Murder Me a favor

Part Six

Jake catches Vanessa after school to get the new details. He's happy to see her unharmed and safe. He breathes a sigh of relief, it's all coming together.

"How'd it go? Did he fall for it?" Jake asked eagerly.

"He took the bait. I have to meet him here tonight at seven-thirty." She exclaimed. "The plan is falling into place Jake. He's going to jail." She assures him.

"Tonight is the night it all happens then huh? Are you ready?" Jake questions, unsure if he himself is ready.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." She says rather confidently, giving him a reassuring smile. They both walk out of the school together and get into Jake's car. They pull out of the parking lot and drive to Jake's house.

A couple of hours later, seven o'clock rolls around and the tension grows between the two of them.

"I'll meet you at the barn okay 'Nessa?" Are you sure you'll be okay?" Jake asks for the billionth time.

"Yes Jake! I'll be just fine. Everything will be okay!" Vanessa replies, starting to get annoyed by his constant worrying. After getting ready for the night, Vanessa adds the finishing touches to her rather seductive outfit. A last spritz of perfume, she straightens up in front of the mirror then looks over to Jake and nods to him. She's ready. They jump into Jake's car and drive back to the dark empty school. They get there by seven-fifteen and they sit in the car to wait for him. They sit in silence for a while. Vanessa was the first to break that silence.

"Hey Jake? If anything does happen, I just wanted to say thank you for being the best friend a girl could ever ask for." She begins looking at him with glossy eyes. "You have been there since day one and I thank you for everything you have done over all those years." She says, trying to choke back the tears. This time Jake makes the move and leans in to give her a kiss he hopes won't be the last. A popping engine breaks them apart, they look out the window and Jake sees the van that he saw in Abby's flashback. His heartbeat starts to quicken when he remembers what is in the back of that van. He suddenly is scared for Vanessa's life. He ducks away from the window so he isn't scene by the man. Vanessa gives him one more smile and gets out of the car adjusting her outfit and makes her way over to his van. Jake waits until he hears the van drive away to sit straight up. A tear escapes from his eyes and runs down his cheek. He drives to the barn and parks far enough away to not be seen by anyone, but he can still keep an eye on the barn. There he waits for the ugly white van.