Framed [COMPLETED]

Chapter 9

Later that night, I look up Dead Mercy and find only three news articles. Two about dad and one about a murder twenty years ago. The scary truth is, there's nothing about their tattoo. Not even dad will tell me.

Then I look up Salvation. Same two news reports. Nothing more.

I type Sebastian Memphis, SM. Nothing, not even is mug shot or when he was released.
A chill shivers up my spine. Jake seemed to have vanished as well.

I crawl out of bed and enter the second guest room and crawl into bed next to dad.
I haven't slept with my parents since I was eight the night a tornado touched down two towns away. I feel childish, but also safe.
Dad rolls over and wraps a protective arm around me.

"I love you." I whisper. And he whispers the same three word sentence back.

I fall asleep and dream of SM looking for me and killing dad that night dad arrested him.
The scar. What type of initiation was that?

I jolt awake to the sound of glass breaking. I look next to me, dad's up.

"Everything's okay! Just broke a plate!" Isabelle yells. I throw the covers off of me and walk down stairs. Dad is helping Isabelle sweep the porcelain up.

"She had a nightmare last night, Isabelle." I hear dad say. I stop at the end of the stairs.

"Everyone does, Nathan. It's a part of growing up."

"Yes, but she's getting too involved. I don't know if she should stay."

"They can still find her."

"Not if I ask Dame to protect her."

"Dame? Really? The man that almost got my sisters husband murdered because he slipped up?" And then she continues, "Nathan, she's fine. This house is safe. And if someone does break in, I'll be breaking them."

"Isabelle, we're talking about very powerful people."

"Yes, and I was a member once. When I was twenty."

I gasp. I can't listen to this anymore. I step into the kitchen and Isabelle is about to leave before she says, "this conversation is not finished, Nathan."

The way she says dads name makes me shiver.
"Good morning." I say. Dad scratches his head.

"What's going on?" I ask, hoping he'd tell me what happened.

"Nothing. I just got scared when Isabelle dropped the plate." Liar, I say in my head.

"Hm."

"You're coming back home tomorrow." Dad informs me.

"Why?"

"We've overstayed our welcome."

This isn't any better. He's talking in his police voice.

"Can I go to my friends today?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because it's too dangerous."

"What are you not telling me?"

He's a bad liar, maybe that's how he slipped up. I regret thinking that thought but it could be true. "Could they at least come over here?"

"Sure."

I text Caleb. If Alex and Charlotte are grounded, then I need someone who can at least get in physical contact with them. Meg went back to her dads and Andrew went on vacation.

I take extra long to get ready for the day. Typically, it takes me fifthteen minutes, but today it took me and hour. Maybe because I messed up my eyeliner with my shaking hands or maybe because being around dad right now didn't seem like a good idea. I go to my window and find a card.

Get your father out of town. He's not safe.
-JV
PS: meet me today, the old movie theater at two thirty. Come alone.

Is Jake bad or good? I can't figure it out. I flip the card over. The address is scratched out. Underneath the blue ink it says the 'drug bust'.
I text Caleb to meet me at the library at three.
Where is the movie theater?

Alex knows everything about this town. He replies the name of the theater: Starlight Theater.

Alex: y r u going to that side of town?
Me: Jake told me to meet him
Alex: I'll come. That place is dangerous.
Me: no, he said to come alone
Alex: ok. Bring protection tho. Keys between fingers, pepper spray ready. There's rumors that Dead Mercy is back in town.

Dead Mercy.

Me: they r? What's their symbol?
Alex: two triangles. A bold upside down one in the middle, then a right side up outline surrounding the bold one.
Alex: the higher up in the gang the more triangle outlines.
Me: what if they only have one?
Alex: they typically do the smaller work. Why?
Me: bc Jake has that tattoo.

The next text comes fast with a string of texts telling me not to go.

What if I don't go? Would Jake come here? But if he is part of Dead Mercy, why is telling me dad isn't safe and 'protecting' me?

I tell Alex I'm not going. I want to see what Jake will do. But dad and Isabelle need to get out of the house.

Now my goal is to find out how much Jake really wants to meet me and why Dead Mercy is causing this trouble.

Two thirty slowly came. I sit in the loft reading a book about gangs.

"You won't be able to find anything about Dead Mercy."

I look up. It isn't Jake or dad.

CREEPY!! Who do you think it is?
-Angela xoxo