“What the hell are we supposed to do now?” Robby asked as he threw himself on to his bed.
“I don’t know,” Rayna said, laying down next to him.
“I know,” Johnny said as he grabbed a handful of little bottles from the mini bar. He tossed a few on the bed and flopped down into a chair. Rayna opened a bottle and downed it in one gulp. She then picked up another and did the same.
“Are you okay, Rayna?” Robby said propping himself up on his elbow.
“I’ve been better,” Rayna said, laying down, closing her eyes, and feeling the sweet burn of a day’s events disappearing.
“You want to talk about it,” Robby asked quietly, running his fingers through her hair in a soothing gesture.
“Not really.”
“Rayna, we need to know why they left that picture.”
“You don’t want to know, Johnny.” That wasn’t the first time she had said that and she was sure it wouldn’t be the last, but they really didn’t want to know. She had gone through this a couple times, they always looked at her as if she might break after she told them. They didn’t understand, only one person did and she was gone.
“Want to or not, we need to,” Johnny said sternly.
“Look Johnny, we all have skeletons in our closet, would you like to talk about your’s?”
“I know Rayna, but it might help us to know wh,” Johnny was interrupted by a woman’s scream.
All three looked at one another and jumped up, they had a suspicion of what that scream meant but they would not acknowledge it. They ran to the end of the hall, to the room where the scream came from. Eleanor was in the bathroom throwing up and the woman who had been staying down the hall from them was on the bed. She had been killed the same way Maria had, she was cut and stabbed all over her torso. Rayna put her hands over her eyes and turned around into Robby’s chest. Robby put his arms around her and walked her out of the room. Johnny went into the bathroom to check on Eleanor.
Sheriff McCaid and the man from the front desk came running down the hall. Johnny walked Eleanor out of the room, it was apparent that he was holding her up.
“Had you even talked to her yet?” the man asked McCaid.
“Yeah, this morning after I talked to the rock stars.” The Sheriff was looking around the room, trying not to disturb the scene. “She didn’t know anything about what happened or the picture. Ah ha, here it is.” He picked up another picture and walked out into the hall. Rayna was leaning against Robby, shaking.
“So, Rayna, you want to tell me what this means?” the sheriff said accusingly. Rayna turned around and took the picture. There were those eyes again, at least a year older, but the same eyes. Rayna began to shake again as she turned the picture over.
“Another year of her life gone, another death closer to your’s.” Rayna leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor. She put her head on her knees and began to cry.
“Miss Marie as of right now you are my prime suspect, so I suggest that you tell me all that you know right now,” the sheriff threatened.
“My god, can’t you see that she’s just as shocked as the rest of us. Leave her alone, she’ll talk when she can.” Johnny defending Rayna shocked Johnny as much as it shocked Robby and Rayna. Robby picked Rayna up and Johnny took the picture from her. “Here,” he shoved it at the sheriff. Johnny and Robby took Rayna down the hall to her room. Johnny took her key out of her pocket and opened the door. Robby carried her to her bed, pulled back the covers and put her down. Johnny went into the bathroom and came back with a glass of water. Rayna curled up in fetal position on the bed. Robby sat next stroking her hair, Johnny handed him the glass.
“Do you think she’ll be okay, Johnny?” he asked, looking into the water.
“She’s obviously survived worse than this, so yes Robby, I think she will be okay.”
Rayna just kept reliving those few hours on that horrible day with Jen. She thought this was behind her, he was gone. Who could be doing this, he was dead, wasn’t he? Wasn’t he? She knew Robby and Johnny were there. She wanted to say something, something to let them know that she would be okay, but she couldn’t. She could barely breathe.
“Rayna, honey, drink some water. Come on, drink this,” Robby said, rubbing Rayna’s arm. Rayna sat up slowly and took a few deep breaths. She took the water from Robby and willed herself to stop shaking. Rayna slowly raised the glass to her lips and took a long drink.
“Thank you Robby. Thank you Johnny,” she said shakily. Robby grabbed a tissue and wiped the tears from her cheeks. Rayna snatched it from his hand and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Don’t be,” Johnny said suddenly.
“He’s right. There’s nothing to be sorry for,” Robby said, taking the water from Rayna and pulling her into his arms. “You want to talk about it?”
“Not yet, Robby. Not yet, but soon I promise. I think I need to go talk to the sheriff first. It’s important that he knows what my connection to Jen is.”
“Rayna, you look exhausted,” Johnny said thoughtfully.
“I am.”
“Maybe you should sleep before you go talk to the sheriff,” Johnny said, standing up and moving towards the bed. Rayna looked up at him, her eyes filled with fear.
“We could stay in here with you,” Robby said, seeing the fear in her eyes too. Rayna knew she wasn’t next to die, but what if they were.
“Okay.” Robby laid down and Rayna snuggled down into his arms. “Come here, Johnny, you look like you could use the sleep too,” Rayna said patting the bed next to her.
“I don’t know.”
“Come on, I don’t bite and you’d know better than I would about Robby.” Johnny shrugged and laid down with his head on Rayna’s stomach. “That’s more like it,” Rayna said, running her fingers through his hair. Robby relaxed quite a bit once he felt Rayna’s body relax and Johnny’s breathing deepen. Robby let them both sleep for about two hours, when someone knocked on the door. Robby carefully got off the bed, trying not to wake them. He made his way to the door and unlocked it.
“Sorry to disturb you, but I brought a few things for you, Mr. Rzeznik, and Miss Marie.” Eleanor held a tray containing coffee, cream, sugar, crackers, cheese, chocolate, and Advil.
“Thank you so much Eleanor. You’re such a sweetheart,” Robby said, taking the tray.
“Who was it, Robby?” Rayna asked groggily.
“Eleanor, she brought us some food and Advil for you,” Robby said, taking the tray to the coffee table and setting it down. “Is Johnny awake?”
“Yeah man, I’m awake,” Johnny said, sitting up. Johnny rolled off the bed and held out a hand to help Rayna off. They walked over to where Robby had sat down. Rayna streched across the fainting couch and Johnny sat in the chair next to Robby.
“Mmm, coffee,” Rayna grabbed a mug and filled it full. She opened the Advil and dropped six into her hand. Robby and Johnny gave her a wide eyed look. “What? I have a high tolerance to medication, that’s all.”
“We didn’t say anything,” Johnny said, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
“Yeah but you were thinking it. What time is it?”
“Um, it’s about two. I think,” Robby said looking for a clock.
“Maybe I should go talk to the sheriff now,” Rayna said it so reluctantly that even she didn’t believe she was going to stand up.
“Do you want us to come with you?” Johnny was being so supportive. It was like he was constantly doing 180’s, Rayna wondered why he wasn’t dizzy because she knew she was. Apparently, Johnny’s mood swings had no effect on Robby, Rayna guessed that they were an everyday occurence.
“I don’t think you want to.”
“Why?” Johnny wasn’t even looking at her, he was looking straight ahead and had been all along.
“Oh gee, let me think, because apparently I’m the reason for all this killing. So something really horrible must have led to this point, dumb ass,” Rayna wanted to say.
“It’s not going to be pleasent,” was all that would come out.
“Well, we could just walk you down there,” ever the genius, Robby had the simple solution right at his fingertips.
“All right, but not yet. Let’s finish our coffee, it’ll give me a chance to get my head together. Figure out exactly how I’m going to say this.” Rayna was at a loss for words for once in her life. Her mother always said she started talking at nine months and has yet to stop. This time it’s different, she only told this story to a few people and even then she didn’t tell them everything. Re-telling it meant reliving it and that was just plain scary. Robby came over to the couch, sat down with her, and took her hand. She looked down into her coffee, facing him would just make her cry. He put his finger under her chin and lifted her face to his.
“Rayna, obviously something really bad happened to you a long time ago and I understand that you don’t want to talk about it. I just want you to know that I’m here for you...”
“We’re here for you,” Johnny interrupted.
“Right, we’re here for you. You don’t have to tell us what happened, I just wanted you to know that,” Robby finished, searching her eyes for a reaction.
“Oh Robby,” Rayna sobbed, leaning in to kiss him and then hug him tight. “I’m scared,” she whispered in his hair. “I’m just so scared.”
“I know you are.” Rayna pulled away and looked at Robby, then at Johnny. That picture was a warning, the killer was going to toy with her. What if they got Johnny or Robby before the sheriff figured out who it was? She would never forgive herself if either of them were killed.
“Come on,” Rayna said, standing up.
“What’s wrong?” Robby asked.
“I need to talk to the sheriff, the sooner, the better.” Johnny and Robby stood up and followed Rayna out of the room. They went down to the main floor but they couldn’t find anyone.
“Okay, this empty front desk thing is really starting to get on my nerves,” Rayna said, looking around the room.
“Yeah, no kidding,” Johnny said angrily.
Rayna looked into the conference room and the dining hall, but couldn’t find anyone. She walked around to the right side of the counter and looked down a hall that went under the twisting stairs.
“I hear voices,” Rayna said quietly, straining to hear.
“Where?” Robby asked as he walked up behind her.
“Down there,” Rayna said, pointing down the hall. She began to walk forward slowly, with Robby and Johnny foloowing close behind. They went into a room to find the sheriff and the man from the counter talking.
“Ah, Miss Marie, just the person I was looking for,” the sheriff accused.
“Eleanor,” Rayna’s eyes widened in shock.
“Ray, what is it?” Robby said behind her.
“Is that, was that Eleanor?” Rayna asked, shakily pointing a finger at the floor by the bed, knowing all to well he answer. The bed spread, floor, and wall were covered in blood. Eleanor must have put up a fight, because her face was bruised and her nose was smashed. Again the fatal wounds were stabs and slashes on the torso.
“Yes,” McCaid said coldly.
“But, but, we just saw her an hour ago. She brought us snacks and coffee an hour ago.” Robby stared disbelievingly at Eleanor on the floor, as he backed out of the room.
“Miss Marie, take a look at this,” McCaid demanded, handing the picture.
“Of course.” It was Jen again, she looked to be another year older and had dyed her blond hair, brown. Rayna turned it over, knowing another message of impending doom was waiting there. It was definitely the same handwriting and the same blood red marker.
“The years go by faster and faster and your life keeps getting shorter,” was scrawled on the back.
Rayna breathed deeply for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts.
“Well, Miss Marie, I’m beginning to believe this messages are you not by you, but then again maybe you’re just trying to throw me off track.”
“Would you fucking leave her alone! She’s just as scared as the rest of...”
“No, Johnny, it’s okay. Sheriff McCaid, I’m ready to talk now.” Rayna was still holding Johnny back with her shoulder, he seemed ready to jump on McCaid.
“Sheriff! Sheriff!” the call came from the hall. The young boy came running into the room breathlessly. “Sheriff, he’s dead. I went to his room like you told me and he was dead. There was blood everywhere and he was on the bed...”
“Slow down, Marco. Who’s dead?”
“The man staying on the second floor, I think his name was Mr. Scotts,” Marco, said, beginning to breathe. Rayna felt the tension in Johnny’s body disappear. She put her hand over her face and leaned back into Johnny. Johnny rubbed her arms and leaned his forehead into the back of her head.
“Not another, Johnny. God not another,” Rayna muttered, shaking her head. “I don’t think I can take much more of tis.”
“Well, Miss Marie, we are going to have to postpone that talk, but I think you better come with me. Something tells me that there will be something there you need to see.”
Sheriff McCaid turned on his heel and left the room. Johnny and Rayna followed him into the hall, where they found Robby leaning against the wall.
“Robby, we need to go...”
“I know I heard everything,” Robby said, interrupting Rayna.
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