Having passed the 20 chapter landmark, I've got the feeling that maybe I'll break a hundred reviews on this story :D I really hope so.
I'd like to thanks rmonroe for their kind review. It kind of made my day. *claps* Don't worry other loyal reviewers, you guys are awesome too :)
Treasure Chest
"Ryan? Have you seen Dad's glue gun?" Carly called as she clomped down the stairs and into the kitchen, where her older brother was eating a slice of cold pizza.
"Does Dad even own a glue gun? Oh, and by the way, Luke, Jessica, Adam, and Kristen are coming over later to watch Fox's Tribute To Hitchcock marathon," Ryan answered, picking up the keys to his car from the counter.
"I thought Mom told you no parties while they were in San Francisco this weekend," Carly raised an eyebrow as she rummaged through one of the many junk drawers in the house.
"Yeah, but this isn't a party. It's me and some friends watching some movies and eating some food. Which is why I'm on my way to the grocery store in my new car with my new license," he proudly held up his freshly laminated driver's license and the keys to the Fusion.
"That car's not so new," she scoffed. "The only reason why you've got it is because Dad doesn't drive it anymore."
"Whatever. Do you need anything?"
"Wanna buy me a glue gun?"
"No," Ryan tugged on his varsity soccer jacket and headed for the door. "Check that trunk in Mom and Dad's room. The one that says 'Shawn's Place' on it."
"Eww, no. Mom said Dad was weird when he had his own place," Carly argued. "Did she tell you about…."
"…that room he had with just pictures and newspaper clippings and a mini fridge? Yeah. And if Dad was weird then, what does that make him now?" And with that, Ryan left the house.
After ten more minutes of fruitless searching, Carly gave up and went into her parents' room. Their large queen bed was unmade and messy, with the sheets all tangled up and the comforter crumpled at the foot of the bed. The dresser drawers were open and a few loose pieces of clothing hung over the sides. The blinds were slightly drawn over the windows, letting slivers of golden morning light that only seems to come on Saturdays into the room. In the corner next to the bathroom door was a large trunk that looked like a treasure chest from The Pirates of the Caribbean. Scrawled across the top in Juliet's loopy, quick handwriting was "Shawn's Place."
She threw open the chest, paper fluttering as it opened. It was filled with old pictures and pieces of newspaper, just like Ryan had predicted.
This must be all the stuff Dad hung on the walls, she decided, selecting a photo from the top of the pile.
Her father and mother were standing in front of a big river with a bridge stretching across it. They were holding onto each other, mere inches apart, but they looked awkward and embarrassed. She flipped the picture over; written on the back was the message "Canada 2010. Photocreds to a random tourist….."
Her search for the glue gun forgotten, Carly dug deeper and deeper into the trunk, going further back to her parents' lives before their family.
HHHHHH
She was halfway through a newspaper article about "Detective Dipstick" when a headline caught her eye. It read "Yin/Yang Case Closed After 20 Years".
The headline instantly intrigued her. She had heard the story of Yin and Yang only a few times. Ryan knew the whole story because he was older, but all she knew was that it took three battles to catch them, and a lot of people had gotten hurt because of it. Below it was a picture of Shawn, Gus, Lassiter, and Juliet in front of the police station.
Lassiter looked completely devoid of emotion, as usual, but there was a certain twinkle of pride and relief in his eyes. His hands were shoved in his pockets, as if he could care less about the picture or the interview. Gus had his hand raised in mid-fist bump, a calm look on his face. He looked brave and confident without any fear or worry about Yin or Yang. Shawn's hand was raised next to Gus's as they fist-bumped, showing his triumph over Yin and Yang. He was looking more cocky and happy than usual, with a small, self-pleased smile across his face. He looked like he was in the middle of saying something, something obviously funny because Juliet was in mid-laugh. She looked pretty pleased with herself and her co-workers, too and had an elated, laughing smile on her face. Shawn had an arm wrapped around her waist, a detail nearly invisible in the picture, but Carly could see. She could also see, just barely, a hint of worry in her mother's eyes, even as she laughed in the arms of her future husband.
She dropped below to the actual article and began to read. As she read, the entire story folded out before her. She learned of Yang kidnapping a girl, and then her grandmother. She read about Shawn eventually forcing Yang to give up and putting her in an asylum. The story continued, with Yin killing a waitress, then Mary, and then kidnapping both Abigail (whoever that was) and Juliet using a theme park filled with Hitchcock references. Instead of giving the details of the rescue, the article only said "Further details of the kidnappings and rescues were withheld by Chief Karen Vick." Carly made a mental note to ask her parents what that meant and what those details were. The article went on to tell about Yin's return and how he led the police right to Grayson Street. She continued reading about how her father and Gus went into the house, being capture by Yin and some girl named Alison, only to be rescued by a redemption-seeking Yang and Juliet. The story ended with Yang and Alison in jail and Yin killed at the hand of Yang, his daughter.
She dropped the clipping back into the box and watched it swerve its way down to the bottom. Slowly, she picked up the other random pictures and articles, put them away, and closed the top of the trunk.
Deep in thought, Carly wandered back into the kitchen. She slid onto one of the chairs and waited for Ryan to get home.
HHHHHH
The door burst open and Ryan hurried in clutching a few plastic bags filled to the brim with chips, soda, and frozen pizza.
"Hey, so my friends are going to be here soon. Are you staying for the movies?"
"What are you watching again?" Carly asked.
"I told you earlier, Fox is doing a tribute to Hitchcock and showing a marathon of his greatest movies. Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo, The Wrong Man, Birds, and I think The Man Who Knew Too Much," Ryan answered, peeling open a bag of Tostitos.
"Hitchcock movies? I'll pass," Carly decided.
"What? Why? You loved Rear Window when we watched it last week," Ryan stopped her from pushing past him out of the kitchen. "What's up?"
"Uh, I may have found something in that trunk about….."
Ryan's hazel eyes dawned with realization, "Oh. Yeah, that story was no party. But I don't think you have to worry about those three. If Mom and Dad are over it, it shouldn't bother you. You weren't even there."
"What does 'Further details of the kidnappings and rescues were withheld by Chief Karen Vick' mean? And how did Yin set up all that Hitchcock stuff?"
"You should ask Dad that," Ryan brushed the question aside as he poured a jar of salsa into a bowl. "Are you staying or not?"
Selecting a chip from the bag, she dipped it into the salsa and took a bite, "Yeah, I'll stay."
The doorbell rang and Ryan cried, "Damn it, Luke! Do you wanna get that for me?"
Carly opened the door, where Luke, Adam, Kristen, and Jessica were waiting.
"Hello down there!" Luke cried, his blue eyes sparkling under his black hair. "You staying for the movie?"
"Sure," Carly agreed.
"Great! Let's give these lovebirds some time alone," Luke hustled her into the kitchen as Ryan hurried out. Adam and Kristen followed, lost in their own conversation about Vertigo.
"Hello there, beautiful," Ryan purred in a voice that reminded Carly very much of the way Shawn talked to Juliet. He wrapped an arm around Jessica's waist and pulled her in for a kiss.
"Miss me?" she asked, squeezing his hand.
"Hmm, definitely," Ryan answered. "Let's sit, the movies are starting soon."
The others hurried in from the kitchen clutching bowls of food and big liter bottles of soda. Adam collapsed into Shawn's armchair and Kristen and Luke fell into the loveseat. Ryan plopped down on the couch with Jessica beside him and wrapped his arm around her. Carly sat on the couch, too, but as far away from the couple as she could.
"Hey, small stuff, record these movies for Mom and Dad," Ryan instructed. "They love a good Hitchcock movie."
Carly pressed the button on the remote and the tiny "Record" light on the cable box lit up. The words, "Rear Window" flashed across the screen with a flourish of music and the marathon began. Suddenly, Carly didn't care at all about Yin and forgot all about whatever happened to her mother and that Abigail person on that night.
HHHHHHH
"Score! Who recorded all these movies?" Shawn cried happily as he clicked through the DVR list.
"We did," Ryan answered. "Last weekend when you guys were out of town, Fox had a Hitchcock marathon."
"Did they show Vertigo?" Juliet asked from the kitchen.
"Yes! Get in here, we've gotta watch this," Shawn selected the movie and it began to play on the TV screen.
"This is one of the best movies on TV," Juliet said, hurrying in and seating herself beside Shawn.
"Really, Jules? I didn't know you like this movie that much. Especially not after…."
"Oh, please. After that triad case, I went out and rented this movie again. It really is pretty good, but Yin got one thing wrong."
Carly snapped out of her focus on the title screens of the movie and listened.
"Oh? And what would that be?"
"It's a bell tower and it was just one big fall, not a big version of Cut The Rope," she scoffed.
"Well, I'm pretty glad he got that wrong," Shawn answered, placing a kiss on her forehead.
And just like that, Carly knew what "Further details withheld" meant.