Misjudged

Chapter 38: Unraveling Shadows

Inside Detective Alfredo's Office:

Detective Alfredo: (angry) "You let Jake escape! Do you have any idea what you've done? Where is he?!"

Emily: (defiant) "I won't tell you. Jake didn't do anything wrong."

Jessica: "You have no right to accuse us! We're innocent."

Daniel: "Yeah, we might have messed up, but we're not killers."

Detective Alfredo dismisses Jessica and Daniel but keeps Emily behind.

Detective Alfredo: (serious) "Emily, I've been watching all of you. There's something off. Tell me where Jake is."

Emily: (holding back) "I don't know, and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. We're not murderers."

Detective Alfredo: (leaning in) "I've got something for you, Emily. Take a look at this."

He shows surveillance footage of the hospital confrontation.

Detective Alfredo: "I know about your little plan, about the Hooded figure. And I know you found out about it that day."

Emily: (nervous) "What are you getting at?"

Detective Alfredo: "I think you're being set up. They're using you, Emily. Those friends of yours, they're not what they seem."

He leans back, studying Emily's reaction.

Emily: (confused) "Set up? But why?"

Detective Alfredo: "I don't know yet. But you need to be careful. I believe something big is going to happen, and they might frame you for it. I want you to think about everything that has happened. Can you trust them?"

Emily leaves the office, her mind racing with doubts and suspicions.

Outside the police station, Emily recalls the events, questioning the motives of her friends. Is there more to the story than she knows? The shadows deepen as uncertainty clouds her thoughts, and she wonders if the true danger lies within the circle of those she once considered friends.