CHAPTER 6
PROVISIONAL FREEDOM
«Dean! Dean, wake up!»
Sam shook his brother for the third time, who after stretching, got up from the table.
«Mmm... where are we?» Dean asked confused. Clearly he had been lost in his own dreamland.
«At the police station».
At those words, Dean seemed to wake up at once and he had a quick look around.
«No!» His eyes narrowed as he angrily said. «Don't tell me that son of a bitch keep us here all the night!»
«He did it» Sam replied tiredly. He did not have the hearts to argue after being locked up all night.
«You stayed awake the whole time?» Dean asked him surprised, like he noticed that.
«No. No... I slept» the brother answered hurrily. «A bit» he added after Dean shot him a sceptical look.
Dean yawned as he stood up from the table. «Well, I hope someone will be gracious enough to bring us something to eat. Especially since the Captain didn't even bring us dinner. Oh look, speak of the devil...!» he exclaimed as he saw Redstone approaching.
The officier went into the room and looked at them for a long a time, with a small smile on his face that irritated both of the brothers.
«So» Redsone spoke after he was satisfied. «Did you two have a good night?»
«Wonderful» Dean replied sarcastically. «Not much to said for the accomodation but, the staff has been kind».
For a moment it seemed that the captain was going to aswer to the remark, but thought better of it and continued by saying: «Who knows, maybe something to tell me will come to mind».
Sam sighed. «What do you want to know?» he asked exasperated.
«Something truthful about the two of two. What are you doing here? Why are you interested in this little girl? What business do you have in that house?». Redstone fired questions at them, looking them directly in the eyes.
«Let me ask a question, instead» Dean interrupted. «Did that boy Stonehead reach his destination?».
The captain seemed to be taken off guard. «He... well, really... he encountered some problems, and he came back» he answered embarassed.
«What kind of problems?» asked Sam.
«Radio interference... his car breaking down, we didn't want to risk it so... but that has nothing to do with it!» the captain interrupted himself angrily. «Your situation bears no relation to that house!»
«Yes, it does!» Sam insisted. «Captain, that house is dangerous, nobody must even approach it! How is it that you still do not realize that? All those people missing are not coincidences! Something was about to happen to that officier, and you know it!»
«Foolishness!» Redstone exclaimed furiously. «Stonehead's car was simply out of action, and that's all! This afternoon he will leave again and he will bring that girl here, whether you like it or not!»
Dean and his brother exchanged a look.
«Listen, you must...» started Dean but he was once again interrupted.
«I will not hear your silliness» said the officier. «When you are ready to tell me the truth, I will let you out of here. I've got nothing more to say».
«That is the truth!» Sam said. Now he was as furious as Redstone. «And if he doesn't want to believe us, the consequences will fall on that innocent man!»
«That's enough!» Redstone banged his fist against the table. «My patience is really running out! I hope that some more hours of confinement will change your attitude!»
«But we...» Dean started, but the captain had already gone, slamming the door behind him. «Perfect» he said, angrily. «Really perfect. Now, what are we going to do?»
«We must get out of here» Sam muttered as he started pacing. «There must be a way out»
But there wasn't.
The room had two large full-lenght windows overlooking Redstone's office and they were the only windows in the room. The door was locked. They couldn't knock it down without being discovered. There was no escape, and Dean and Sam were forced to stay there all the afternoon.
Hours passed with incredible slowness. They were fed twice, and Redstone came to visit two separate times, as well insisting for them to confess some kind of dirty business he though they were concerned in.
Dean couldn't help himself from being sarcastic: Sam was trying to be as collaborative as possible, but it was difficult, especially because Redstone was trying to make them talk about crimes they never commited.
The situation seemed more disperate as time elapsed. It was nearly eight in the evening, and the two brothers did not recieve another visit from the captain. Dean was fiddling with the remains of their last meal, when Sam called him.
«Dean, come here» Sam said pointing to one of the two windows, that overlooked the police station.
There was a total confusion. There were people arguing in loud voices, others exchanging random sheets of paper, while Redstone sat on a chair, covering his face with his hands, seeming exhausted.
«Something must have happened...» muttered Sam.
«Really? You have eye for it» Dean said ironically, but a little worried.
At that moment, a young woman approached the captain and whispered something in his ear. Redstone looked towards Dean and Sam, with an air of resignation. The woman nodded, and the captain stood up, going to the room where the brothers were kept.
«And now what can he want?» asked Dean, frowning.
«I don't know, but try being a little nicer, or we'll never get out of here» said Sam in a low voice, and his brother snorted.
The captain went in: he had such a pained expression that Sam felt all the rage he had for him vanish.
«I need to talk to you» Redstone started. He was not at ease and kept his eyes down as he fiddled with his hat, moving it from one hand to the other.
«Just tell us» said Sam, sitting in front of him.
«I think... I think I gotta let you go» the officier mumbled, and Dean couldn't help from snorting, half-surprised and half-impatient.
«Really?» Dean asked sarcastically, raising his eyebrowns.
Sam gave him a dirty look before continuing talking to Redstone. «What happened?»
«You were right» said the captain. «The young Stonehead left more than six hours ago to go to Everlyne's house and we have not heard from him since. No one want to go checking out the place, because...» he swallowed before he continued. «Last message from him has us concerned».
«Can we listen to it?» Sam asked cautiously.
Redstone nodded. «There's nothing much to listen in reality. Here listen». He pulled out a two-way with a recorder from his pocket, and leaned it on the table. «We had him check in each half-hour, to manage... manage better the...» His voice runned out and he started the recording.
From the radio the brothers heard a male voice.
«Here it's Simon Stonehead, to Ironwood's police station. The situation is quiet, I'm nearing the mansion, I'm approaching to it now... I'm right in front of the house, all the lights are off, except for one...»
His voice was interrupted by a strong and sharp noise, like a sharp crack. Seconds passed and nothing could be heard but the panting breath of Simon, then the noise was heard again.
«It's Simon, the car is crashing!» he cried frantically. «The ground shook, I don't understand what is...»
The rest of Simon's words was covered by a noise, identical to the previous ones. It seemed as if everything, heard on the radio was shaking... a scream was heard, then it went silent.
Redstone looked at the two brother: he was incredibly pale, and when he spoke, his voice was strangely trembling.
«You think... you think you can do something?» he asked, and in his voice there was a note of begging that made Dean, for once, speechless.
«Of course» Sam nodded, but even he looked doubtful.
«I'll set you free» said the captain, looking into the boys' eyes. «And I will pass over all the fake documents question, but you must find out what's happened to Stonehead, and to the other ones. Is it a deal?»
«It's a deal» Dean said, reaching out his hand to shake it with Redstone's.
The captain looked at them for the last time, with a strange look in his eyes, then he stood up and opened the door for them, without saying a word.