Chapter 40

"I am scared, Angela." Angela turned to look at Nicole as she touched her hand; Angel felt Nicole's trembling hands hovering just above her skin, afraid to make it obvious, clammy sweat that seemed to seep from her pores. Her skin crawled, and her bones rattled; her muscles screamed of a horror unseen. She felt fear in the hair on the back of her neck. It is like invisible fingers running along her spine. She wanted to scream but knew it would alert the shooters.

Angela covered Nicole's eyes by letting her lean on her shoulder.

The next moment, there went multiple gunshots, which was frightening. Nicole gripped Angela tight as the gunshots went off, windows breaking and screaming. Nicole realized her family was inside and let go of Angela; Angela pulled her back, covering her mouth, "there is nothing you can do." Angela removed her magazine, "dammit, only a few bullets." Neighbors wouldn't dare to be so nosy as to what was happening.

The men moved closer to the house, firing their rifles; holes were all over the wall. As the screams became silent, Angela moved around the other side of the tree, hiding from the gunman as they kicked open the door. "If they don't find us inside, they will hunt for us." As Angela was preparing to jump in the car, they heard police sirens. The men came running out of the house.

Jumping into their car and taking off as they took the bend, the three police cars chased after them, "That was close." Nicole feared for the worst; as she walked over to the house, the door creaked as it opened; it was dark inside. When stepping on the wooden floor, the glass underneath their shoes crushed, sounding the creaking sounds of the woods echoed throughout the house.

Nicole switched on the light bulb, which flicked, and saw a pool of blood pouring along the grove of the lounge's white tiles, and there laid her mother, father, and baby sister Claudine.

"She screamed as she fell to her knees, picking up her baby sister's seven-year-old body from the floor; she had a loud outburst of crying; looking over to her Mom and dad, she walked over to them carrying her baby sister in her arms "mommy and daddy?" She cried. They lay motionless, blood tears from the corner of their eyes.

Angela walked over to her placing her hand on her shoulder, as Nicole looked up at her with hatred, "this is your fault you have parked that car right outside my house."

Angela knew Nicole was hurting and what she said was because she was hurt and angry.

Angela let go of her shoulder, giving it one gentle squeeze. They looked out of the broken windows, and there stood the cowardly neighbors. Mr. Wilson 47-year-old sheriff who had stayed next to them only now showed his face. Nicole looked up at him through the window from the lounge with the flickering and shook her head. This is the same Mr. Wilson who had been best friends with her dad, the same Mr. Wilson she looked up to with admiration. He looked like he had seen a ghost. "Was that Nicole, the same girl who had been missing for months?" He thought as his wife, Mrs. Wilson, stood in her wool gown, wearing a facemask and curling in her hair.

"Is that Nicole?" He questioned. She narrowed her eyes, "that looks like her, yes," the poor girl had just got home, and her family got gunned down.

Mr. Wilson ran to the house and remembered they had a seven-year-old daughter. He saw Claudine's body in Nicole's arms; she was covered in blood; she had multiple shot wounds.

Mr. Wilson took Claudine, laid her down, and checked for a pulse. "I have checked already; their hearts are as dead as your conscience."

Mr. Wilson couldn't look her in the eyes; he felt guilt; he froze when he saw those men firing at the house, and his gun was not in the safe where he had always put it; the shooting reminded him of when he was small they gunned down his parents.

He couldn't tell that to Nicole. he was a county sheriff. "I am sorry, I never heard the gunshots."

"Sure you didn't. I take it your wife also never heard it?"

Mr. Wilson never answered. He had walked over to her parents to check for a pulse; they were all dead. Just then, the door slammed open, "what happened?" Marcus hadn't noticed Nicole. "That's my parents and Claudine. Are they okay?" Nicole never knew he was back; as she looked up at him, he had tears rolling down his eyes; "I am afraid they are dead."

Nicole hadn't known he was back, so she stood up and hugged him. He looked down, realizing his sister was back, "Your back, look at you, were you hurt? Is this really you?" He cupped his hand over her cheek, "I can't believe you are back." He grabbed her and hugged her tightly.

He then let go looking at the bodies, and wiped the tears off his face. "Three men, it was a nightmare; they stood there outside firing at our house," Marcus looked at Mr. Wilson, "you are a Sheriff, and you let them kill my parents and my baby sister?"

"He claims he slept."

"Who sleeps through such a gunshot?"

"Someone who takes antidepressants and sleeping pills with wine."

"Guys, I am sorry for your loss, but blaming each other will not solve anything. Let Mr. Wilson do what he needs to do."

"Angela, is that you?" Angela nodded as he stood up and hugged her tightly, "I am so glad you are back."

"She is the one who saved me." Marcus and Nicole, we're too hurt to make conversation.

"Mr. Wilson or county sheriff, are you going to catch the guys who done this?"

"I will try my best."

"Your best is not good enough. If it were your parents, they would still be alive."

The ambulance arrived, and the paramedics ran to the bodies, checking for a pulse.

"It's about time you came around. Blood is almost dried up into the wooden floor and tile groves."

"We came here as fast as we could, mam."

"Angela, would you mind taking Nicole outside."

"Why do I have to leave? Why don't you leave?"

Nicole was furious and hurt.

"These shots were fatal because you are making it difficult for them to do their jobs."

"Maybe if you weren't doing drugs, you would be a real best friend to my dad and save my family."

The paramedics looked at Mr. Wilson, "maybe the two of you need to go outside. Sir, with all due respect," Marcus stood there. It was hard telling what was going through his mind since he was silent. He wanted to get revenge; Mr. Wilson knew what was to come, so he was hoping the cops would get to them because he knew what Marcus was capable of. Mr. Wilson moved on five years ago, and there is a reason he moved there and was their neighbor.

The cop cars pulled outside, and Mr. Wilson instructed them to keep the crowd away until the forensics arrived.

Nicole stepped outside with Angela. Marcus came out afterward, "hey, do you have contact with my brother?"

"Yes, I do, but I have bad news for you."

"What's worst than what just happened with our family Marcus?"

"Marcus looked down; when you were gone, your dad was killed."

Angela shrugged her shoulders, "that is fine, I guess," she showed no empathy or remorse. "Shit happens."

"Angela, you lost your dad, and you aren't sad. You okay?"

"Crying about it won't bring them back, so I accepted it."

Nicole leaned in and hugged her. "At least we still have our brothers." Angela nodded.

"Speaking of brothers, have you seen my brother Marcus? I want to give him a call or text him to let him know I am okay."

Marcus didn't want to tell her he was locked up.

"Yes, his phone broke, and he slept over at his friend's."

"Which friend? I know all their friends."

"I can't remember." but you will see him tomorrow; if you don't mind, my sister, can she stay over by your place?"

"Always welcome. She doesn't even have to ask."

"What about you? Where are you going to stay?" he had to think quickly.

"I will stay over at Claire's. Her family invited me to stay in the spare room."

"Will you be okay?"

"I will be fine. We will catch up in the morning about what happened to you."

"It's all good. I am not ready to talk about it." The Sherrif walked up to them, "you can't leave yet; we need a statement on what happened here tonight and your disappearance."

"You can't detain us for questioning." Nicole replied, "I will give my statement when I am ready." Mr. Wilson nodded. Nicole and Angela climbed into their cars and drove off. "I never liked that two-face, son of a bitch, Mr. Wilson." Said Nicole.