The Stand In

Chapter 42

"It's serious, huh?" Billy speaks.

"What is?" I ask.

"You and Elle.."

With a nod, I answer "Yeah. I think so."

"Why do you only think?"

"Because its two sided. It's serious for me, definitely. But I haven't asked her, I'm sure it's the same though."

I think it always has been. I can't remember a time that it was casual, from the moment I met her, I knew. I also know people say that and it's complete cliché. But something shifted within me. Something deep.

"Good for you bro." Billy responds. "She's good for you."

I smile to myself, knowing she's won their hearts over too, and not just for the mean meals she makes for them. Elle had this aura, this bright positive glow of happiness that she spread amongst everyone. Sometime that happiness would be dimmed, which is when I would have to step in and make it bright again.

Pulling up at the library, I shut off my phone and put it away. It was time for a little more work.

*****

In the middle of dinner, I feel a weird vibe, like I need to check on Elle. I can't explain what or why, but I just needed to, and set my cutlery aside to pull out my phone. The guys instantly quieten their conversation seeing my frown.

"You alright?" Bacon asks at my side.

"Something is off." I tell him, logging into my camera system at home.

When it fails, the panic begins setting in and I'm getting out of my seat. "Something is wrong." I tell him as he stands too. "Cameras are down."

"Don't panic, it might be a glitch. Ring Elle, I'll keep trying the cameras on my phone." He says, both of us leaving the table and heading outside.

It's hard not to specially after Henry told me what Mia had been trying to do before I left. What if she was responsible for this?

As soon as I get outside, I'm tapping my wrist and ringing Elle but there's no response on either.

"I need someone to go to the house." I tell Bacon as he fails to get into the camera system again.

"I'm ringing the front gate now."

I keep trying Elle, anxiety creeping up from my stomach and wrapping itself around my chest. Not only anxiety but fear. This was fear on a level that I hadn't experienced before despite my ten years of Ghost Adventures.

"Fuck!" I shout as the call cuts off. I'm about to ring 911 when my phone screen cuts to an incoming call.

Seeing a FaceTime from Elle, I answer immediately. "El?! Are you okay?!"

I can see her on the screen, red face a little blotchy and eyes looking bloodshot and red.

She nods.

"Have you been crying?"

"Marley dies.." She says, lifting a tissue to wipe her eyes. "I was trying to recover before you rang."

"Marley?"

"Marley and me was on and I didn't change the fucking channel." She says, almost sobbing.

I suppress a smile because she rarely cusses unless she's upset or angry. In this case she's upset about a fictional dog.

Marley.

I do feel a sense of relief that she's okay, though. I mean, she will recover from the dog.

I'm about to tell Bacon not to bother with security, when he smacks my arm, making me growl in his direction.

But when he shows me his phone screen, I feel my face pale and that fear come flooding back. Tenfold.

"Sweetheart, where are you right now?" I ask Elle.

"L-lounge. Oh I can't.." She says. "Gracie look away. Where's that TV remote?! Oh, Marley..."

As much as I want to comfort her about the fucking dog, there's a bigger issue.. A much bigger issue.

"Where is Gracie?"

"Here." She says, turning her phone to show me where Gracie was.

"Okay, great, now listen.. I need both of you to go into the bedroom okay?"

She wipes her face "Why?"

"I need you to go into the bedroom and then lock yourself in the wardrobe."

Elle frowns "Why are we doing that?"

I don't want to panic her, but before I can convince her to move, she spots something.

"Zak..." She says, not taking her eyes off whatever she has spotted.

"Yeah?"

"There's someone on the back garden.." She whispers as a tear rolls down her cheek.

Fuck! Fuck!

I clench my fist trying not to bark orders or shout, but now I'm thinking all sorts of shit as well as how fast I can get home..

Not fast enough will be the answer.

Whilst I had been talking to Elle, Bacon had managed to pull up cctv, showing me a figure dressed in all black standing by the pool.

I had no-one coming over which means whoever that was. Was not invited and trespassing. It might be Mia, but it also might not be and that is what is crawling up my spine.

"They.. Zak they are coming towards the house." She whispers to me through the phone.

"Listen to me, Elle." Bacon says making her jump slightly. "You need to go into the wardrobe, the walk in right now and lock yourself in, with Gracie. Security and the police are on the way. Okay?"

"But the hous-"

"Fuck the house!" I snap. "I can replace everything apart from you and Gray. Sweetie, when you get up, you run because whoever that is, is going to see you. You grab Gracie's collar okay? She will get the idea. Don't worry if she panics. I'd rather deal with her skittish that hurt."

"I- I can't move.. They have a mask on." She whispers lowering herself on the couch.

I hear Gracie's primal and protective growl. She has spotted them too...

"Elle. You need to move. Move now!"