Chapter thirteen,

something bad is about to happen

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

"ANYONE ELSE STRUGGLE FALLING ASLEEP LAST NIGHT, OR WAS IT JUST ME?" Mindy had curiously questioned her brother and his girlfriend who was just sitting on his lap, his arms were just wrapped around her waist protectively and for comfort, as the three were full blown ignoring Ethan Landry's existence in the van. He offered nothing, but the heebie-jeebies.

The question surprised Naomi, she always struggled sleeping. All her nightmares that are just remained engraved in her head, taunting her, it had escalated worse on here because of what her father is putting her through. She also had several nightmares to from the murder, that she committed last night.

She had felt guilty. But, it made no damn sense for her to feel guilty about murdering a sex offender. Does it have to do with her very own conscience? That she has one unlike her own family.

Offering Mindy a sad smile, "I feel you, Mindy. Probably struggled sleeping all my life, but meditation music helps if you continue to struggle to sleep." She recommended, all while Ethan rolled his eyes.

Chad nodded his head, placing a gentle kiss on his girlfriends shoulder blade, "Naomi has a really good playlist, but I always make her tea every night, so it always work. My girl needs her beauty sleep." He had lightly gone teasing his girlfriend.

   Her cheeks reddened before Ethan made a concerning remark, that made all of them just stiffen, "You sleep with a night light on at your grown age." He snapped at her.

   Chad had immediately went on high alert at what he had just heard, "Excuse me?" He was completely weirded out, also considering that Ethan has never been in his girlfriends home to know that his girlfriend has a night light in her bedroom.

   Ethan had noticed his very own mistake, stumbling with his words, "I — She just looks like the type to use a night light." He attempted to defend himself.

   "There's nothing wrong with night lights," Mindy narrowed her eyes at the curly head boy.

   Chads jaw clenched, "I want you away from her. . ." He was just attempting to calm himself down, teeth gritting when he was speaking to Ethan, "Might as well put a restraining order on you, roomie." He already knew that he was protective of his girlfriend, and especially around weird ass dudes who say concerning shit, like this.

Naomi went deadly silent. She felt beyond humiliated at what her brother said, she always had night lights on in her room, she was afraid of the dark, it always made her jumpy.

Naomi exhaled her own breath, and had easily jumped in quite the fear when the van door opened, relaxing when it was just Kirby who was entering the van, "Alrighty. Let's get this started." She had breathed out, sitting in her chair and opening up her laptop.

Mindy who had sarcastically spoken up, and instantly capturing everyone's attention, "So, we're really doing the phone tracing thing, that never works in movies?" A hint of amusement was laced in her voice.

Chad chuckled at his sisters antics, lightly squeezing his girlfriends hip who squirmed in his lap, that made him quietly groan.

Naomi quietly whispering despite feeling butterflies tingling in her own stomach when he groaned against her ear, "Stop that."

Grinning like a childish boy from this little moment, but he still apologized since he didn't want her uncomfortable, "Sorry, sorry." He had placed a soft kiss beside her neck.

Kirby offered Mindy a weird look, especially when the girl continued, "It'll be all, "Keep him talking, Sam. Two more minutes, I've almost got him." And then he hangs up just before we can get a lock." She remarked, exaggeratedly.

Kirby sassed back at the teenage girl who was underestimating her, "I can trace call in under 15 seconds." She smugly smiled.

Mindy was stumped decided to change the direction from her statement, "Well, you've got them out there as bait." She had pointed the obvious.

Kirby sighed, "Because the killer usually calls from somewhere nearby." She pointed out.

Mindy who had titled her head, "And, you think they're safe because it's broad daylight in a public space?" She had remarked, she was all aware that no one is safe from a killer even if it's broad daylight.

Kirby was getting aggravated, "Look, I am here okay? And, so is Bailey." She sternly told the teenage girl.

Naomi had to refrain herself from rolling her eyes at the mention of her father's name. No one in this van is truly in safe hands ( not even is she safe ). Well, except for Ethan Landry, he wouldn't be harmed.

Mindy who had rambled in extreme frustration, "This is exactly how our Uncle Randy died. Broad daylight. Public space. Yanked into a van. Stab, stab, stab. No more Randy." She given the obvious.

Kirby had slumped in her chair, a odd expression written on her face, "Huh. Okay, then. Hey, Sam? Stay frosty out there, okay?" She reminded the girl.

Sam's voice lingered in the van, "We're good."

Their eyes had all widened on the laptop screen, unlike Naomi. She felt like her head was spinning when she had seen that fucking face, again. Her own breathing was just getting heavy, and she felt that she could faint at this moment.

It was her brother, Richie Kirsch.

   Naomi felt her breath hitch, "I can't be in here any longer, I need to catch air." She had expressed, and gently removing her boyfriends hands from her waist.

   Chad furrowed his eyebrows in complete confusion, "What's the matter?" He recently had noticed her weird behavior began to occur when Richie Kirsch was to somehow be shown or his name was spoken.

   Naomi had complete shrugged his question off, "Nothing, I just get claustrophobic. I'll be back." She had breath out, and opening the van despite hearing the call, as she had presumed it be Quinn since Ethan was here, as well as her dad.

   The fresh breeze of air calmed her down, though the sound of Gale's phone vibrating in her jean pants was heard, she quickly pulled out the phone, eyes widening when she seen the caller id: Mark Kincaid.

   Her hand was completely shaky, quietly speaking out in the phone, "Hello?" She had responded.

   Mark had cautiously spoke into the phone, his wife sitting next to him on the airplane, as it would be landing to New York real soon, "Is this Naomi Bailey?" He had sounded nice, and that's what surprised her.

   "Yes and no." She answered truthfully.

   He had went through his work computer to search for any Baileys on the computer screen, but there wasn't anything, so she must've been keeping something from them, "If you want my help, I need you to be honest with me, Naomi. No secrets, okay?" He had gently told the girl that his wife was so hellbent on helping.

   Her eyes watered, "Naomi Kirsch, it's Kirsch." She quietly said into the phone, eyes wandering around in hopes none of her friends heard her.

   She had heard commotion on the other end of the call, and a part of her was already afraid that he'd immediately take back his promise on helping her, and had whispered back into the phone, she was so desperate for help, "Please, you have to understand that I didn't want to do this, I was threatened by them, and there's so much more unsaid that will have to wait until your arrival. I never wanted to avenge Richie's death." She quietly breathed out.

   It was silent for several seconds until she heard the man exhale, "We'll arrive over there soon, Naomi. Stay strong, and don't back out in the game, you'll look suspicious if you attempt to run from your dads endgame." He calmly told the girl.

   Naomi breathed out, "Okay. Thank you."

   She had ended the call, slipping the phone back into her pocket and wiping her own tears before heading towards the van that was being opened, Kirby rushing out of the vehicle with her phone pressed against her ear, that had left Naomi confused.

   She instantly noticed everyone stepping out of the van with just paled faces, well beside on Ethan who was behind Mindy and smirking like a crazy person, "What's going on? What did I miss?" She had frantically questioned her boyfriend and friend.

   Chad had swallowed down his saliva, "Gale Weathers. . ." He slowly began before ending his sentence that made her eyes widened, "He's targeting her, it was all a set-up. He's been in her apartment building all day." He retorted.

   Naomi was completely flabbergasted from this information. Especially, because she had no damn idea, her dad alongside her siblings keep her out of the loop.

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞, hope you
liked chapter thirteen.

No, because Chad will find
out probably next chapter in
the end. I'm so nervous for
their argument.

Mark and Sydney coming
soon 🥹🥹