It seemed that every time she fell asleep with Pope, someone had to find them and wake them up before they could realize that they were being watched.
The fact annoyed her more than she cared to admit. Especially when she had to separate herself from the boy, the lack of warmth making her shiver.
Delilah was quiet as the group fussed over the map of Parcel Nine, not exactly having much to contribute in the matter. She was lost in her own thoughts, conflicting about emotions she wasn't used to having. It was distracting her, and she hated herself for it.
Her eyes roamed the map spread out before her, trying to discern a certain pattern or hint that she could recognize. Her usually sharp mind felt clouded and heavy, forcing her to look away.
The girl felt Pope's stare on the side of her face, but refused to turn and acknowledge it, knowing it wouldn't do her any good.
JJ rested his hand on her knee, startling her out of her dazed state of mind.
"You good?" he asked, concern lacing his voice. "We can drop you off if you don't feel well."
She shot him a weak smile. "No, I'm fine. Just tired." She got up, only then noticing that John B and Kiara were waiting for them in the van. "Come on."
Pope hovered at the doorway and she collected the courage to meet his eyes. Questions fused through the silent connection, a worry that something was wrong and that it had to do with him. She shook her head, the movement barely noticeable. His shoulders slumped, but he didn't press the matter, giving her an encouraging smile.
JJ coughed awkwardly. "Um. Are you guys done?"
A spark of amusement lit her eyes. "Hush, JJ. I was testing out my telepathic skills."
Some of the concern melted from Pope's eyes, replaced with a small smile.
JJ smirked. "If you want to know what's going on through my mind, please ask. I'd gladly oblige."
She grimaced, suppressing the laugh bubbling up her throat. "Only if you have holy water nearby. I'll need it."
"It's only an impression." Pope rolled his eyes, fighting an amused grin. "Worst case, he's thinking about his next fishing trip."
The blond boy shoved at his friend's shoulder, making a squeaking sound as a complaint. She laughed, pushing her worries into a far corner in her mind.
Delilah grasped both of their wrists, tugging them to the van where Kiara and John B were waiting.
"So," reasoned Pope, slamming the vehicle's door behind him. "We're just looking for an old stone wall."
The idea was ridiculous, it was looking for a needle in a haystack. But John B seemed to know what he was doing, following the directions Kiara was giving him.
The tension between the two friends was felt through the entire van, barely loosened by their common goal.
"Okay, the road should split up here," noted Kiara, eyes never leaving the map.
John B pressed his lips together, concentrating.
Delilah tilted her head to the side, leaning forward in order to observe his expression. "Relax, John B." The boy blinked, startled. "Your knuckles are turning white."
"I am relaxed," he protested, making an effort to loosen his grip on the steering wheel.
She gave him a pointed stare, letting him know he wasn't fooling anyone.
"Fine," he sighed. "I might be nervous."
She gave him a reassuring smile. "And that's perfectly normal."
"It's the only thing that's keeping me going. Every time we figure something out, I feel closer to my father." He faltered, running a hand through his tousled hair. "I sound crazy."
Delilah gently shook her head. "You don't. Discovering the truth is the first step in order to be at peace."
"Alright, you're gonna take a left," interupted Kiara.
JJ knocked on the window, getting their attention. "Looks like a stone wall to me."
"This is it."
Pope held the door open for her as she slipped out of the van.
Her entire demeanor changed, her eyes sharpening with a calculative glint she often got when concentrating. Fingers slimming the moss covered wall, she took in its composition and structure, registering as much information as possible.
"Conclusions?" drawled JJ, leaning against the wall and watching her as if he could see her thought process.
Delilah lifted one of her shoulders, eyes glued to the wall. "It coordinated with the dates given." She shook herself, ending her examinations and hoisted herself over the wall.
JJ smirked, sharing a glance with Pope.
The short-haired boy bit his lip to stop herself from smiling, but it couldn't stop the mischievous spark in his eyes. "Too short to see over it?"
"Shut up," she laughed, pushing a strand of hair out of her eyes.
"You have got to be kidding me," groaned John B, his eyes fixed on the house standing on the other side of the stone wall. The trio sobered up.
Kiara's face drained of colour. "Look, you guys know what house this is, right?"
Delilah gave her a blank stare.
JJ only shrugged. "Oh yeah, I do. Honestly, I don't really believe the stories of this place."
"Shhh," whispered Pope, frantically glancing around. "What stories did you hear?"
"The one where she murdered her husband with an axe and that she's been holed up here ever since." JJ lowered his voice, speaking in spooky tones. "On certain nights, when the moon is full... you can see her through her window!"
Kiara slapped JJ shoulder. "It isn't funny, cause it's true!"
"I swear to God, guys, this is all real," protested John B, looking serious. "I knew Hollis, jeez."
"Dude, how did you know Hollis Craine?" asked JJ, his interest spiking.
"She was my babysitter, man," whispered John B in a conspiring tone. "She told me all about it. Told me the truth... about her mother and what happened in this house. So as a kid, she heard all the stories that her mother killed her father, and that she was a murderer and all. Hollis didn't believe it. Until that night."
He took a dramatic pause, trying to build up the suspense. "When Hollis was six years old, she heard her parents arguing downstairs. So she goes downstairs to see her mom washing her hands in a sink..."
Delilah crossed her arms over her chest and gesturing for him to get on with it.
"...full of blood. Her mother just says that she cut her finger. The next morning, she says her father and her split up. But then, Hollis noticed something. Her mother going into the parlor constantly, in and out and in and out with plastic bags. Weeks pass, and Hollis decides to use the outhouse. And as she's using it, she looks down, and there, in the outhouse, is her father's head, looking straight back at her."
Delilah sighed, raising an eyebrow. "Ridiculous." She looked around to the others. "Isn't it?"
Kiara grimaced. "Well..."
Pope rubbed the back of his neck. "She's kind of a legend here."
"That's enough, we have to go," firmly said John B.
Pope held out his arm, blocking him from going into the property. "You sure you want to do this? She's an axe murderer and you have a cast."
"I don't give a shit if she's an act murderer!" cried the boy, desperation clear in his tone. "I got nothin' to lose, right? You comin' or what?"
"Hold up," said Delilah, examining the property before her from her spot on the wall. "That won't be necessary."
"You don't get it, Delilah," growled John B. "I have to get that gold. I don't care what it takes, I don't care what happens, I..."
"John B," she said softly, turning to properly stare at him. "I know. Trust me, I do. We're in this with you. But, I have another solution."
The tightness in his features eased, and he took a deep breath.
"Hear her out, man," JJ gently said, squeezing his shoulder. "We got smart friends for a reason."
"We need to find the wheat near the water, right?" she asked.
They all nodded.
"There isn't any lake, or any streams on the property, which contradicts the clue. So how did the house get its water? A well, usually, considering the age of the house. But there isn't anything like that on the property either, or we would've heard about it with the water reports for safety purposes."
She kicked her legs over the wall, turning to gesture towards the property. "So it must be inside the house. Look." She pointed to the small slit at the bottom of the house. "There is a basement dug underneath the house, which is the only possible place for a well."
Delilah shrugged. "Problem solved, we need climbing equipment and pulleys."
A stunned silence welcomed her words, accompanied by wide eyes and open mouths.
The silence was broken by Pope, threw his head back and laughed, lifting her down the wall and twirling her around.
"You are absolutely amazing," he grinned.
Delilah felt her cheeks heat up, her heart beating wildly in her chest as thousands of butterflies decided to make their home inside her stomach.
JJ cleared his throat and they jumped apart, blushing like mad.
"Sorry to bother you guys," teased Kiara. "But we have an operation to organize."
A/N Aaaand another late update. We can check that off the list! Thanks for being patient with me guys.
Love y'all -Aella