Episode 18: Hesitation and Hurried Questions

Aubrey Lance, S.S. (Supernatural Sleuth) -- Season 1, Episode 18: Hesitation & Hurried Questions

The man in the trench coat stepped out from the trees and approached the now-stopped SUV. 

“Jillian, what’s going on?” I asked, sharing a panicked look with Lockley and Collin. “Where are we?” 

“Yeah, about that,” Jillian said, turning around to look at me. “Sorry. This was the only way to get you to him without anyone seeing.” She shut off the car and removed the keys from the ignition.

“To… him?” My voice squeaked as the man steadily advanced toward the car.

“Do you know this guy?” Collin asked the cheer hawks.

Collin was tense, his eyes on the man and his jaw clenched. He looked like he was ready to leap out of the car and roundhouse-kick Trenchcoat Man in the head if someone didn’t explain things soon. 

I didn’t even know if Collin could roundhouse kick, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if he tried.

“Collinnnnn,” Lockley said, leaning forward and grabbing his arm. She looked ready to jump out and run.

Meredith turned around and smiled at us. “You’re not in danger, I promise. He’s our boss.” 

“Your what?” Now Collin’s voice was squeaking. 

“Our boss. The P.I. we work under.” She narrowed her eyes. “You do remember Aubrey said we worked with a detective agency, right?” 

“Okay, sure, fine, but how are we in the middle of the woods right now?” I shrieked, unable to get past that point.

But the cheer hawks were already unbuckling. Jillian got out first and headed toward the man, who’d stopped at the front of the SUV. 

“Come on,” Tory said, leaning back in to look at me. “He’s been asking to meet you.” She climbed out and shut her door.

“Nothing to worry about!” Meredith smiled at us, then got out and shut her door, too.

I begged to differ.

Collin, Lockley, and I were the only ones left in the vehicle, and none of us were moving to get out. 

“I vote we lock the doors,” Collin said. “I’ll climb up front and hot-wire this thing. Let’s get out of here.” 

“Do you know how to hot-wire something?” I hissed. 

“Well… no,” he shrugged. “But maybe she left the keys?” He leaned forward. “Nope.” He looked back at me. “Maybe we can make a run for it.” 

“They’re hawks, Collin. They’ll catch us.” Not to mention that man could… something. He’d done something in the middle of that road, and it hadn’t been natural. “Lockley?” I turned to her. 

She was sheet-white, staring out the front windshield. “We have to go talk to him, Aubs,” she said—very quietly. “We came this far, right? And after everything you said earlier…” She turned to look at me. “Don’t you want to hear what he has to say?” 

I stared at her, then drew a long breath. As freaked out as I was, I had to admit she was right. If this man knew anything that could help us find Chloe—or confirm that Emery might still be alive—I needed to hear him out. 

I was still terrified. Having the vehicle you’re in get yoinked through some magical rift by a man in a trench coat will do that to a person.

“They’re staring at us,” Collin said, pointing to the windshield. 

He was right. All three cheer hawks were standing by Trenchcoat Man, and all four of them were staring at the SUV.

The fact that they hadn’t yet come to haul us out of the vehicle was an encouraging sign that they were honest about not intending to harm us… maybe.

Collin glanced at me. “Your call, Aubrey. It’s your friend and your sister we’re here about. If you want to talk to this man, we’ll talk to him. If you want to run, we will make an epic attempt at running, but I’d like the record to note that I am not a sprinter. I’m more of a long-distance endurance guy, but if you’re anywhere as fast as Lockley then that really works in your favor since I’m likely to be the first one they catch, if—” 

“Collin.” I cut off his rambling.

He stopped and looked at me. “I’m with you, Aubrey. Whatever you decide.” His green eyes were sincere.

“Me, too,” Lockley said, though she looked terrified.

I drew a sharp breath. “Okay. Let’s go meet Trenchcoat Man.” 

We got out of the vehicle…though not without a great measure of hesitation.

The three girls smiled as we approached, while Trenchcoat Man, standing just behind them, watched us with an impassive expression.

Up close, Trenchcoat Man was good-looking in a classic, middle-aged-man sort of way, with dark eyes and dark, gelled-back hair and a clean-shaven face. He looked about my parents’ age. 

When we stopped in front of them, his eyes locked on me. 

“You must be Aubrey,” he said in a smooth, deep voice with a hint of Southern drawl.  

I answered him with a nod. 

“I’m sure you’re wondering many things,” he continued. “I have a lot to tell you, but I’ll give you three questions to ask me, first.” 

This whole thing felt theatrical, and a bit like I was dealing with a genie—or maybe a trickster Fae—but I kept those impressions to myself. 

I considered my questions carefully. “How did you do… whatever you did to bring us here?” I asked him. It wasn’t my most burning question, but it seemed a safe one to start with.

“Travel magic is my gift,” he answered with an amused smile. His teeth were very white. “Next question.”

His gift. All other questions scattered as my brain hooked on that word. “Do I have a gift?” 

“Undoubtedly.” His smile grew.

I sucked in a sharp breath. “Do you know where Chloe and Emery are?” I rushed my last question out, fearful he’d cut me off before I actually got to ask it. 

His smile faded. “Maybe… and no. Respectively.” 

“Is Emery alive?” That one came out in a whisper.

His intense stare was unsettling, but not unkind. “You’re out of questions, but I’ll answer that anyway. She may well be. We don’t yet know for sure.” 

A frustrated, strangled hope squeezed my heart. “How do we find out? And what about Chloe? Do you really think you know where she is?” 

I felt Collin place his hand on my shoulder, and when I glanced back at him, his stare was steady. So was Lockley’s. They were here—reminding me of their support.

I was grateful.

The man smiled at me. “We’ll return to that in time. But first, let’s handle what I came here to tell you.” 

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