Chapter 9
A week passed since Jesus' brutal murder. It was Monday. Stef and Mike still couldn't find Taylor. She has been declared by them as missing, but the possibility that she was killed still wasn't scrapped. They both made sure that the press won't know anything about this.
The morning sun shined through the window of Callie's bedroom.
Callie's eyes fluttered open. She awakened and yawned.
She got up and peered out the window. She saw Adams and Steve below, standing guard. Alert and ready.
Callie's cell phone buzzed.
She went and took it from the bedside. She had a new message from Wyatt: "Morning, beautiful! :) Can u talk?"
Callie thought for a few seconds and closed her phone.
She went to the bathroom.
After showering and brushing her teeth, she went downstairs to the kitchen, where she saw everyone except Stef having breakfast.
They all greeted her.
"Morning." she answered.
"Did you sleep well, honey?" asked Lena, taking a sip from her cup of coffee.
"Yeah... Kinda... I mean, yes."
She sported a small smile.
"Where's mom?" she asked.
"She had to go." answered Lena.
Callie frowned.
"Why? Is everything okay?"
Lena decided not to tell Jude about it, so she lied:
"Yeah, she is just... looking through some case files with Mike."
Callie nodded and took a cup of tea from the counter. She joined her family and sat on a chair.
"She has been quite busy lately." Jude said, while eating from his cereal. "Are you sure everything is fine?" he asked, not so convinced by what Lena said.
"Yes, sweetheart. I swear to you. Everything is alright. Don't worry."
Jude sighed and looked down at his bowl.
"So, Mariana, what are your plans for today?" asked Lena.
A few moments of silence. But then:
"Nothing important." she lied.
Mariana wanted to keep her "Justice for Jesus" plan secret from everyone, especially from her family, so nobody will get in her way. She so wanted to catch that crazy fuck that killed her brother exactly a week ago.
One hour later, everyone was getting ready for school.
Callie was in the living room, sitting on the sofa, her school bag beside her.
She switched the TV on. A news channel appeared on screen.
Callie's eyes widened as she saw written on a red border with uppercase letters: "FIFTEEN YEARS OLD GIRL DISSAPEARED FROM THE HOSPITAL"
A picture of Taylor showed up.
Just then, Jude went downstairs, school bag on his back.
"Jude? I think you might want to see this..." she said, still not taking her eyes from the TV.
Jude entered the living room.
"See what?"
"Look."
Jude stopped dead in his tracks.
In the school break, Jude was outside, taking a walk along with Connor.
"I still can't believe it." said Connor.
"Neither do I. I can't believe that my moms lied to me. They told me Taylor was alright and recovering from her injuries."
"They did it for your own good, you shouldn't be mad at them."
Jude turned around to Connor and stopped walking. So did his boyfriend.
"I shouldn't be mad at them?! Of course I'm mad at them, Connor! How could they keep such a secret from me?!"
"They are worried for you!"
"That's pretty obvious."
"They didn't want you to freak out!"
"Well, if that was the case, they failed. I'm so freaked out right now."
"Look, they made a mistake, ok? But just think: if you were in their place, what would you do?"
Jude didn't reply anything, still bitter at his mothers.
"See?"
Jude sighed.
"Look, I don't want to say it, but..."
"What?" asked Jude.
"This thought just crossed my mind... what if Taylor... was killed? Last time when someone went missing it didn't turn out too well."
Connor was obviously referring to Daria.
Suddenly, Jude's eyes widened and he gasped, as if he remembered something.
Connor leaned closer to him.
"Jude, what's wrong? Are you ok?" he asked, worried.
"Connor... Taylor can't be dead. That day, at Jesus' funeral, I've got a text... from her."
Connor frowned.
"What?!"
"She said she was sorry for not arriving at the funeral. What if she is afraid, what if she is out there, hiding from the killer?!"
Connor's look said everything: he didn't buy that at all. Jude didn't seem convinced by his own theory, either.
"Jude... I'm sorry for saying this, but... I don't think that's true."
"I know..." he mumbled, tearing.
"If I remember correctly, the killer used Daria's phone to call you a few times, and I'm wondering: what if the text message you got from Taylor, was actually sent by her..."
"Killer." continued Jude.
Connor nodded.
"Oh my god... This can't be happening..." said Jude, covering his face with both his palms.
He started sobbing. Connor snuggled him.
Jude stopped after a while. He saw Lena outside the school, most likely looking for him.
"I'll see you in the classroom, Connor. And if someone asks something, you didn't see me here."
"Um... okay?"
Jude entered the school, quick on his feet.
Lena saw Connor standing there, confusion on his face. She approached to him.
"Connor, hey!"
He turned around to her.
"Mrs. Adams Foster." he said. "What is it?"
"Did you see Jude in here? I'm looking for him."
"Um, no... no I didn't. I think he is still in the classroom."
Lena nodded and thanked him.
The school bell rang.
Everyone went inside the school.
After classes, Emma, Mariana, Hayley, Callie and Brandon were at the school water fountain.
Jude was doing his homework with Connor at a lunch table. They couldn't hear the discussion of the group.
"I can't believe it. First Daria, and now Taylor, too?!" asked Mariana.
"Jude must be destroyed." said Emma, feeling empathy for him.
"He is." replied Callie.
Just then, Callie's cell phone vibrated.
She took it from her pocket.
"Who is it?" asked Mariana.
"Wyatt. Again."
Brandon seemed angry when he heard Wyatt's name.
She closed her phone and put it back.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" asked Emma.
"No, I'm fine."
"But I just don't get it, why does the killer hate Jude so much?" asked Hayley. "He has done no harm to anyone, now has he?"
"He is the most vulnerable target from the family." said Brandon.
"You have a point."
"Whoever this killer is, he definitely has something against us." said Mariana.
"Who would do that?" asked Brandon.
Just then, Wyatt joined them.
"Hey, guys!"
Brandon rolled his eyes, took his school bag and left in annoyance.
"What are you talking about?"
"Homework." answered almost instantly Mariana.
"Hey, Callie. Why didn't you answer my texts? I know you were getting them, it said 'read'."
"I'm sorry... I was just not in the mood."
Wyatt sighed.
"I understand." he said, trying to hide his disappointment. "Callie, can we talk in private for a few seconds?"
But Callie wasn't paying attention to him. She saw Jude standing up from the lunch table along with Connor. He hugged him. He waved Connor goodbye and walked away.
"Um... I'll talk to you guys later." she said, taking her bag and leaving.
Wyatt stared after her. Bummed. And just a little irked too. He left, too.
"Hey, Jude!"
Jude noticed Callie heading to him.
"Are you going home?"
"Yes, I am, I was just about to ask you if you could come with me. I am scared to go by myself after what happened a few days ago."
Callie nodded.
"Sure. Let's go."
They left.
"So, when are we going to stalk Wyatt?" asked Hayley in excitement, impatient.
"Sssh, you shouldn't talk that loud, Hayley." Mariana said to her.
"Yeah, you are right. Sorry. So, when?"
"Tonight."
Emma and Haley sported some wicked smiles.
"Wyatt is definitely hiding something from us. He is so obsessed with Callie, he won't even let her breathe alone for one single second."
"Couldn't agree more." said Emma.
"Are the T-shirts ready?" asked Hayley.
"Oh, yes, they are. You will both see and wear them tonight. I'll message you, okay?"
They both nodded, excited.
Callie and Jude were now walking on the streets together.
"Do you wanna talk?" asked Callie.
"About what?"
"Anything."
"Did you know about Taylor's dissapearance?" asked Jude.
"No. I just found out."
"Did anyone else from the family know?"
"No. I don't think so. They all seemed surprised by the news."
"How could they keep such a secret from me?! From all of us?! I was so relieved before, I thought that maybe things will get better in the future. Then I hear about this."
Callie wrapped an arm around him.
"Jude... I know you are upset but they didn't do it for bad purposes. They wanted to keep you out of it."
"Why? Give me an example."
Callie thought for a few seconds.
"Well... for example... to make you focus on your school..."
Poor Callie. She really didn't know what to say to defend her mothers.
"Rather than focusing on my friend who was in a serious condition after being stabbed?!"
Callie didn't reply anything. She looked down.
Jude sighed deeply.
"And when I thought that things couldn't get any worse..."
"Things won't get any worse."
"Are you trying to convince me or you?"
"Look, Jude, I know you are going through a hell right now, but we are going to survive this. We are a family, Jude. We will stay together until the end."
"I know, I know, but why doesn't he just kill me? I mean, it's clear that the killer hates me. Why doesn't he just go straight to me?"
"He wants to mentally torture you, Jude. Don't let him do that."
"It's too late. I think he already succeded in that."
"That's not true. You are a strong boy, Judicorn. You can't let a psycho that wears a mask to kill your friends to defeat you. You don't give up so easily. The Jude I know is very strong... and brave, too."
"How do you know that for sure?"
"Because I know who you are, Jude. And I know that you can turn the tables on him."
"If you say so..."
"Just hang in there, okay?"
Jude nodded.
Callie's cell phone vibrated. She rolled her eyes, expecting Wyatt to text her the fifth time that day.
"Who was that?"
"Probably Wyatt. He constantly messages me these days. He gets pretty annoying."
"He is a suspect, isn't he?"
Callie scoffed.
"Wyatt's no killer." she said.
Jude quickly pushed Callie's arm off him.
"Why do you defend him? Because he is your ex-boyfriend?"
Callie gave Jude a look.
"How well do you know him, Callie?"
"Wyatt didn't kill Daria nor Jesus. I swear to you, he is harmless."
"What makes you so sure?"
"He may be a creep sometimes, but I know Wyatt. He is no psycho or some sort of sociopath. He is just desperate."
"Do you still have feelings for him?"
Callie didn't answer anything for a few moments.
"It's hard to explain..." she said, sighing.
Jude scoffed.
"I can't believe how naive you are, Callie! That night, at the abandoned amusement park..."
"He was just taking a stroll, Jude! Just like he said!"
"Yeah, I quess that would be his story. If I were in your place, I'd stay away from him."
Jude started walking faster. Callie followed him.
"Jude, wait!"
Jude stormed in his house, Callie right behind him.
He saw Stef sitting in the living room. She noticed him.
"Mom, tell me right now what happened to Taylor!"
Stef let out a deep sigh and ran a hand through her hair.
"I still don't know how the press found out about it. I wanted to keep this a secret."
Jude frowned.
"Why?!"
"To protect you, Jude!"
"To protect me?! If that's your way of protection, then..."
"Jude, lower your tone!"
"NO!"
He hurried upstairs.
Stef looked at him, tears in eyes.
Callie entered the living room and closed the door.
"Hey, mom... are you okay?"
"No, I'm not..." she cried.
Callie sat beside her and hugged her.
"It's ok, mom..."
"Jude wasn't supposed to find out about it."
"Who spread the word?"
"I have no idea. This was supposed to be kept confidential. I already talked to her parents. They agreed with our decision."
"What does Mike think about it? She didn't just "went missing", did she?" Callie whispered.
"No..." Stef mumbled. "I don't think so."
"Was she...?"
"I don't know. I hope not."
Suddenly, Jude entered the living room again.
"Mom, there's something you have to see."
He went and showed her the message he received from Taylor.
"...but you'll see me soon." read Mike, while in his office.
"That's what she said."
Stef and Callie were there, too.
"Was it Taylor?" asked Mike.
"I don't know."
"Couldn't somebody else use her phone?" asked Callie.
"It's possible."
"I think somebody pretended to be her." she continued.
"We couldn't find her phone, either. But with the help of this message, I think we can track it down with GPS coordinates. This way, maybe we can find Taylor, too."
Jude sighed in stress.
"God, I hope she is alive..." he mumbled.
"We hope that too, Jude."
00:00. Mariana pulled the car to a stop... right outside Wyatt's house.
Emma was sitting in the front passenger seat, while Hayley was sitting in the back.
They were all wearing black T-shirts. "#justiceforjesus" was written on them.
"These T-shirts are awesome!" exclaimed Hayley.
Hayley was shaking with anticipation.
"I know, right?" said Mariana.
"Let's get started." said Emma with excitement.
Mariana nodded. They got out of the car.
They went straight to the front door with slow steps. They wanted to make sure that nobody will hear them. When they got there, they stopped.
Fuck.
How were they supposed to enter the house?
Mariana tried opening the door. Of course it was locked.
"Where would someone hide his house keys?" whispered Emma.
"I have an idea." said Hayley.
They watched her as she took out from her purse a hairpin.
"I've came here prepared." she said with a grin.
They smiled at her.
Not too later, Wyatt's front door lock had been picked by Hayley with the hairpin.
Hayley let out a wicked chuckle.
"Fuck, yes!" moaned Mariana, whispering. "You are a really good secret agent, Hayley Heinz!"
"I know!" she replied.
Hayley couldn't hide it. She was full of exhilaration.
"Let's go in." whispered Emma.
They both nodded.
Mariana pushed the door open very mysteriously and walked into the kitchen along with Emma and Hayley.
All the house lights were off.
"I think he is sleeping." whispered Mariana.
"So, what are we looking for?" asked Hayley.
"Clues. Let's start with the drawers."
Emma and Hayley nodded. They all started searching the drawers for anything suspicious.
"Nothing here." said Emma, closing a drawer.
"Nothing here, too." said Hayley, doing the same thing. "There's nothing suspicious in the drawers. Only tableware, bowls and dishes. If Wyatt really is the killer, then he is really good at hiding evidence."
Mariana still didn't give up searching. She searched deeper...
...and took out from one of the drawers a GHOSTFACE MASK.
"Or not." she said.
Emma and Hayley's eyes widened.
"Oh my god..." they both whispered.
"Is that...?!" asked Hayley.
"Yes." answered Mariana.
Suddenly...
The kitchen lights flashed on.
The girls looked over, shocked.
Mariana's facial expression was saying everything: Fuck.
"Mariana? Emma? Hayley? What the fuck are you doing in my house?!" Wyatt shouted, his face filled with shock and disbelief. "You have some explanations to do, girls."
"No." said Mariana. "You have some explanations to do, Wyatt."
She showed him the mask.
"Explain this to the police."
A/N: Well that was chapter 9. I hope you enjoyed it. What do you think about Wyatt? Is he really the killer? Or is it someone else? Stay tuned for more. ;)
