her was the night Jeff broke his leg and chained him inside the shed outside. Later, Liu came home and comforted her somewhat, but the feelings of fear still surrounded her. Her chest felt tight and she gave out a small, choked cough.
"Ah, so that's it," Jeff stated, standing and walking to the window that showed off the backyard, "Sal, c'mere." Sally obeyed and walked over to his side.
"You see that shed with the chains around it?" He pointed, directing her attention to the medium-sized, wooden, slightly worn down building. She nodded, almost not wanting to look at it for too long because of the thoughts coming back to her.
"Inside there is what you're acting so afraid of," Jeff said, staring at the shed in disgust. He turned the younger towards him and held her firmly by her shoulders, "I'm not saying its not ok for you to be afraid of what happened; not saying you can't reminisce in a way. But right now you have information that may be crucial to how we spend the next couple of days. In this matter, Ben is more important than the bastard in that...fucking, crate outside. Now, it would mean a lot to me, and I'm sure all of us, if you would use the loud, obnoxious, annoying voice we all know you have. Okay?"
