Where We Want To Be. A LINSTEAD Story

Chapter 26

Erin's pov

"We found someone in the basement." Kelly said

"Oh no" I say tears welling up in my eyes now.

"The guy didn't make it to med" I could hear the sympathy in his voice.

"What do you mean he didn't make it?" I ask

"We got here. There was a man in the basement. He was tied to the ceiling by chains. He was dead when we got here."

"No" I say unable to hold my tears back anymore.

I feel weak at the knees so I take a step back and sit on the back of the firetruck.

"Do you know if it's him?" I ask afraid of what his answer might be.

"Erin we didn't look. But he was burned badly. He was where the fire started. He was doused in gasoline which was used as an accelerant."

"Let me see him. I can tell you if it's him or not." I say still with a silver of hope it wasn't him.

"Erin I'm sorry you can't go in there" Just as he says this Matg Casey and the others on truck walk out.

"Severide. Fires out its safe to go in now"

As soon as he stays this i shoot up an start running as fast as I can towards the house. But I am stopped after a few feet by a pair of big muscular arms wrapping around my body.

It was kevin. I understand why I was partnered with him now. Hank wanted to make sure he was always with me because he knew Kevin could do the best to hold me back if I ever disobeyed his command.

"Erin I don't think it's a good idea to go in there" He says still trying to hold me back as I am thrashing around trying to break free of his grip.

"No. I need to know. I need to go in there."

"OK Erin listen to me. We will go in but you can't touch anything you got it."Hank says now standing in front of me.

He nods his head at kevin who let's go of me. I stand there for a minute before hank starts walking towards the house with Kelly in front and me following.

He leads us down a steep set of stairs to a basement. It's small with only one door a few feet away from the stairs.

"He's right in here." Kelly says opening the door to the other room.

The next room was bigger. As soon as the door is opened I freeze at what I see in front of me.

The room was burnt but I could tell this was the room. There were two chains hanging in the middle of the room. The walls were the same white color as in the videos. And off to the side there was a table with a chair and in front of it was a tripod with a camera on it facing right at the pair of chains.

"He's right over here." I here Kelly say from a corner.

Then I notice it. If there was a white sheet in the ground. Covering what could be the love of my life and its up to me to figure out if it is or not.

Kelly pulls back the sheet to reveal a body. There were severe burns all over his body.

"That's not him." I say after looking at him for a few seconds.

"Erin you can't be sure. He is burnt to a crisp. There is no way you can identify him by looking at him." Hank says. Standing beside me

"I said it's not him. Look at the hair. His hair is too dark and short to be Jay. And this guy he is too thin."