chapter twenty,

hello, lorenzo. We've got catching up do!

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"We're going to head over to Gale's tonight just please be safe with whatever you are all planning tonight, and tell Mindy that I'm sorry about Anika."

The sound of her dads voice had echoed inside her head, swallowing down her saliva down thickly. All while, she was fiddling with her own fingers. Nervously, and also squirming around Chads lap as that had ultimately left him to accidentally let out a groan, that made him wrap his arms around her waist to keep her still.

   Mindy who had simply gagged at the two who were close by her, "Ugh, gross. We're all in a van with you two. So, please keep whatever this is PG. . ." She had muttered, "I don't think Paloma needs another sibling." She simply muttered.

   Ethan who opened his cheeto bag.

   Munching on chips.

   Amaya who had scoffed, "Haha – so funny." She had sarcastically smiled at Mindy, "Let her turn three years old, and I'll consider it." She had leant back, and simply felt Chad whisper in her ear.

   He knew that Maya was extremely nervous, covering it with a simple joke, "Are you okay? If this is about Paloma and Lorenzo's safety we can always go to your house, and check up on them." He informed her.

   She shook her head, "It's – I'm okay. . . and, I just don't want to risk putting them in danger if we go over there," She had swallowed down her saliva 'cause she was extremely nervous, "It's just best if we remain a really good far distance from Paloma until Ghostface is officially gone. I don't want a repeat of last years events when I was with her, and getting chased by Ghostface in the hospital, she's safe with my dad." Amaya had rambled on about. Simply, trusting her gut that both were safe.

   Chad who had simply nodded his head in agreement, it was much more safer being away from their daughter 'cause right now they didn't want to risk anything, "Yeah. . . i think it's better if we stay away from her just for now, we can make it up for her afterwards," He had sadly mumbled against her ear.

All while Mindy and Ethan were having an argument over something, and Kirby speaking with Samantha outside the van.

Amaya who just simply turned her head to glance at Chad, pecking his lips quickly before softly mumbling to him, eyes slightly glancing at Mindy and Ethan making sure they weren't listening in the conversation, "And, I'm being serious about once Paloma is three, but only if you're okay with it." She cheekily smiled at him.

Chad felt his heart beat rapidly at this 'cause he was all in for it, "I'm definitely okay with it, and she's going to need a sibling someday." He had simply teased her. Though, deep down his head was just screaming to him on how he had missed everything when Amaya was pregnant with Paloma, and it just hurt him. Like a lot. He would only see Amaya from a far distance in school grounds with her pregnant stomach, but that was just about it. Every other place, he'd just simply avoid her.

   God, how would they even tell this to Paloma when she gets much more older? He quickly swallowed down his saliva, and kept his smile widened at Amaya 'cause he was just simply happy already.

Amaya who smiled widely at him, pressing her hands against his cheeks and pulling him into a kiss that he reciprocated until the sound of the van doors opening up that had instantly pulled them apart, it was Kirby who had papers in her hands.

"Alright, Guys. Let's get this started." She informed, sitting down in one of the chairs that was in the van, all while quickly opening her laptop.

"So we're just going to wait for him to call, Sam?" Amaya simply questioned, turning her head to glance at Kirby all while she remained on Chads lap still.

   Kirby who simply nodded her head, "Yup." All while she was also typing on her computer.

   Mindy who butted in, leg stretched out on the table, "So we're really doing the phone tracing thing that never works in the movies, it's going to be all keep 'em talking, Sam two more minutes I almost got it, and then he hangs up just before we can get a lock." She informed, sarcastically.

   Ethan who just munched on his chips with Chad and Amaya chuckling.

   Kirby who glanced at Mindy slightly laughing, "I can trace a call in under fifteen seconds." She retorted.

   Mindy who was slightly flabbergasted instantly dropped her leg down from the table, crossing both of her legs, "Well you got them out their as bait!" She informed.

   "Because the killer usually calls from somewhere near by," She had retorted with pure honesty to Mindy.

   Mindy who sarcastically smiled, easily spoke up, "And you think their safe out there because it's broad daylight in a public space?" She had bitterly snapped.

   Kirby who sighed in frustration, "I am here, okay?" Annoyance laced in her voice, "And, so is Bailey." Kirby lastly added.

Mindy who's voice had slightly raised, "This is exactly how our Uncle Randy died broad daylight, public place. . . yanked into a van! Stab, stab, stab no more Randy." She quickly informed.

While all four had remained silent at Mindys rant.

Until Ethan had attempted to offer some Cheetos to Chad only for Amaya to push his arm away from her face.

Kirby letting out a soft, "Huh. . ." Slightly turning around to glance back at her computer, and quickly speaking to Sam, "Hey, Sam take frosty out there, okay?" She sighed through the earpiece.

They all heard Samantha answering through the earpiece that she had on as well, "We're good." She had quickly informed.

   It had simply remained silent until their eyes drifted back towards the screen, and instantly noticing that Samantha was getting a call from Ghostface off of Richie Kirsch.

   Amaya just simply furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, her body quickly stiffening. . . How did Ghostface even manage to get ahold of his phone? So many questions.

   They heard Samantha answering to the phone, "You're gonna die, you know?" She had informed him still surprised she received this call from her deceased killer boyfriend.

"No you're going to die, Samantha." Ghostface snarled back, "Choking on your own blood while I hack up your sister." He had quickly informed her.

  All while the other four who were in the van watching Kirby trace down the number.

   Samantha who had quickly snapped back, "Unless we find you first." She retorted.

   "For a mastermind you're not very bright." He had snapped back, "Waiting for me to call desperately hoping I'm nearby, so the police can grab me." He slowly taunted.

Amaya quickly shot up from Chads lap, and standing right beside Kirby, and watching where the call was aligning from, her heart was simply racing 'cause she was slowly recognizing the area. . . desperately hoping it wasn't what she was making out the situation to be.

Just as they had heard him once, again, "But, I'm not nearby, I'm a step ahead. Nice seeing you Samantha." The line had ultimately ended just as Samantha eyed her phone quickly speaking into the earpiece, "Did you get it?" She questioned Kirby.

   "Yup. . . Gio location coming threw right now," It was then that Kirby had zoomed in that made Amaya's eyes widened, "He's on the upper west side, he's inside an apartment building halfway across the city." She had informed.

   Amaya and Tara both answered, "On West 96th. . ." Amaya had quickly glanced at Chad already feeling herself about to panic just as he stood up as well, "Gale, My dad and Paloma." She had worded out.

Mindy who shot up, "What do you mean your dad and Paloma, Amaya?" Worry hitting in her entire body after hearing that Lorenzo and her niece might be in possible danger.

"They are heading over to Gale's house like possibly right now," She had quickly opened the van doors with Chad who was right behind her, "We have to go like right now." Adrenaline kicking in her body.

The two had quickly caught up to Samantha and Tara, and both instantly getting in the back of the police car, all while they had turned the sirens on to get their possibly quicker without being stopped by any traffic, or cars in front of them, and just wanting to get there before Ghostface manages to stab someone in there, or possibly do anything far worse.

Kirby who watched the police car driving off muttered, "Who's Paloma?" Confusion of not knowing who this person was just as she felt a presence standing right beside her.

"Their daughter," Mindy retorted.

Kirby had instantly felt her mouth drop at the new information she had just learnt, and that was where she had also dialed 911 to reach the building before anyone remains harmed.

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THIRTY MINUTES
BEFORE

    Lorenzo had beeped at the car that was in front of him, "Just say you can't drive, driving like fifteen miles per hour." He had hit another stop sign 'cause of this old ass man who was in front of him driving like no one was behind him.

   His phone was buzzing, and his eyes had instantly glanced at his cup holder, and quickly reading the caller ID, and instantly grabbing his phone to click answer, as his eyes had then simply wandered over to the rear mirror, and noticing Paloma who was currently asleep in her car seat.

"What's up Sydney?" Lorenzo had called out, and simply hearing nothing on the other line, "Hello, Sydney? If this is just some sort of type of silent treatment you're giving me, 'cause I forgot to tell you about what's going on in New York. . . well, I forgot." He answered truthfully.

He had a tendency of forgetting things, and not that he meant to forget them, but it was just a habit of his. I mean, he did forget to pick up Amaya, but it was just a one time thing that had happened in second grade, that it wasn't until Martha had came knocking on his door, and there stood Amaya with an Ice-cream in her hand, and both twins right beside her.

A voice he hasn't heard in like almost close to twelve years, "Hello, Lorenzo." The voice had simply chuckled, Lorenzo who had felt his body immediately stiffening, "It seems that we've got some catching up to do." He taunted.

   "I believe we don't," Lorenzo snapped at Ghostface, "Though, it does seem it's time for you to turn your ass over to the police, ain't that right now?" Lorenzo had simply retorted.

   Ghostface simply chuckled, "Now what's the fun in that when I can just make you bleed the same way your mother had?" He had quickly snarled, "Finish off what Stu Macher didn't manage to do, the big plans he made to kill you, Lorenzo!" He snarled, as laughter was just being heard on the other line when he simply heard no response from Lorenzo.

   Lorenzo felt his jaw tightened, "Yeah, big plans that you'll never even get to accomplish." He informed.

   Ghostface simply laughed, "We'll see about that, Lorenzo. We're in a new Franchise where not even legacy characters can survive this bloodbath, look at your friend, Dewey Riley." He simply taunted.

   Lorenzo simply remained silent, clenching his hands on the steering wheel in frustration until he easily spoke up,"You've got some nerve speaking about shit you don't know about." He simply retorted.

"I know a lot more than you think," Ghostface managed to laugh at his comment 'cause it was the fact, he knew just about almost everything, "Nice speaking with you. I'll see you three soon." He had ultimately taunted, as he simply hung the phone up.

Lorenzo who just remained conflicted about the call afterwards still managed to continue his ride over to Gale Weather's apartment, and simply not knowing that he was about to put Paloma and his life in danger.

   Only question left is. . . will he live?

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𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞, I just remember this book is almost close to ending.

Big plans for Gale, Paloma and Lorenzo.

And awwww that cute conversation with Chad and Amaya.