Hope Falls Season 2 - Eagle Valley by Jamieson Wolf Page A

asking about. The fact that Susan was nowhere in the house was troubling, considering their present state of affairs. "We should check the grounds." Cleo knew at that moment that they would not find Susan, that her daughter was gone.
    They left the house and stood on the front lawn surveying the land around them. And then they saw it. Cleo pointed it out. "Over there," she said, "behind the bushes. It looks like a car." She knew that the car brought trouble.
    Without a word, the three of them approached the black car that was covered by the bushes, the black metal peeking through the green leaves.
    When they got to the car, they saw a shape inside, but there was no movement. Cleo felt as if she were going to be sick. There was death here.
    Derrick reached forward and opened the driver's side door, letting it open slowly. That was when the body fell out of the car and slumped to the ground, blood dripping onto the grass.

     

     

     

Chapter Twenty Seven

     
    EXT: EAGLE VALLEY HOUSE: Bushes
    They stared at the woman's face and for a long time none of them said a word. She had been shot at close range and blood spattered the inside of the car. Pieces of her brain littered the window behind her head where the bullet had exited. Derrick had wondered why he hadn't noticed the crack in the glass from the bullet, the spidery cracks of the window that were now outlined more heavily in red.
    Finally, Derrick spoke. "I know her." And then something clicked. There could be others. He grabbed Cleo's hand. "Back to the house, now."
    "Derrick, what's going on?"
    "She's one of the assassin's from three years ago, the one that went after Miriam the first time."
    "Oh my god," she said, holding a hand to her mouth. "Does that mean that Howard-"
    "Back to the house, now!" Madder screamed.
    They ran like the wind, not stopping, hearts beating, until they closed the door behind them with a soft muted click. And then they heard another click behind them.

     
    CAMERA SWITCHES TO:
    [SOPHIE STANDING IN THE FOYER OF THE HOUSE, HOLDING A WOUNDED ERIN IN HER ARMS. IN HER OTHER HAND IS THE PEARL HANDLED REVOLVER.]
    "You just made your first mistake." Sophie said.
    "Sophie?!" Derrick said. "What are you doing? What happened to Erin ?"
    "I happened to Erin ." She smiled widely.
    Erin , for her part, was trying hard to maintain consciousness. Blood was pouring quickly from the bullet hole in her left shoulder. Her skin was pale from the blood loss, but her bright red hair seemed to compliment the blood decorating her shirtfront.
    "I'm sorry." Erin spluttered. "I tried to find out…"
    Sophie pushed her to the floor and kicked her in the ribs. Erin doubled over into the fetal position. "Did I say you could talk? Did I?"
    Cleo rushed to Erin 's aid. She smoothed the hair from Erin 's face. "It's alright, honey. You did nothing wrong."
    "God you make me sick. You just make me so sick, all of you; your kindness is like a disease."
    "Why are you doing this Sophie?" Derrick asked.
    "Why am I doing this?" Her voice raised up a pitch. "WHY am I doing this? That's the million-dollar question isn't it? Wouldn't you like to know?"
    "Where's Susan?" Derrick spat.
    "What do you mean where's Susan? She's in the damn house, she's the one we wanted."
    "We?" Madder asked. Sophie had forgotten he was in the room. "Who's we?"
    Sophie smiled. "Oh, you'll find that out in just a bit. But first where is Susan?"
    "You don't know where she is?" Cleo asked.
    "She was supposed to be in the house! She's the one we need!"
    "You mean you don't know where she is?" Derrick asked.
    "No! She was supposed to be here!" Her voice had raised to a fever pitch now. "Dammit!" she screamed and fired a shot at Derrick. The bullet landed in his left leg and he crumpled to the ground.
    Derrick screamed out and clutched his leg where blood was already pouring out.
    "Right on the ground, just where I want you. Do any of you want a bullet?"
    Cleo and Madder shook their heads. "We'll do whatever you