Heather's eyes filled with tears when Ash and Gwen supported her decision without hesitation. She immediately wrapped both arms around them and pulled them into a tight embrace, refusing to release either one.
"Thank you."
Gwen returned the hug with a gentle smile, while Ash could only raise his hands in helpless surrender.
"All right. We understand."
Heather finally leaned back and wiped her eyes.
"Meeting both of you was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me."
"You're exaggerating," Ash and Gwen replied at the same time.
The matching answer made Heather laugh despite everything that had happened. After spending several more minutes talking inside the lounge, the three left the sheriff's station.
They could not return to the Carson estate that night. The entire property had been sealed as a crime scene, and Sheriff Hooper expected the investigation to continue for at least one or two weeks.
Heather and Gwen agreed to search for a motel room in town. Ash would return to the estate with the police and collect enough clothing and personal belongings for all three of them.
Before they separated, Gwen calmly reminded him what to bring.
"Pack several changes of clothes. Make sure you bring enough underwear and anything Heather needs for her bandages."
Heather turned her face away while a faint blush appeared across her ears.
"Right. Don't forget the underwear."
She cleared her throat and rubbed the back of her neck as though the subject made her uncomfortable.
Ash looked between them before nodding.
"I heard you the first time."
The three had arrived at the station in a patrol car, so Ash asked whether any officers planned to return to the estate. One deputy was already preparing to deliver additional paperwork to the crime-scene team and offered him a ride.
When they reached the mansion, Ash quickly gathered their belongings. The three had not fully unpacked before the attack, so most of their luggage remained inside the rooms they selected earlier.
Gwen's suitcase stood neatly against the wall with the lid closed. Heather's luggage was open across the other side of the room, and several simple bras and pairs of underwear rested on the dark bedsheets.
Ash paused for half a second before understanding what had happened. Heather had probably changed while replacing the bandages around her waist. That also explained why she became embarrassed when reminding him what to pack.
He placed everything into the suitcase without giving it further thought.
Once the luggage was loaded into the Ford, Ash returned to the front lawn. The abandoned barbecue remained where the fight began, though the steaks left on the grill had burned beyond recognition.
"What a waste."
Ash discarded the ruined food and carried the uncooked meat and vegetables into the kitchen. He stored everything that had not spoiled before returning outside.
A nearby crime-scene officer watched him with visible disbelief. Ash wore disposable gloves and protective shoe covers, and his actions did not interfere with the marked evidence. Otherwise, no department would have allowed a civilian to wander through an active crime scene and reorganize the kitchen.
Ash was finishing when Sheriff Hooper approached him.
"We found Verna's body in one of the bedrooms upstairs."
Ash stared at him.
"She wasn't buried?"
"Apparently not."
Ash thought about the new gravestone in the family cemetery.
"There was already a grave prepared for her. You can bury her there once the medical examiner releases the body."
"That's the plan."
Hooper hesitated before continuing.
"Did any of you open the grave earlier today?"
"No. It was completely filled when we visited the cemetery."
"The grave has been dug open. Someone also removed the lid from the empty coffin."
Ash's first thought involved another supernatural problem, but a simpler explanation soon occurred to him.
"Leatherface probably did it. After he escaped from the basement, he may have found Verna's body upstairs and tried to bury her."
Hooper considered the possibility.
"That would explain it. We'll check the shovel and coffin for prints before making any conclusions."
Ash took out his cell phone.
"Let's exchange numbers. I'll give yours to Heather. It'll be easier to reach us if the department needs another statement or when the estate is released."
Hooper agreed, and the two saved each other's contact information. The sheriff returned to the investigation while Ash drove away from the cordoned property.
Gwen guided him toward the center of Newt over the phone. Even though it was late, crowds still filled the streets as residents and tourists prepared for the upcoming carnival.
Music played outside several businesses, while temporary lights and decorations stretched above the road. The town felt far livelier than it had during the morning.
Ash stopped in front of a two-story brick motel marked by a glowing neon sign. He carried the luggage through the old wooden entrance and passed the crowded front desk.
Gwen and Heather were waiting in the small lobby seating area. They waved when they saw him before leading the way upstairs.
The desk clerk watched Ash follow the two women with an openly envious expression.
They stopped in front of a large room containing two double beds.
Ash looked inside and then turned toward them.
"One room?"
Heather folded her arms.
"The carnival filled every motel in town. This was the only room left."
Ash glanced toward Gwen.
"I have a solution. Gwen and I can stay here, and Heather can sleep in the Ford."
Heather's expression immediately darkened.
"If anyone sleeps in the car, it'll be you."
Ash smiled and carried the luggage inside. He had only been teasing her.
After placing the suitcases near the beds, he carefully inspected the room for hidden cameras or signs that someone had tampered with the locks. Considering everything they had survived, trusting an unfamiliar room without checking it first seemed foolish.
He found nothing suspicious.
The accommodations were simple but comfortable. A small desk stood near the wall with a push-button telephone resting on top. The room also contained a basic wardrobe, a television facing the beds, a window-mounted air conditioner, and a private bathroom.
For a small town like Newt, it was probably one of the better rooms available.
Ash locked the door behind them.
After the night they had endured, all three needed rest.