Chapter 102
For some reason, despite being quite familiar with the store where she used to work frequently, Beverly couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
She wasn't the only employee at the grocery store; John's niece, Casey, also worked part-time there. Even though it was in a remote area with little customer traffic, it still didn't make sense for the store to be completely closed.
Today, Beverly had come to discuss something with John.
She had always been reluctant to let Randy work here, almost instinctively rejecting the idea. But deep down, another part of her felt she couldn't turn down Randy's request.
Her hesitation wasn't without reason. She had always felt that something wasn't quite right with John. Though he had always been polite and never made inappropriate advances, there was an occasional unsettling look in his eyes that made her uncomfortable.
Beverly took out her phone and called John. As soon as the call went through, the ringtone echoed from inside the store.
John was inside?
Beverly leaned closer to the door. "John, are you in there?"
She knocked on the door, but there was no response. The phone continued to ring loudly inside.
Beverly rummaged through her bag and took out her key. As an employee, she naturally had a key to the front door. But just as she was about to unlock the door, she heard a voice behind her.
"Ms. Beverly, what brings you here?"
It was Casey, John's niece. Casey was a very reclusive person. As far as Beverly knew, she hardly had any friends and wasn't particularly close to John. In that way, she was a bit like Beverly.
Although they didn't talk much, there was an unspoken closeness between them.
"Casey, I'm here to discuss something with your uncle. I just called, but he didn't pick up, and I heard the phone ring from inside. So I thought I'd open the door to check."
Casey remained calm. "He's probably busy handling the goods. You can tell me what you need."
Beverly stopped trying to unlock the door.
"It's about a younger relative of mine. He's interested in working part-time at the store."
Casey immediately asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?"
"It's a boy," Beverly replied, frowning slightly at the rude questioning but still patient enough to explain. "He's almost an adult."
Casey's expression noticeably changed, and her breathing quickened.
"I don't think the store needs any more employees."
Beverly felt puzzled. Although she also didn't want Randy working there, the cold rejection still made her a bit unhappy.
So she responded, "Alright, I'll help him find another job. But I still need to talk to John. I've been thinking about quitting, too."
Beverly hadn't made this decision on a whim. Ever since she arrived at the store, she felt uncomfortable, like the air around her was somehow thick and heavy.
"I…"
Casey looked shocked, as though she realized her refusal had been too blunt. She quickly added, "I'm sorry, Ms. Beverly, I didn't mean to be rude… It's just that working here often requires night shifts, and this area isn't very safe. A lot of young people have gone missing recently."
"It's fine, I understand, Casey. I'm not upset with you."
Beverly hurried to explain, sensing a strange bond with Casey. They were alike—both isolated, like islands, just as Beverly had been as a child.
But Casey seemed even lonelier than Beverly had been, because she didn't have anyone around her, not even a group of childhood friends like Beverly once had.
"Casey, I just feel like it's time for me to change jobs."
Casey's face showed a pleading expression, as if silently begging her not to go, which made Beverly hesitate.
But before she could say anything, the store door suddenly opened from the inside.
John stood there, his face flushed, looking a bit unsteady on his feet. He blinked when he saw the two women standing at the door.
"Beverly, what are you doing here? Didn't you say you were taking some time off?"
"John, I'm here to talk about quitting."
"Quitting?"
John agreed without hesitation. "Of course, that's fine. In fact, I was going to bring it up with you. I don't think your attitude toward work really fits here. Don't worry, I'll make sure you get your wages."
This was very different from John's usual demeanor. Normally, he would have tried to persuade her to stay. Even when Beverly had asked for time off before, John had been understanding.
Casey suddenly spoke up. "Uncle John…"
She seemed to be trying to help Beverly, but John cut her off sharply. "Shut up!"
"John, there's no need to talk to Casey like that."
"Sorry, Beverly, I'm just not in a good mood today."
John quickly apologized and turned to Casey again. "Alright, I apologize for my attitude just now. You know I've been feeling stressed lately. Besides, it was Beverly's idea to quit."
Casey said nothing, but her face grew even darker.
Beverly sighed and gently touched Casey's cheek. "I'm sorry, Casey, but you can always come to my house to see me."
With that, Beverly turned to enter the store, but John quickly blocked the entrance.
"What are you doing?"
"I need to gather my personal belongings since I'm quitting."
"Come back tomorrow. I just sprayed some insecticide inside to deal with a cockroach problem."
Beverly frowned, becoming even more suspicious of what John had been doing inside the store.
Her suspicion deepened when she heard a heavy thud from deep within the store.
"What was that noise?"
"Probably just the cockroaches knocking over some goods."
John kept the door firmly shut. "Come tomorrow. Don't worry, I'll pay you for the days you were on leave."
His expression was stern and serious, leaving no room for argument.
Beverly took a step back. "Alright, I'll come back at the same time tomorrow."
John nodded.
Beverly gave Casey one last glance before turning and leaving.
But as soon as she rounded the corner, she stopped and peered back toward the store.
John seemed furious, pointing at Casey and yelling at her.
Even though she was far away, Beverly could still make out some of the words he was saying.
"Didn't I tell you? When I'm inside the store, no one else is allowed near! You're getting older, but you still can't handle this simple task!"
"Good thing I finished quickly this time, or we would've been exposed!"
Although his voice lowered toward the end, Beverly could still figure out what he was saying by watching his lips. She had no idea why her vision had suddenly become so sharp.
Beverly continued to hide in the corner, quietly observing.
Soon, Casey left, and John stayed inside for a long time before finally coming out. He locked the door behind him and left, looking very suspicious.
Beverly waited a bit longer to make sure John wouldn't return, then took a detour to the alley behind the store.
She felt certain that John was hiding something, and a voice in her head kept reminding her to be careful, especially since a young girl had recently gone missing in the town.
Beverly had a key to the back door of the store, but after examining it closely, she found that the door was bolted from the inside. A key alone wouldn't open it.
Entering through the front door would attract too much attention. If John came back, she wasn't sure she could handle him.
She continued circling the back entrance, and on a whim, she called out.
"Is anyone in there?"
Beverly shook her head, feeling foolish for shouting. But to her surprise, there was a faint response.
It was a desperate, muffled cry from below—a sound from the store's basement. Someone was trapped down there, pleading for help.
Though the sound was faint, Beverly caught it.
The voice belonged to a child!
Beverly remained calm. Instead of trying to be a hero, she pulled out her phone and called the police. But since it was just a suspicion, she decided to call someone she knew—Officer Jackson.
"Officer Jackson, I think someone may have been kidnapped at John's Grocery, 123 Main Street. I heard noises inside."
Jackson, who had sounded cheerful at first, immediately became serious. "Looks like this officer's working overtime tonight!"
After hanging up, Beverly contacted Randy, and he assured her, "I'll be there as soon as I can."