[No Exit]
Sam, Dean and Ella got out of the Impala, parked in front of the Roadhouse.
"Los Angeles, California," Dean said.
"What's in L.A.?" Sam asked.
"Young girl's been kidnapped by an evil cult."
Ella raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Girl got a name?"
"Katie Holmes."
Sam laughed. "That's funny. And for you, so bitchy."
Ella rolled her eyes. "Sure. Any-"
From inside the Roadhouse, came the sound of breaking glass and shouting voices.
Dean turned. "Of course, on the other hand -- catfight."
The three hunters entered and on the upper levels, Ellen and Jo were shouting. Dean, Sam and Ella entered cautiously.
"I am your mother, I don't have to be reasonable!" Ellen yelled.
"You can't keep me here!" Jo argued.
"Oh, don't you bet on that, sweetie."
"What are you going to do, are you going to chain me up in the basement?"
"You know what, you've had worse ideas than that recently. Hey, you don't wanna stay, don't stay. Go back to school."
"I didn't belong there! I was a freak with a knife collection."
"Yeah, and getting yourself killed on some dusty back road, that's where you belong?!" She turned and saw the three hunters. "Guys, bad time."
"Yes, ma'am," Sam said.
"Yeah, we rarely drink before ten anyway," Dean added.
"Wait," Jo said. "I wanna know what they think about this."
A mom, dad, and two kids under three, all wearing bright yellow T-shirts that read "Nebraska is for Lovers", entered.
"I don't care what they think!" Ellen yelled.
"Are you guys open?" the father asked.
"No!" Jo retorted.
"Yes!" Ellen told them.
"We'll just... check out the Arby's down the road," the dad said.
The family left. The phone rang. Jo glared at it, then at Ellen, who stalked over to answer it.
"Harvelle's," Ellen greeted. "Yeah, preacher."
Jo looked at the three hunters. "Three weeks ago, a young girl disappears from a Philadelphia apartment." She shoved a file folder at Dean. "Take it, it won't bite."
"No, but your mom might," Dean replied.
She pinched her lips, still holding out the folder and he took it reluctantly. "And this girl wasn't the first. Over the past 80 years, six women have vanished. All from the same building, all young blondes. Only happens every decade or two, so cops never eyeball the pattern. So we're either dealing with one very old serial killer, or-"
"Who put this together?" Dean wondered. "Ash?"
"I did it myself."
"Hmm," Dean hummed, impressed.
"I gotta admit. We hit the road for a lot less," Sam said.
Ellen glanced at them. "Good. You like the case so much, you take it."
"Mom!" Jo protested.
"Joanna Beth, this family has lost enough. And I won't lose you too. I just won't."
---
The three left and made their way to Philadelphia. They parked in front of the apartment building and entered.
"I feel kind of bad, snaking Jo's case," Sam admitted.
Ella nodded. "I do as well."
"Yeah, maybe she put together a good file. But could either you see her out here working one of these things?" Dean asked. "I don't think so." They pulled out EMF meters. "You get anything?"
"No, not yet," Sam replied, running his EMF reader over the light switch and it purred. He leaned over. "What's that?"
"What?" Dean and Ella questioned.
Sam touched the goo. "Holy crap."
Dean and Francesca touched the goo before Dean said, "That's ectoplasm. Well, Sam, Ella, I think I know what we're dealing with here. It's the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man."
Sam rolled his eyes. "Dean, Ella, I've only seen this stuff, like, twice. I mean, to make this stuff, you have to be one majorly pissed off spirit."
"All right, let's find this badass before he snags any more girls," Dean decided.
They exited the apartment and walked down the hallway, hearing voices and hid around a corner. Dean and Ella frowned, recognizing the woman's voice.
"It's so convenient," Jo said.
"Yeah, it's a great building, fixed it up real nice," the landlord informed. "All the apartments come furnished, too."
"It is so spacious. You know, my friend told me I absolutely have to come check it out, and I have to admit, she was right. You did a really good job with this place."
Dean stepped out. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"There you are, honey." She grabbed Dean around the waist. "This is my boyfriend Dean and his buddy Sam and his girlfriend Ella."
Ella shot her a dirty look, but played her designated role.
"Good to meetcha," the landlord said. "Quite a gal you've got here."
Dean smacked Jo's butt. "Oh yeah, she's a pistol."
"So, did you already check out that apartment?" Jo questioned. "The one for rent."
"Yeah. Yes. Loved it. Heh. Great flow."
"How'd you get in?" the landlord wondered.
"It was open."
"Now, Ed, um, when did the last tenant move out?" Jo asked.
"Oh, about a month ago," the landlord answered. "Cut and run, too. Stick me for the rent."
"Well. Her loss, our gain! 'Cause if Dean-o loves it, it's good enough for me."
"Oh, sweetie." Dean smacked her again.
Jo pulled out a wad of cash. "We'll take it."
They walked inside and Jo said, "I'll flip you for the sofa." She glanced at the sofa.
"Does your mother even know you're here?" Dean asked.
"Told her I was going to Vegas."
Ella frowned. "You think she's gonna buy that?"
"I'm not an idiot. I got Ash to lay a credit card trail all the way to the casinos."
"You know, you shouldn't lie to your mom. Shouldn't be here either," Dean told her.
"Well, I am. So untwist your boxers and deal with it."
"Where'd you get all that money from, anyways?" Sam asked.
"Working, at the Roadhouse."
"Hunters don't tip that well," Dean said.
"Well, they aren't that good at poker, either."
Dean's phone rang and he answered. "Yeah."
"Is she with you?" Ellen asked.
"Oh, hi Ellen."
"She left a note she's in Vegas. I don't believe it for a second."
Dean held the phone back and spoke to Jo. "I'm telling her."
The two had a furious, muttered argument.
"Dean?"
"I haven't seen her," Dean lied.
"You sure about that?"
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"Well, please. If she shows up, you'll drag her butt right back here, won't you?"
"Absolutely."
"Okay. Thanks, honey."
Dean hung up the phone and Jo grinned gleefully.
They pulled out their stuff. Dean was pacing, Jo and Ella were sitting at the table with blueprints spread out. Jo was flipping a small knife around and Ella was tapping her fingers on the table.
"This place was built in 1924," Jo informed. "It was originally a warehouse, converted into apartments a few months ago."
"Yeah? What was here before 1924?" Dean questioned.
"Nothing," Ella said. "Empty field."
"So, most likely scenario, someone died bloody in the building, and now he's back and raising hell," Sam guessed.
"Frankie and I already checked," Jo told him. "In the past 82 years, zero violent deaths. Unless you count a janitor who slipped on a wet floor." She looked at Dean. "Would you sit down, please?"
Dean sat. "So, have you checked police reports, county death records..."
"Obituaries, mortuary reports and seven other sources. I know what I'm doing. Ella knows what she's doing."
"I think the jury's still out on that one. You, that is. Could you put the knife down?"
Jo did as he asked.
"Okay! So it's something else, then. Maybe some kind of cursed object that brought a spirit with it."
Jo glanced at him. "Well we've got to scan the whole building. Everywhere we can get to, right?"
"Right. So. You, Ella and me, we'll take the top two floors."
"We'd move faster if we split up."
"Oh, this isn't negotiable."
Jo and Dean were walking down a dim hallway with EMF readers. Ella walked ahead of them.
"So. You gonna buy me dinner?" Jo asked.
Dean frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"It's just if you're gonna ride me this close, it's only decent that you buy me dinner."
"Oh, that's hilarious. You know, it's bad enough I lied to your mom, but if you think I'm letting you out of my sight... I don't know if you've noticed, but you're kind of the spirit's type. Ella is at risk as well."
"Exactly."
"You wanna be bait?"
"Quickest way to draw it out and you know it."
"Oh."
"What?"
"I'm so regretting this."
"You know, I've had it up to here with your crap."
"Excuse me?"
"Your chauvinist crap. You think women can't do the job."
"Sweetheart, this ain't gender studies. Women can do the job fine. Amateurs can't. Ella is a good hunter. You have no experience. What you do have is a bunch of half-baked romantic that some barflies put in your head."
"Now you sound like my mother."
"Oh, and that's a bad thing? Because let me tell you..."
"What?"
"Forget it."
"No, you started this."
"Jo, you've got options. No one in their right mind chooses this life. My dad started me in this when I was so young... I wish I could do something else."
"You love the job."
"Yeah, but I'm a little twisted."
"You don't think I'm a little twisted too?"
"Jo, you've got a mother that worries about you. Who wants something more for you. Those are good things. You don't throw things like that away. Might be hard to find later."
They approached a grating near the floor, where Ella was already standing. As Jo and Ella stood, two dark hands slid through the holes towards their legs and they turned around, gasping.
"What?" Dean asked.
"I'm not sure," Jo said.
Ella glanced around with a frown. "You smell that?"
Jo sniffed the air before asking, "What is that, a gas leak?"
"No," Dean replied. "Something else. I just can't put my finger on it."
Jo crouched by the grating and her EMF purred.
"Mazel Tov," Dean said. "You just found your first spirit."
Ella crouched next to Jo as she said, "It's inside the vent."
Dean crouched beside the girls as he shone a flashlight and handed it to Jo. "Here."
Dean pulled out a screwdriver and unscrewed the grating, pulling it off the wall. "There's something in there." He reached his arm inside and felt around. He pulled his hand out, holding a clump of blonde hair. "Somebody's keeping souvenirs."
---
Back in the apartment, Dean was twisted up in an awkward sleep-position of a leather sofa. Ella had gone off with Sam. Sirens sounded nearby and Dean woke, groaning. Jo was sitting at the table, twirling her knife and studying notes and blueprints.
"Morning, princess," Jo greeted.
Dean asked, "Where's Sam and Ella?"
"Went to get coffee," Jo replied.
Dean got up slowly with a grimace. "Ugh. My back. How'd you sleep on that big soft bed?"
"I didn't. Just been going over everything."
Dean looked down at her, considering. He placed a bag on the table and pulled out a Bowie knife, unsnapping it from the sheath and handed it to her, hilt first. "Here."
"What's this for?"
"Works a hell of a lot better than that little pig-sicker you're twirling around."
Jo took the knife, then handed him hers. He studied it and saw engraved letters on the blade: W.A.H. He looked up at Jo, getting it.
"William Anthony Harvelle," Jo clarified.
"I'm sorry," Dean apologized. "My mistake."
He took his knife back and sheathed it.
Jo looked at him. "What do you... what do you remember about your dad? I mean, what the first thing that pops into your head?" Dean shook his head. "Come on, tell me."
Dean sat. "I was eight or nine, and uh, he took me shooting for the first time. You know, balls on a fence, that sort of thing. I bulls-eyed every one of 'em. He gave me this smile, like... I don't know."
"He must have been so proud."
"What about your dad?" Dean asked.
"I was still in pigtails when my dad died, but I remember him coming home from a hunt," Jo replied. "He'd burst through that door like, like Steve McQueen or something. And he'd sweep up in his arms, and I'd breathe in that old leather jacket of his. And my mom, who was sour and pissed from the minute he left, she started smiling again. And we were... we were a family. You wanna know why I want to do the job? It's for him. It's my way of being close to him. Now tell me what's wrong with that."
"Nothing."
Sam and Ella burst through the door.
"Where's the coffee?" Dean asked.
Sam looked at him. "There are cops outside. Another girl disappeared."
Sam, Jo and Ella were studying a little more urgently than before. Dean returned.
Dean shut the door as he said, "Teresa Ellis, Apartment 2F. Boyfriend reported her missing around dawn."
"And her apartment?" Jo questioned.
"Cracks all over the plaster, walls, ceiling. There was ectoplasm, too."
Sam glanced at Jo. "Well, between that and that tuft of hair and those strands of other hair, I'd say this sucker's coming from the walls."
"But who is it?" Dean wondered. "Building's history is totally clean."
Jo picked up a photograph and Ella looked at it as Jo said, "Well, maybe we're looking in the wrong place."
"What do you mean?"
"Check this out."
Sam looked at the photo. "An empty field?"
"It's where the building was built," Ella explained. "Take a look at the one next door. The windows."
"Bars," Sam noted.
"We're next door to a prison?" Dean questioned.
Jo called someone and got some info. "Thanks, Ash. And if you breathe a word of this to my mom... That's right. I will. With pliers." She hung up. "Okay. Moyamensing prison. Built in 1835, torn down in 1963. And get this. They used to execute people by hanging them in the empty field next door."
"Well, then we need a list," Sam reasoned. "All the people executed there."
"Ash is already on it."
Sam scrolled down a long list of names on his laptop. "A hundred fifty seven names?"
"We've gotta narrow that down," Dean said.
"Yeah," Sam and Ella agreed.
"Or else we're gonna be digging up a hell of a lot of stiffs."
Sam scrolled down to the name HERMAN WEBSTER MUDGETT and clicked on it, frowning. "Herman Webster Mudgett?"
"Yeah?" Jo asked.
"Wasn't that H. H. Holmes real name?"
"Yes. You've got to be kidding me," Ella muttered.
Dean checked on something. "Yep, like Ella confirmed. Holmes was executed at Moyamensing May 7, 1896."
"H.H. Holmes himself," Sam said. "Come on, I mean, what are the odds?"
"Who is this guy?" Jo wondered.
Ella met Jo's eyes. "The term "multi-murderer." They coined it to describe Holmes. He was America's first serial killer, before anybody knew what a serial killer was. He confessed to 27 murders, but some put the death toll at over a hundred."
"And his victim flavor of choice? Pretty petite blondes and the occasional pretty, petite brunette," Dean said. "He, uh, he used chloroform to kill 'em." He paused a beat. "Which is what Ella and I smelled in the hallway last night. At his place, cops found human remains, bone fragments, and long locks of blonde and brunette hair." He turned to Jo. "Boy, you sure know how to pick 'em."
"Well, we just find the bones, salt 'em and burn 'em, right?" Jo suggested.
"Well, it't not that easy," Sam replied. "His body is buried in town, but it's encased in a couple tons of concrete."
"What? Why?"
Ella met Jo's eyes a second time. "Story goes that he didn't want anybody mutilating his corpse. 'Cause, you know, that's what he used to do."
"You know somethin'. We might have an even bigger problem than that," Sam told them.
"How does this get bigger?" Jo questioned.
"Holmes built an apartment building in Chicago. He called it the Murder Castle. The whole place was a death factory, hey had, uh, trap doors, acid vats, quick line pits... he built these secret chambers inside the walls. He'd lock his victims in, keep them alive for days. Some he'd suffocate, others he'd let starve to death."
"So Teresa could still be alive. She could be inside these walls."
"We need sledgehammers, crowbars," Sam said. "We've got to smash these walls, anywhere thick enough to hide a girl."
Dean, Jo and Ella were squeezing through crawl spaces inside the building walls.
Jo was on the phone. "Okay. Call us after you check the southeast wall." She hung up. "Sam's almost done with the first floor. Hasn't found jack squat either." Dean stopped. "What is it?"
"It's too narrow," Dean said. "Can't go any further."
"Let me see."
"What are you-" Jo squeezed past him, joining Ella. "Ugh. Shoulda cleaned the pipes."
"What?"
"I, uh, I wish the pipes were cleaner."
"Shut up. I can fit in there."
"You're not going in there by yourself."
"I won't be by myself. I'll take Ella. You got a better idea?"
"You-"
"Uh-huh."
The girls continued down the tight space past Dean. As soon as they were out of sight, he called Jo on the phone and she put him on speaker.
"Where are you two?" Dean asked.
"On the north wall," Jo replied.
Ella and Jo found an air duct and started climbing down on it as the former said, "We're heading down some kind of air duct."
"No, no, no, no, stay up here. Both of you."
"Look, we've gotta find this girl, don't we?" Jo told him. "We're okay."
Dean studied the blueprints. "All right. I'm heading to you two."
Jo and Ella came out into a similar space on a lower level and pressed on. Goo started pouring out from the wall cracks.
"Oh God," Jo muttered.
"No!" Ella yelled, trying to run to safety.
"What is it? Jo? Ella? Jo! Ella!"
Jo and Ella screamed. Dean ran down to a lower level, trying to hear where they were. "Jo! Ella!"
Dean took the sledgehammer he was carrying and smashed a large hole in the wall. He poked his head in and found where Jo and Ella were, Jo's cell phone lying on the floor. The girls were gone.
Dean rushed back up the hallway, running headlong into Sam.
"Whoa," Sam said.
"He's got Jo and Ella," Dean told him.
"What? How'd that happen?" Sam asked.
"I wasn't with them, I left them alone. Damn it!"
"Hey, hey, look, we'll find them, all right?"
"Where?"
"Inside the walls."
Dean shot him a look. "We've been inside the walls all night. None of the other girls were there, they won't be either."
The brothers made their way back to the apartment.
"Look," Sam said. "We've just gotta take a beat and think about this. Maybe we got Holmes' M.O. wrong."
"Yeah, well, we'd better friggin' think fast."
Dean's phone rang and he answered. "Yeah."
"You lied to me. She's there," Ellen said.
"Ellen."
"No - Ash told me everything. Man's a genius, but he folds like a cheap suit. Now you put my damn daughter on the phone."
"She's gonna have to call you back, she's taking care of, uh, feminine business."
"Yeah, right. Where is she? Where is she?!"
"Look, we'll get her and Ella back."
"Get her back? Get Ella back? Back from what?"
"The spirit we're hunting. It took them."
"Oh my God."
"They'll be okay, I promise."
"You promise. That is not the first time I've heard that from a Winchester."
"What?"
"If anything happens to her..."
"It won't. I won't let it. Ellen, I'm sorry, I really am."
"I'm taking the first flight out. I'll be there in a few hours." She hung up.
"Damn it!" Dean yelled.
"Don't beat yourself up, Dean," Sam said. "There's nothing you could have done."
"Tell me you've got something."
"Uh, maybe. Look. You looked at the layout of the Holmes murder castle, there's all torture chambers inside the walls, right?"
"Right."
"But there's one we haven't considered yet. The one in the basement."
Dean frowned. "This building doesn't have a basement."
"You're right, it doesn't. But I just noticed this. Beneath the foundation, it looks like part of an old sewer system that hasn't been used for-"
"Let's go."
Dean grabbed his jacket and books; Sam followed.
CREEPY SEWER
Jo and Ella woke up in a small, dark place, lying on their backs. They still had their flashlights and shone it around to reveal a wooden wall a few inches above their faces - both had long scratches gouged in them. Jo sobbed with a hand over her face and collected herself. To Jo's right was another wood panel with a slit. She looked through and saw a larger, round chamber with similar compartments to the one she was in around it. Both girls heard a noise.
"Hello?" Jo and Ella called.
Teresa, in another compartment, asked, "Is - is anybody there?"
"Your name's Teresa?" Jo questioned.
"Yes."
"This won't make you feel better, but my friend and I are here to rescue you."
"Oh, God. He's out there, he's gonna kill us!"
"No, he won't," Ella reassured. "We're getting out. Our friends are looking for us, they'll find us."
Quick footsteps fell nearby and the spirit approached.
"Oh, God, it's him!" Teresa cried.
"Shh! Just be quiet!" Jo and Ella said.
All fell silent. The creepy hand burst through into Jo's prison and grabbed her by the head. She screamed as it ripped of a chunk of hair. The creepy hand burst into Ella's prison and also grabbed her head, despite her struggle. She let out a pained yell as a chunk of hair was ripped from her head.
STREET
Sam and Dean, with a metal detector and shovel, searched the streets of Philadelphia. They followed the trail into an open field until Sam stopped over one spot, the metal detector whining.
"Here," Sam called.
Dean dropped his bag and started digging furiously. After some shovel work, he dug with his hand to uncover a metal trap door, which he pulled open. Dean handed Sam a shotgun and took one, and a flashlight, then started descending, then Sam.
CREEPY SEWER PRISON
Jo and Ella were kicking steadily and furiously on the walls of their wooden cells. They dropped back in exhaustion. Jo heard footsteps approaching her cell and turned; a scraggly-bearded mouth appeared at the opening.
"You're so pretty," Holmes said. "So beautiful."
"Go to Hell!" Jo yelled.
He reached his creepy hand through the open and fondled her. She turned away and groaned in disgust and horror. Suddenly she turned and stabbed his hand with her knife. The spirit left, screaming.
"How do you like that? Pure iron, you creepy-ass son of a bitch!"
Moments later, Holmes appeared to Francesca and stroked her cheek. She spit on his hand and stabbed him with the small silver knife she'd pulled from her boot.
"Don't touch me, you ass!" Ella shouted.
Holmes disappeared again and Ella continued trying to escape.
SEWERS
Dean and Sam crawled along on elbows and knees through the narrow sewer tunnels.
CREEPY SEWER PRISON
Jo and Ella laid still, listening.
"Is he gone?" Teresa asked.
"I don't know," Jo and Ella admitted.
Holmes grabbed both Jo and Ella by their arms again, pulling them back, and clamped a hand down over their mouths. "Shhh."
Jo and Ella tried to scream, but were gagged by Holmes' hands.
"Hey!" Dean yelled, firing his gun into Holmes' chest, which sent Holmes flying backwards and out of sight. "Jo?! Ella?!"
"I'm here!" Jo and Ella answered.
Dean found an iron bar leaning against the wall and started to pry open Jo's prison. Sam investigated the other compartments; one with gruesome body parts.
He found Teresa and said, "We're gonna get you out of here, all right?"
"Sam!" Dean yelled, tossing the bar to Sam. "Hang on." He opened the compartment to let Jo out. "You all right?"
"Been better," Jo replied. "Let's get the hell out of here before he comes back."
Dean opened Ella's compartment to let her out and as soon as she was standing, she stepped closer to the exit.
Dean looked at Jo. "Actually, I don't think you're leaving here just yet."
"What?" Jo asked.
"Remember when I said you being bait was a bad plan? Now it's kind of the only one we got."
Ella turned and crossed her arms. "Then I'm staying too."
"Ella, no."
"You don't get to tell me no, Dean Winchester. You're using Jo as bait for the ghost of a serial killer. I'll be damned if I leave an inexperienced hunter alone to play bait."
"Ella, I don't want you getting hurt."
"Too bad, because you can't tell me to change my mind. I've already made it up."
Dean turned to Sam, who had an armful of a terrified Teresa and he shrugged. Dean didn't look pleased about Ella's decision, but knew he couldn't persuade her to listen to his request.
Jo and Ella were sitting silently in the middle of the chamber with their arms wrapped around their knees. Jo was trembling slightly, her breathing deep and steady. Ella had a slightly scared expression on her face, hoping the boys could trap the ghost in time.
When Holmes got quite close, Dean yelled, "Now!"
Jo and Ella dove forward as Sam and Dean fired at something on the walls. Several bags unrolled and spilled salt in a perfect circle around Holmes, trapping him. Dean pulled Jo and Ella to safety.
"Scream all you want, you dick, but there's no way you're stepping over that salt!" Jo cried.
A grate slammed shut, sealing off the door.
STREET
Jo, Sam and Ella were standing at the entrance to the sewers, looking down.
"So? This job as glamorous as you thought it would be?" Sam asked.
"Well, except for the pee-your-pants terror, yeah," Jo replied. "Sure. But that Teresa girl's gonna live a life because of us. It's worth it, isn't it?" She turned to Ella. "I don't know how you kept so calm."
"Yeah. Yeah, it is."
Ella shrugged. "I have to be calm because if I get scared, I lose my life if I falter and panic. But I do get worried."
Jo looked at her. "You hide it well. Hey, what if somebody finds that sewer down there, or a storm washes the salt away?"
"Both are very fine points," Sam noted. "Which is why we're waiting here."
"For what?"
The loud beeping of a large truck backing up caught their attention. Sam smiled and looked over his shoulder; a cement mixer was backing into the field, stopping just over the sewer entrance. Dean was driving.
"For that," Sam said.
Sam waved at Dean to stop the truck. "Whoa!"
Dean got out. The two men set up the cement mixer right over the entrance.
"You ripped off a cement truck?" Jo said.
"I'll give it back," Dean reassured, watching the cement pour down. "Well, that oughta keep him down there till Hell freezes over."
Ella glanced at Dean. "Odd choice of words."
"Yeah, well, they're fitting."
"Sure. Whatever you say."
HIGHWAY
The Impala zoomed quietly down a dark road. Dean was driving, Jo was sitting behind him. Dean glanced nervously to his right and Jo's eyes flicked to Dean. Sam was sitting next to Jo, looking straight ahead at Ellen, who stared at the road with a set jaw. Ella was between Jo and Sam in the back.
Dean glanced at Ellen before he spoke. "Boy, you, you really weren't kidding about flying out, were you?"
Ellen gave no reaction whatsoever. Sam, Jo and Ella exchanged a look.
"How about we listen to some music?" Dean suggested, flicking the radio on.
"You're as cold as ice..."
Ellen reached forward and flicked the radio off. Jo, Sam and Ella exchanged another look and Dean looked back as though he was asking for assistance.
Dean sighed. "This is gonna be a long drive."
ROADHOUSE
Ellen stormed in, dragging Jo by the elbow. Dean, Sam and Ella followed.
"Ellen?" Dean called. "This is my fault. Okay? I lied to you and I'm sorry. But Jo did good out there, so did Ella, I think her dad would be proud."
"Don't you dare say that," Ellen said. "Not you. I need a moment with my daughter. Alone."
Sam, Dean and Ella went outside.
"You're angry," Jo noted. "I understand."
"Angry?" Ellen repeated. "Angry doesn't begin to touch it."
"Let's just think about this. Everything's okay, I'm alive..."
"Not after I'm through with you."
"Is this about me hunting, or something else?"
"You let those boys use you as bait!"
"They were right there, backing me and Ella up the whole time."
"That is why you do not have the sense to do this job, you're trusting your life to them."
"What are you talking about?"
"Like father, like sons, that is what I'm talking about."
"John? I thought you and John were friends."
"Yeah, we were, I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."
"Mom? What aren't you telling me?"
Sam, Dean and Ella were leaning on the Impala as Jo came storming out. She glared at Dean and kept stalking, so he followed.
"That bad, huh?" Dean asked.
"Not right now," Jo replied.
"What happened? Hey, talk to me." He grabbed her arm.
"Get off me!"
"Sorry. See you around." He turned to leave.
"Dean. It turns out my dad had a partner on his last hunt. Funny, he usually worked alone; this guy did too, but... I guess my father figured he could trust him. Mistake. Guy screwed up, got my dad killed."
"What does this have to do with-"
"It was your father, Dean."
"What?"
"Why do you think John never came back? Never told you about us? Because he couldn't look my mom in the eye after that, that's why."
"Jo."
"Just... just get out of here. Please, just leave."
Ella looked at her and Jo offered her a small smile which she returned.