Episode 31: Smart Calls and Killing Time

Aubrey Lance, S.S. (Supernatural Sleuth) -- Season 1, Episode 31: Smart Calls & Killing Time

Collin kept a lookout at the edge of the alcove—in case any administrators or hall monitors were out and about—while I pulled my cell phone from my backpack and called my dad. 

He picked up on the first ring. “Aubrey. Is everything okay?” 

I explained my vision, our haphazard plan to break into the AV room, and my hesitation about it as quietly as I could into the phone, not wanting anyone to hear me and realize Collin and I were out of class. 

“I’m glad you called me first,” my dad answered. I could hear the genuine relief in his voice. “You were right to be hesitant. I don’t want you doing anything that could mess up your record, or anything dangerous.”

“Dad, this whole thing is dangerous.” I kept my voice low, still wary of drawing attention.

My dad sighed. “I know that. I just—” He paused. “You’re sure your AV teacher doesn’t ever stay past three?” 

“Not on days we aren’t doing the radio show. I can see Mr. Pierce’s parking spot in the faculty lot from the benches where I usually wait for Lockley to finish cheerleading. He leaves around the same time every day.” 

There was another pause, then my dad said, “I don’t want you involved in this part, Aubrey. I’ll handle the AV room.” 

“What?” He was trying to cut me out of this now? When I’d finally pieced together the clues? 

Collin raised a questioning eyebrow at my heightened response, but I gestured that things were fine. 

“What are you going to do, Dad? Break in there yourself?” My frustration seeped out in my tone. 

Dad huffed. “Of course not. Or, well, probably not. But either way, you don’t need to worry about it. Go back to class like normal. We just need to find out whether this key opens anything in the room, right? I’ll text you after school to let you know where to leave the key you found, and I’ll take care of the rest. I’ve got this.” 

“Dad.” I lowered my voice again. “These are my clues. Emery left them for me, and the red room realization came from one of my dreams. What if there’s something in there Emery meant for me to see? Something only I would catch, or that triggers another vision?” I drew a breath, trying to calm my frustration. “Please, Dad. I need to do this. Let me help.”  

“I hear you, Aubrey, but…” My dad drew a long breath on the other end of the phone. “You’re usually where you can see him leaving after school? Watching him won’t look suspicious?” 

“It won’t look suspicious at all, Dad. It’s literally what I do every afternoon except on Mondays when we do the show.” 

Another pause, then Dad said, “Okay. Just don’t do anything yet, alright? I have an idea for a better way. I’ll meet you after school, once the place clears out. Just hang out on campus waiting for Lockley like you usually do, then text me when you see your AV teacher leaving. We’ll do this together, understood?” 

I could live with that. “Yes. Understood.” 

Dad exhaled. “Good. Now, please go back to class. You know your mother will fret if you get caught skipping.” 

A short laugh escaped me—I mean, we were chasing down potential kidnappers and my mother was worried about my school attendance record? But actually, it sounded just like her. She was always worried about my future. 

“Okay, Dad. I’m heading there now. Well, after I get a tardy slip from the office. I’m already pretty late to third period, but I’ll just tell them I had to call my parents about something important.”  That much was true.

“You’ll still get written up, won’t you?” Dad sounded concerned. “Ah, well. A tardy slip is better than detention for skipping. If they give you any trouble about the phone call explanation, have them call me. I’ll vouch for you.” 

I smiled into the phone. “Thanks, Dad.”  

“Is Collin still with you?” Dad asked.

I glanced at Collin, who met my gaze. “Yeah.” 

“Tell him to go to class, too. I know I’m not his parent, but… well, I feel responsible for him and I don’t want to see him get in trouble. He’s a good kid.”

I’d hardly classify Collin as a kid, but I nodded—not that my dad could see it through the phone. “Okay. I’ll tell him.” 

“Love you, Aubrey. See you later.” 

“Love you too, Dad.” 

He hung up. 

I turned my attention back to Collin, who was still watching me. “My dad says you have to go back to class and act normally. We both do. He’s going to meet us after school with a different plan. I’m just supposed to text him when we see Mr. Pierce leave.” 

Collin shrugged. “No problem. I’m not a breaking-and-entering sort of person, anyway. I was just gonna be a passenger on your chaotic ride.”

I glared at him.  

He gave me a little half-smile. “Hey, I never said I wasn’t a willing passenger.” He watched me for a minute, that darned dimple shining and his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief, then he offered me his arm. “May I escort you to the office for a tardy slip?” 

I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help but smile a little as I placed my arm in his. “Sure, why not?”

***

Collin and I both made it through the rest of the day acting mostly normal—at least, normal enough that no one else questioned it. He even sat apart from me at lunch, because after our very public encounter in the cafeteria before Chloe went missing, it seemed sitting together would draw more attention to us than not. 

All day, that key felt like it was burning a hole in my pocket, just like the larger mystery was burning one in my mind. Where was all of this leading? What was Emery trying to tell me? We were finally making progress in figuring out the clues Emery had left for me. I just had to hope we weren’t already too late.  

Lockley found Collin and me in the hallway after school. Her classes and extra planning times with the cheer squad must have kept her busy—we hadn’t seen her all day, not even in passing. 

“I’m headed to practice,” she whispered to us. “Any news?”

“Yeah, a bit,” I whispered back. 

Lockley glanced around, then looked at Collin. “We’ll be right back.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me into the nearest girls’ bathroom. She checked all the stalls to make sure they were empty, then turned back to me. “What did you find?” 

I stared at her. “I haven’t found anything, but I definitely figured something out.” 

I told her about my vision, and about my dad’s instructions to meet us after Mr. Pierce left.

“So he’s not going to break in, but he has some kind of plan?” she asked.

“It seems so.” 

“Did he say what his plan was?” 

“No.” 

Lockley chewed her lip for a minute. “I’m sure whatever it is, it’s better to have him involved than to break in without telling him. It’s good you called him.” 

“Yeah.” I was glad she thought so, too.

Lockley grabbed my hand. “I wish I could come with you, but I can’t miss a practice this close to competition without it looking weird.” 

I squeezed her hand back. “It’s okay, Lock. Between my dad and Collin and me, we’ve got it covered. But I know you’d come if you could.” 

Lockley sighed and dropped her hand. “Yeah. I hate not being a part of every bit of this. I mean, what if this really is a chance to find Em?” 

A weak hope fluttered in my chest. “It could be.” I was afraid to hope any bigger than that—being disappointed would be too painful. 

Lockley shifted her backpack. “I need to get to practice. Are you sure you guys will be okay? It’ll be awhile until the rest of the campus clears out.” 

I nodded. “We’ll just hang out like we’re waiting for you, until I hear from my dad.” 

“Okay. I’ll come find you when I get out of practice, if I can do it without drawing attention. If not, do you want me to wait for you? Do you and Collin still need a ride?” 

I thought for a second. “I’m not sure. If we ride home with my dad, I’ll text you. Otherwise, assume Collin and I are riding with you. Dad might want us to stick to our usual routine.” 

The door swung open, and another girl entered. Lockley and I nodded our greetings to the girl, then headed out into the hall.

Collin was waiting there for us. “Bathroom conference?” 

“Of course.” Lockley smiled, then waved. “Gotta run. I expect updates later!” She hurried off down the hall. 

Collin and I looked at each other. 

He tucked his hands in his pockets. “So…” 

I raised an eyebrow. “So?” 

His eyes locked on mine. “I’m new to this campus, but you said there’s a quiet place where we could hang out unnoticed while we watch for Mr. Pierce to leave?”  

Collin usually waited for Lockley separately from me. Until that moment, I didn’t think I’d ever stopped to wonder where he was while I was in my typical spot waiting for Lockley. He usually just showed up at the practice field when it was time to head to the student parking lot. 

I stared at him. “Where do you usually hang out after school?” 

He blushed slightly. “Um… the car?” 

I blinked. “The car? You just sit by yourself in the car for a whole hour? Why do you always show up at the field to meet Lockley after practice, then?” 

He shrugged, still looking sheepish. “By that time, I usually have to pee. I go into the guys’ locker room, then meet you and Lockley back at the field.” He looked at me. “Why? Where do you wait?” 

I gaped at him for a moment longer. “Definitely not in the car.” 

“Well, obviously not,” he said. “I think I would have noticed.”  

We stared at each other for a moment. 

Collin raised an eyebrow. “So, is there a quiet place to wait, or…” 

He looked so uncertain, and it was honestly adorable—not that I’d ever tell him that. 

I smiled at him, then grabbed his arm and tugged him down the hallway. “Yes, Collin. I know just the place. Come on.”

***

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