Listen | Sam Winchester X Reader

iii.

"You're sure this circle of salt is going to work?" I asked, unsure considering: it's salt.

"It should; just don't step out of the line." Dean told me, "It doesn't look like much to us but ghosts can't go through salt. It's what our bullets are packed with."

"Noted." I sighed, keeping my arms crossed. I walked over to the edge of the line and stared at their wall of photos and news papers. Proper stalker wall.

"What do you have so far?" I asked. My eyes scanned to take in as many details as I could, I was trained to take in things like that.

"Well, this is definitely a spirit who is either looking for revenge or someone has a leash on it." Sam told me.

"You can put a leash on a ghost?" I furrowed my brows. The idea shook me. I've been looking for serial killers and finger prints, how do you look for something that doesn't leave those kinds of things?

"It's not a physical leash. Someone just keeps their bones, finds the spell, the spirit is theirs for the taking. It's uncommon, but not unheard of." Sam said.

"How many times does a kill get away?" I asked, "And why is it looking for revenge?"

"None." Dean coughed, "Congrats on being the first. Which means he'll be pissed. And we don't know. If we could just figure out who it is that-"

"Wait a minute." I said, staring at the news articles.

"What? Did you hear something?" Dean asked, putting a hand on his gun.

"No, no. These articles," I pointed to a couple over the years, "Did you notice that all of them happen in intervals of two years, and with three kills every 3 months. The lead on all of these cases was Sheriff Duke."

"You think he could be a suspect?" Sam asked me, turning and staring at me.

"I hate to say it. I've been a forensic crime scene investigator for him for years, I've always thought he's a good man." I said, "But he's been Sheriff for 12 years which is the same time frame the killings have been happening. It might be a power thing? Maybe something happened to him, I don't really know him that well."

"So, wait, let me get something straight. She takes one look at our board that we've spent the last three days on and got a suspect already?" Dean looked over at Sam.

"I'm just as confused. We've been off our game." Sam shrugged, staring at the wall.

"No we haven't. We've just had a lot on our plate." Dean grumbled.

"Me too, I've had a ghost hunting me down." I said sitting down on the floor, "Don't beat yourself up too much, my job for the last 4 years plus the 5 in college has been looking for details like that. I know this town better than both of you."

"Can't argue with that. Okay, if Sheriff is the killer; why would he need to sick the hound on you?" Dean asked.

"I don't know. He hasn't been giving me cases lately either, not that a lot happens in town anyways." I mentioned, "What happens to the victims of this thing?"

"They are strangled, eyes popped out,  and rope burns on hands and feet." Dean pointed out the pictures.

"But there weren't any ropes on me? It turned my gas up." I said, just then I remembered I never turned the stove off, "Probably has my place on fire right now."

"You never turned it off?" Dean looked at me as if I were stupid.

"I was a little busy being strangled." I told him. Sam moved his eyes to my neck.

"You're starting to get bruises." Sam said, he moved to the ice box in the room and put some in an old grocery bag, "Here. Put that on it."

"Thanks." I nodded. I looked back at the wall, all the information. "Is there anything connecting the victims that you know about?"

"I mean, yeah certain ones." Sam said, "the first year they were all rapists, second were all bank robbers, third were all kidnappers, fourth murderers, fifth none, this one none that we know of."

"Actually," I said, stepping away from the wall, "this year there is a connection. I know now why he might want me out of the picture."

"Why?" Dean asked, crossing his arms.

"Because I know too much." I shrugged, "One day I came into his office and he was cheating on his wife, he's always been like a father to me since my parents died my first year on the job. I told him I'd keep his secret, but his wife and I were together more, their marriage has been tough the last year. It's possible he might think I told her."

"Have you?" Sam asked.

"No, I couldn't. It would only crush her. Their marriage is tough but she loves him. And he hasn't done it since." I said.

"You don't know that." Dean said.

"It sounded like the best idea at the time, okay?" I defended myself, wincing as I put the ice on my bruises, "Besides what good would it have done. More people might've been killed."

"Maybe." Sam said, "Doesn't matter, what matters is that thing is still going to come after you. And we have to be ready we'll make it through the night then first thing in the morning we'll check out the sheriffs home." The two of them cocked their gun.

"Okay." I said, biting my lip in nervousness.

"Here, I'll get you some couch cushions." Sam offered, he gave me the cushions from the couch and his pillow and comforter.

"Thank you, sorry to bring you into this situation." I apologized to them.

"It's the family business." Dean announced.

"What exactly is that?" I asked out of curiosity

"We're uh, Hunters." Sam said.

"Makes sense. I'm glad you came to town." I offered them a smile.

"Goodnight." Sam told me.

"Goodnight."