Conroy made good on his promise and hacked into the memory card we obtained from Renaissance dog man's house on the Sunday after homecoming.
I sat in my bed with a bag of chips as I waited the news he promised to send. After a while I heard a PING on my phone.
Conroy made a group chat consisting of him, me, Remy, and Justin; Eleanor was left out of the chat since she watched him hack into it. Although I'm sure it had to do more with the sibling bickering that occurred during the hacking process than anything else.
C: I got into the memory card, but 90% of it is filled with Renaissance style paintings of dogs. What are you guys looking for?
R: Is there is a list of people anywhere? A ledger?
C: No. Nothing like that.
E:Benmety Shafe
C: What?
E: Ask sis
...
C: Bennett Shade?
E:Yea
C:You really need a new phone.
R: IKR
J: Yes. She is a mess
E: Y'all r meen
C: Nothing on here about a Bennett Shade. Sorry.
J: So what exactly is on there aside from the dog paintings?
C: A recipe for lip balm and a couple of addresses.
R: Please send the addresses
J: And the lip balm recipe
R: Why?
J: His lips looked buttery smooth in those photos, I need whatever he has.
R: He deals drugs!
J: And looks. Case and point.
C: Eleanor wants me to let you all know that she's with Justin on this one.
E: I wamts it tou
R: Wow! Everyone and this Renaissance dog guy. SMH
C: I'm with you Remy, don't worry. This stuff is weird.
C: Okay, here are the addresses and the lip balm recipe for the crazy ones.
C: Eleanor wants me to tell the group chat that she is "Not Crazy!"
—
Giles Garnier
1674 West Street, Gnawville
—
Mommy
1743 Osage Street, Gnawville
—
1 part Beeswax
1 part Shea Butter
2 parts argan oil
1 part special ingredient
—
I suspect the drugs being used are topical, maybe even ointment-like, because of the French 1500 statement at Bennett Shade's house. Which means the special ingredient must be the drug they are using.
A drug hidden in lip balm would be easy to hide, although I'm not sure how well it would actually work for getting people high. Most topical drugs like cannabis ointment are meant to help with muscle pain and don't actually cause a "high" in those using it.
Was the situation more innocent than we originally thought? No. It wouldn't be with how we discovered Bennett in the woods. I'm not entirely sure what is going on anymore, but I'm sure that I'll figure it out.
R: The Mommy address seems pretty suspicious
E: No. Gukes Garmiuer adress is sus
J: I'm with Remy. Mommy address seems suspicious
E: plez search tge mame
Giles Garnier was another Frenchman in the 1500s who claimed to use an ointment to turn into a wolf. Perhaps the French 1500 comment made by Bennett's father was referring to him instead of Pierre Burgot and Michel Verdun. It would make much more sense that way.
R: Oh, I see now.
J: Makes sense I guess. I still think we need to check out "Mommy" though.
C: MOMMY!
R:Hahahaha
J:MOMMY! Hahahaha
Boys will be boys I guess.
PING!
I got a message outside of the group chat.
R: Can I call? Or is she home?
I called him. I could have texted back, "I can call," but then we would have both been sitting around calling each other, only to realize that the other's phone line is busy from them trying to call us. I don't play phone tag.
"Hey Remy. What's up?" I chimed as soon as I heard the phone click, signaling his answer.
"I just wanted to see how you were going. Considering all this." He cooed sweetly.
"I'm doing okay. At this point I just want answers. I feel like things are getting more complicated. I just wish I could figure it all out." I sighed.
"Elora, you are doing great. Just remember that you aren't meant to be everything. You aren't meant to do everything. You have people around you for a reason. I'm here. And I'll help you figure it all out. Okay?" Remy's tone fluctuated between sweet reassurance and concern.
"Okay."
"If. I don't know. Um. Are you okay sharing a little about. Um. Your uncle? You totally don't have to if you aren't comfortable. I don't mean to overstep or anything. I just thought that it might be easier to help if I knew what I was looking for. I'm great at finding clues. Although you probably already know that, not to brag or anything I just want to,"
And I cut him off. Partially because I'm rude and partially because I couldn't bear to listen to him ramble anymore. He was helping me, and so he deserved an explanation. It was the least I could do for him.
"Six years ago my dad got a call that my uncle was in an accident and taken to my mom's clinic for care. We were told that she was unable to ressestate him and that he died of blood loss at the clinic. My dad was devastated, him and my uncle were close. I mean they were brothers so of course they were. But my dad was a good man. He didn't blame my mom for what happened and even acknowledged the pain she must have felt being unable to save my uncle. There was a funeral, my dad took a month leave from work to recover from the shock, and all seemed to be settling down. Well as much as it could considering the circumstances. Except, a week later a nurse from my mom's clinic came to the house in the middle of the day and told me and my dad that my uncle was never in an accident. He said that my mom killed him. He showed something to my dad but I couldn't see what it was. After that my dad packed his bags and left us. And I was stuck with the woman who killed my uncle. The man who raised me since birth. The man who cared for me everyday while my parents worked. My uncle Anthony."
"Elora, I'm so sorry. I. I have no words. I'm sorry I made you share about it. It was a bad idea. I can hear your voice cracking. I'm so sorry." Remy's voice shook a little, like he felt the pain I felt. Maybe he's lost someone too. Or maybe he's just being empathetic.
"You didn't make me share anything. It actually feels nice to talk about it for once. I've never told anyone his before, and the secrets been a burden for me. Thank you for agreeing to help me. You're risking your life for me and we've barely spoken for two months." I wanted to reassure him that I shared out of my own volition, not because of social pressure.
"We are a team now. I'm gonna look at the memory card on Monday after school and I'm gonna help you figure this all out. You're safe, okay. I'll be looking out for you."
At the end of the call, Remy and I made plans for me, him, Justin, and Remy's brother Roman, to go to the address listed for Giles Garnier. We touched base with Conroy and Eleanor and we all agreed it would be best for them to stay home. Conroy is better as technical support than on the field and Eleanor isn't stealthy enough to go somewhere that hasn't been scoped out first.
Our map app said the trip would require an hour walk through the woods there and back, so I hope whatever we find will be worth the trip.