Their bedroom door is closed. I listen closely and don’t hear any noise. Even so, I still tap on the door. I certainly don’t want to barge in on them having sex. Besides, it’s their bedroom, and you just don’t waltz right in someone’s bedroom without knocking.
When I don’t get a response, I try again and get the same thing as the first time. Nothing.
Hmm… maybe she’s in the shower or taking a nap. I go to Judge’s office door and tap twice, wanting to let one of them know I’m home. When I still get no answer, I begin to worry. They both could be taking a nap, but I really don’t see Judge being the take a nap kind of guy. Both his and Jenny’s car are in the driveway, but where in the hell are they?
A creepy feeling forms in the pit of my stomach, and I walk back to the bedroom door. I press my ear against the wood and strain to listen. When I hear nothing, I grab the door handle, twist, and cautiously open the door, just in case they are having sex.
I know something’s wrong the moment the air inside the room hits my nose. A sickenly sweet metallic scent, so strong I throw my hand up and cover my nose. Pushing the door open further, my stomach drops and my heart nearly explodes at the scene before me. Blood, so much it almost covers the entire white bed spread.
“Oh, God,” I moan, tears blurring my vision, but not enough to miss the body sprawled out on the bed. “No, no, no.”
A sob escapes my tight throat, then another and another, until my cries become hysterical. Her head is turned away from me, but I see the blonde hair and know that it’s Jenny. Sweet and innocent Jenny. The pain of seeing my friend, a woman I barely knew, but one I was starting to care for, torn to shreds nearly brings me to my knees. Whoever did this, was ruthless and gruesome. There’s blood everywhere. And not just blood, but parts of her, parts that are supposed to be inside her, are spread out around her decimated body.
My knees become weak, along with my stomac
h. Bile rises in my throat, and I swallow several times to try and force back the need to throw up.
I spin on my heel and leave the bedroom. JW. I need JW.
This is Diego’s work. He warned me. He fucking warned me, but I ignored it, thinking JW would find him before he did anything else. He didn’t give me enough time. Even if I did have the stupid chip, which I don’t, he still didn’t give me enough time. I should have had more time to come up with a plan!
Frantically, I look all over the place for my phone. Not on the kitchen island, not in the living room. Then I remember I put it on the table by the door with my keys. Scrubbing my hands over my eyes to clear my still watery vision, I pull up JW’s number. I slide down the wall by the door and listen to the rings. Each one that buzzes in my ear without hearing his voice, I release a sob.
“Hey. I was just getting ready—”
“JW,” I croak, completely breaking down. My sobs are loud and my chest rattles with them.
“Eden? Jesus, baby, what’s wrong?” he asks, worry making his words come out fast.
“I-I-I,” I stutter, unable to form the words, hating that I need to. “J-Jenny. She’s, uh…” I cry harder. “Oh, God, JW, th-there’s s-so much b-blood.”
“Fuck,” he curses. “Where are you?”
“I-in the living r-room. By the door.” I wipe my nose with the back of my hand. “You n-need to come here.”
“I’m on my way, Gypsy,” he cajoles softly, but I don’t miss the hard edge in his tone. “I want you to get up and go outside. I’m only a couple minutes away.”
I sniff, but my nose is so stuffy from crying that it doesn’t help. “Okay.”
“Get up now and go outside.”
I wobble to my feet, my stomach churning with sickness. It takes me a minute to get the door open because my hands are shaking so bad. I step outside, breathing in the fresh air, but I still smell the sick scent of blood. I swear it’s seared into my nose hairs. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get rid of that smell.
“Are you outside, Eden?” JW’s rushed voice sounds in my ear.
“Y-yes.”
I sit on the steps and hunch over, resting my forehead on my knees and hugging my legs with one arm. Not even a minute later, I hear JW’s truck and look up. He’s barely turned the motor off before he’s sprinting up the driveway. As soon as he’s within reach, I spring up from the steps and launch myself into his arms. I cry so hard and loud, I know I’ll have a sore throat later. But I don’t care. Jenny is inside with her guts torn from her body. Dead. All because of me.
A moment later, JW’s got me by the shoulders and gently pulling me away so I’m forced to look at him.
“What happened? Where’s Jenny?”
I swallow and squeeze my eyes closed. “She’s in the bedroom,” I whisper hoarsely. Fresh tears leak down my cheeks.
“Come on,” he urges, turning me back toward the house.
“I can’t!” I wail. “I can’t go back in there. I can’t see that again.”