The next morning Nat woke early, grabbing a slice of toast before heading out of the door. She'd been picking up shifts at Family Video over the last few months, mainly for a little extra cash for the Spring Break, but it would also look good on her resume. It was a five mile bike ride, it normally took her forty minutes on a good day, it was a nice ride and she welcomed it in the mornings, but sometimes she was glad when Eddie would drop by at the end of her shift to pick her up.
Robin was just opening up as she got there. Nat hopped off her bike and locked it in the bike rack out front. "Morning," she chirped, sliding over to Robin who pushed the door open and flicked the Open/Close sign over.
"You're in a good mood this morning," Robin said, giving her the side eye.
"Well, obviously," Nat said pushing her way into the store as Steve Harrington pulled into the parking lot. "First day of Spring Break, the sun is shining, the birds are singing." Nat batted her eyelids at Robin who pretended to vomit in response.
"I prefer it when you're moody."
"Me too." Said Steve coming in behind them.
"Morning to you too Harrington."
Saturday mornings were usually quite quiet at Family Video, most people tended to exchange on Friday and Saturday evenings. Robin, Nat and Steve, to survive the quiet spells, had come up with a list fifty strong of films they wanted to get through on the TV hung above the checkout.
"What's the choice today ladies?" Steve asked.
"I'm feeling sci-fi," Nat said leaning against the counter.
"Back to the Future?"
"Nah," Said Robin. "I need some gore in my life, pick a horror first."
"Nightmare on Elm Street two?" Steve suggested. The girls looked at each other and nodded their approval.
"I'll grab it," Nat said, hopping over the counter. "You guys sort the TV."
She disappeared off between the shelves, running her hands along the titles. Nothing like a ten am horror movie to get the blood pumping.
"L…M…N," Nat stopped, her finger resting on the film. "There you are." She pulled it out, then made her way back, stopping just before the counter to pull Back to the Future from the shelf for afterwards.
The TV was playing dully when she returned, she dropped the films on the counter and was just about to hop back over it when Robin whispered, "Holy shit." Snatching the remote from Steve she turned the volume button as loud as it could go.
Nat looked up at the screen, a news reporter was standing in front of police tape. A trailer park was her backdrop.
"What we can confirm," said the newsreader, "Is that the body of a Hawkins Highschool student was discovered early this morning."
"What the hell?" Nat said, pushing herself up on the counter.
"Police have not yet released the victim's name, although we have been told that the authorities are in the process of notifying the family." She turned towards the scene momentarily and then back to the camera. "Police isolated the community at Forest Hill Trailer Park after they received a call from a concerned resident who had discovered the victim."
"Wait," Nat said, "Did she say Forest Hill Trailer Park?"
"Uh- Yeah, I think so," said Robin, turning from the TV to look at her. "Woah, Nat are you okay? You look ill."
Nat felt the rock plummet into her stomach so hard she found it hard to breathe. She slid off the counter and crossed the checkout to the phone. That was Eddie's trailer park. What if it's him? she thought frantically. What if Carver found out about Chrissy and the drugs? What if he did something to him?
"Nat," Steve said, "Talk to us, what is it?"
"I-" Just as she was about to speak, the door to the video store launched open. Dustin came bounding in, his friend Max in tow. He came straight up to the counter slamming his hands on the desk. "Dust-"
"Steve," He said. "How many phones do you have?"
"Have you seen this?" Was all Steve said in return. "Someone was murdered."
"How many phones do you have?" Dustin looked at him pleadingly. Nat looked at Dustin, the panic written on his face.
"Oh God." She said, pushing past Steve to the front of the counter. "It's him isn't it?" Dustin looked at her, his mouth slightly agape, like he was trying to form words. "Christ Dustin! Speak!" She almost shrieked the last word.
"N-No, it's not him, it's not Eddie." He replied, she almost fell back into the counter with relief. "We need phones, now."
Steve and Robin were looking between Nat and Dustin, both concerned and equally confused. "We've got two, why?"
"Technically three if you count Keith's" Robin added.
"Three works," Max said as Dustin shrugged off his backpack and launched it over the counter, climbing very ungracefully after it, scattering Robin's film pile all over the floor.
"Hey! My pile!" She moaned, bending down to retrieve them.
"Not my tapes man!" Steve complained, joining her.
"Dustin-" Nat said, grabbing his shoulder. "Who is it?" He shrugged her off quickly and jumped onto the computer. She was behind him again in an instant.
"What're you doing man?" Steve asked.
"Setting up base of operations here."
"Base of operations?" Robin asked, but Dustin was already rifling through the customer system. The fear was still bubbling in Nat's stomach as he typed.
"What're you doing?" She asked, "Tell me what the hell is going on!"
"I'm looking up Eddie's friends' phone numbers." He said, turning to her. "Get on one of the phones."
She did, just barely catching Steve's comment about Eddie being Dustin's new best friend. It became chaotic in an instant, Robin was throwing her hands in the air complaining it was the busiest day of the week, which certainly wasn't true. Dustin merely responded every few seconds with a sharp "It's an emergency!".
"Give me Gareth's number first." Nat commanded. He did and she dialled it in as fast as she could.
The phone rang twice before a calming motherly voice answered. "Hello?"
"Hi Mrs Scott, it's Natalie. Is Gar home?" She asked.
"Oh- Hello Natalie, how lovely to hear from you. I'm afraid not, he's just left with Jeff, I think they're heading to band practice." She said sweetly.
"Okay, uh, do you know if Eddie was with them?" She was wrapping the phone cord so tightly around her finger it was turning dark shades of red.
"No love," she said. "Do you want me to take a message for Gareth?"
"No, no, it's okay. Thanks Mrs Scott." Nat had put the phone down quickly, turning back to Dustin. "He's not with Gar and Jeff. Try Chris." Dustin started punching in the number on the phone on the opposite counter.
He turned to Max, phone pressed to his ear and said, "Can you fill them in while I do this."
"Fill us in on what?" Robin had crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance.
"The murdered student." Max said, "It's Chrissy Cunningham."
Nat had reached across to turn Max towards her. "What? Chrissy Cunningham, you're sure about this?" She nodded. "Fuck." Nat cursed, closing her eyes.
"She was found in the trailer opposite mine… Eddie Munson's trailer." Max shrugged Nat's hand off her shoulder, she didn't realise it but it was the only thing that was stopping Nat's vision from spinning. "I saw them go in together, then-" She stopped herself and looked at Steve and Robin. A look passed between all three of them.
"What? Then what?" Nat pleaded.
"They weren't in there long I mean, t-the power started going crazy, it was weird." She took a deep breath. "Then I saw Eddie leave, he looked terrified."
"So Eddie Munson murdered Chrissy Cunningham?" Steve said.
"No!" Nat said, "He wouldn't do something like this. I know him. He would never hurt her." She was looking from Steve to Robin, to Max and then to Dustin who had just put the phone down. "Dustin, tell them he wouldn't do something like this."
There was no way that Eddie did something to Chrissy. No matter which way Nat looked at it, she just couldn't comprehend it. She pressed a palm into her forehead, despite the heat a shiver ran up her spine.
"She's right," Dustin said. "Eddie's not a killer." He put his hand on Nat's arm reassuringly. "He's not with Chris either."
"We need to try the subs." Nat said, grabbing a pen and scribbling down all the names she could think of.
Over the next hour they called and called and called, but nobody had seen or heard anything from Eddie since yesterday. Nat slashed a red line through the final name on the list as she slammed the phone down. "Jesus H-Christ." She muttered, the nausea still holding her stomach ransom. She turned to the rest of them, Max and Robin were still on the phone.
"Reefer Rick?" Nat's head snapped to Max. Of course! She inwardly cursed herself for not thinking of him sooner. She turned to Dustin.
"We need to try Reefer Rick."
"Reefer Rick?" He said as Max put the phone down and came over to them.
"Do you know his last name?" She asked.
"No, just that he's Eddie's supplier." Nat replied. "He was in prison a while ago, but I think he's not long been released."
"Do you know where he lives?" Asked Dustin.
"No, Eddie never took me there." Nat had tried some of the stock that Rick had supplied Eddie over the years, but he'd never agreed when she asked if she could come on a pick up with him. She cursed herself for not pushing it further.
"The cops will know where he lives." Steve said, he was messing about in the discount bin. "And a last name."
"What?" Nat said, narrowing her eyes.
"The cops." He shrugged and turned to face them. "I mean if this Reefer Rick is a drug dealer and has just got out of prison, like you say. They'll know where he is."
"The cops?" Dustin scoffed.
"Are you serious Steve?" Nat butted in. "They're looking for Eddie already, if he is there we'd just be serving him up on a silver plate!"
"I just think they should know what's going on." He said crossing his arms.
"You think Eddie's guilty?" Dustin asked, throwing his hands up in the air.
"Christ Steve, we've been over this." Nat kicked at the cashier chair, sending it spinning away from her.
"Woah, woah, woah, I believe in innocent until proven guilty and all that constitutional bullshit. I just- you know, don't think we can rule it out." Nat turned back to him, a fire blazing in her eyes, anger rising to the surface.
"You're such an asshole Harrington." She slammed the counter door open and disappeared into the aisles of the store, her hands were balled at her sides. She had to get away, get some air or she'd scream. Eddie didn't do this, Eddie wouldn't ever do this. Steve was so full of shit it was beyond belief. She slid back against the section of old westerns in the back corner, pressing her palms sharply to her eyes.
"Come on, Nat." She said to herself. "Think, think. He's probably mentioned an address or a road a few times that you don't recognise." She moved her hands from her eyes to her temples, pressing hard. She had a headache, a large growing headache that was seeping down into her jaw. God she needed an aspirin.
"Nat!" It was Dustin, "He rounded the corner sharply, nearly taking out a cardboard cut-out of John Wayne. "We know where he is."
Within minutes they had all bundled into the back of Steve's car. Nat was still seething at him. He didn't apologise, just snuck glances at her in the rear view mirror. Rick Lipton, 2121 Holland Road, out by Lovers Lake, borrower of Fast Times, Cheech and Chong's Next Movie and Cheech and Chong's Nice Dreams. Of course he lived out in the middle of nowhere. Nat was making mental notes of how she was going to strangle Eddie immediately when she saw him for not even thinking of coming to her, or Gar or any of them for that matter. The only reason she could think is that he was so terrified of what they would think of him that it clouded his stupid brain too much to think.
They reached Lovers Lake just past five, before they left the store Nat had called her Pa to tell him she would be staying with Robin for the night. They spent the last few hours making sure they had everything they needed, while Nat drummed on the counter impatiently telling them to hurry up already. They trundled their way down the dirt track at Lovers Lake just past five, Nat watched the dirt kick up as the car grunted in protest.
The Lipton house was the only one for half a mile. As they pulled into the driveway, the house was illuminated by a single light that lit up the hallway. The house itself looked pleasant enough, in any circumstance it would never be assumed that it was owned by the drug dealer son of a dead-beat Dad. Nat looked around, there were no cars and she certainly couldn't see Eddie's van haphazardly parked anywhere.
Steve slowed the car to a stop, they all sat, staring at the house in silence.
"Oh yeah, because this isn't creepy at all." Said Robin, opening the passenger door. Nat nudged Dustin to do the same. One by one they all clambered from the vehicle.
"So, what's the plan?" Said Steve.
Nat looked at him quizzically, "How about we start by knocking the door?" Dustin shrugged beside her and made his way up the wooden steps to the door. He paused a moment, looked behind him at the others and pressed the bell.
Ding Dong. He waited but a split second then pressed again. Ding Dong, Ding Dong, Ding Dong, Ding Dong.
When nobody came, Dustin pounded on the door with his fist. "Eddie! It's Dustin, open up!"
"Well, that settles it then, he's not here." Steve said, turning back towards the car.
Nat waited at the bottom of the steps, arms crossed over her shoulders to try to limit the chill she was feeling. She looked from her house, to the outbuilding to her left which extended out to the edge of the lake. At the edge of her vision, obscured by the darkness, she could see a small jetty which lead out into the lake. She heard the lapping of the murky water in between the bickering coming from Dustin and Steve. Why? She thought, why of all places would he come here?
"We just want to talk!" She heard Dustin call, "No cops, I swear, we're just here to help!" The wind whistled through the trees surrounding them, Nat shivered.
"Maybe it's just open?" She offered from behind them. "Just try the door." Steve rattled the door knob, nothing happened.
"Reefer Rick!" Dustin called, as if Rick was going to pull open the door at the mention of his dealer name. Nat rolled her eyes and started to walk around the perimeter of the house. She stood on her tip-toes at the windows, looking for any sign that Eddie was in there, or ever had been. She made it to the back door, climbing up the steps to greet it. There was a stained glass mosaic of a tulip in the centre. She pressed her forehead to the glass, trying to peer inside, then moved across to the kitchen window. The kitchen looked undisturbed, not a chair, plate or glass out of place, it was almost like nobody had been to the house in weeks.
Nat turned, looking out at the lake, this was the last place she could think he would be. She had crossed everywhere else off in her mind, if he wasn't with Hellfire and he wasn't with Reefer Rick and he wasn't with her… where was he? She climbed down off the decking. He may not be in the house, but he could be anywhere close, keeping somewhere familiar in sight in case he needed help.
"Jesus, Eddie." She whispered, looking out at the lake that lapped at the soles of her sneakers. She continued to circle the house, peering in every window she could find, even the basement window, which was obscured by weeks and old plant pots.
Nat was just traipsing back to the front of the house when she heard the shout. Lurching into a run, she turned back to the front of the house. There was nobody there.
Panicked, she ran towards the front steps, thinking they had got inside, then out of the corner of her vision she saw the torchlight bouncing inside the boathouse and the shouts she realised now echoed within.
Nat started towards the boathouse, her heart in her throat, flashlight pointed towards the door which was slightly ajar. She slammed into it, the door bouncing back on its hinges into the darkness. She entered, eyes darting from corner to corner. Dustin, Max and Robin had their backs to the wall, flashlights pointing towards the far corner of the boathouse, where one figure pressed another against the wall. It took only a second for Nat to recognise the mass of black curly hair and gangly form before her.
"Eddie," she breathed, shaking so much the light from her flashlight quivered.
He turned from Steve, something feral in his eyes, looking straight at Nat, while still pressing the swiss knife to Steve's throat. "Eddie." She said again, stepping forward into the boathouse.
Eddie looked at her, really looked at her, his eyes betraying him as relief entered them. In moments the knife was dropped and in three long strides he had crossed the distance from the wall to her.
Nat grabbed hold of him, pulling him into her, breathing him in. She grasped hold of the back of his makeshift denim jacket, his hands found their way to the back of her hair, holding on like she could simply vanish in a moment.
"You're okay." She said simply, feeling the words catch in the back of their throat. "You're okay."