The Tattooed Devil Wears Chucks

Chapter 42: Population 499

Gabby.

For the first time ever, the Luxberg Gazette was more than three pages long. Pictures of the lake, the woods and Courtney's graduation picture cover the front page. The woods and lake were taped off, no one could go out there. The mood in town was solemn. People acted as though they knew her, and Jackson. Even his picture was in the paper describing the nights events and his allergic reaction. I'm not sure who spoke to the papers, but the information was fairly accurate. Leave it to a small town to know every detail to something that they didn't even witness.

They had no leads. Just a lot of bagged evidence. The woods and water were probably the worst place for this to happen. It was windy, open, and it had since rained. Plus there was not just Courtney's blood in those woods. Jax, my dad and I were all cut up by the time we got to the clearing. The entire case was a mess. Basically, the Luxberg Welcome sign told us everything, there were now 499 suspects in the murder of Courtney Marie Parker.

It had been a week and every day felt worse than the last. I wanted to call my best friend and talk to her, I couldn't. Instead I would call her number and listen to her spunky attitude via voicemail. That was the way I would always remember her voice. But now when I pictured her, all I could think of was her covered in muddy water and blood. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I couldn't even sleep without dreaming about that night.

My dad probably took it the worst. I had seen cases get to him before. Typically when someone young died he would come home quiet, needing his space. But he knew Courtney, he tried so hard to get her back and he couldn't do it. I heard him break down to my mom, completely losing it, telling her that it could have been me and he would have never been able to live with himself.

Jax and I had not spoken since the hospital. He needed time, I wasn't going to push him. Part of me knew I wasn't ready to talk to him about that night either. Talking about her hurt; it would be so much worse for him.

"Almost ready?"

I peer up to my dad who is standing in the doorway to my bedroom. It's odd to see him in a suit. He looks nice, but he also looks completely drained. His gray hair sticks out now above his ears more than it ever did before, he has a slight stubble to match. Dark circles matching my own have formed around his tired eyes. I'm not sure which one of us has cried more this last week. Today will be no exception.

"No." My voice buckles. My hands shake as I use them to smooth out my black dress. "Dad is this going to be..."

"It's closed casket."

I give him a nod and stare down at my black ballerina flats. "I don't know if I can do this."

He walks into my room and sits beside me on the edge of my bed, taking my shaking hand into his own.

"If we get there and you need to turn around, you just say the word Gabs. No one is forcing this on you. People will understand your reason. You've been through a lot."

"Okay." I try and suppress my tears.

"I'm sure it will mean a lot to Sue and Larry if you're there. They walked over here yesterday to make sure you were okay."

"They are such good people. They don't deserve this. No one does. Was Jax with them?"

He squints his eyes towards me in confusion. "No he was at the hospital that day. Have you not talked to him?"

Worry fills me. I suddenly regret giving him space to process this. Did he do something stupid? I know he's depressed but would he try something? Complete panic consumes me. "No, why was he back at the hospital?!"