When Truth Surface (Book #2 of "When Secrets Surface")

Chapter 21

Sophie's POV

I woke up crouched over my desk, struggling to comprehend why I was there. I lifted my head and felt a sharp pain rushing threw my head. This is why I hate parties I don't get enough sleep after and get chronic headaches.

I stood up and plopped down on my bed, the weight of the day pressing heavily on my chest.

Dorothy burst into the room and flopped down beside me.

"Okay, Sophie," she said, her voice low and conspiratorial. "Let’s talk about Naylene's Ash note."

"I don't what it meant it's so encrypted there's nothing I can... why did she write Ash? " I said sounding utterly frustrated.

"Soph, Nichole's here, "Dad's voice crept into the room.

I nodded and he let Nichole in.

"Do you know what it means?" Nichole asked.

I wish I knew.

We spent the next hour searching until...

"Wait... Ash," I echoed, the name sending a chill down my spine. "The serial killer who left ashes on his victims, right? What if the note was connected to him?"

"It's not a serial killer." Dorothy huffed.

"Believe it," I insisted, my eyes sparkling with a mix of fear and excitement. “He was notorious for killing young women and Naylene looks exactly like his type of victim.”

I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to piece together everything I knew. “His real identity was revealed to be Tobey Blackson,  he was a master manipulator. They say he knew how to play with people’s minds before he struck. It’s like he was a ghost, haunting the places where his victims felt safest."

"How do you know so much about this case?" Nichole mumbled.

"I'm addicted to true crime documentaries," I confessed.

"Exactly!" Dorothy said suddenly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "And remember how he taunted the police? Leaving clues that only led them in circles? Maybe Naylene found something that made her start to search him up so much."

I shuddered at the thought. "I can’t shake this feeling that her disappearance is somehow linked to him."

"But according to this he's been in jail for the past 5 years and has a life sentence," Nichole said.

Crap, I hadn't taught about that.

Dorothy sat up straight, her expression suddenly serious. "Let’s break it down. We know Ash was arrested years ago, but what if he has followers?"

"Like an apprentice?" I frowned, my mind racing. "That’s terrifying. They could be continuing his work, thinking they’re honoring him. And we might be looking at a connection that’s much closer to home.”

I pulled my laptop closer, the glow illuminating our faces as I typed. "Okay, let’s see what we can dig up."

As the search results populated the screen, I felt a growing sense of dread wash over me. "Here's something," I said, reading aloud. "Ash was known for his meticulous planning. He would observe his victims for weeks before making a move. He thrived on their routines, learning their patterns until he knew the perfect moment to strike."

Dorothy leaned in, her eyes wide."Why was Naylene looking for him?"

A shiver ran down my spine. "I don’t want to think about that," I murmured, biting my lip.

"Let’s look for other cases," Dorothy suggested, her fingers flying across the keyboard. "We need to see if there are any unsolved disappearances that might be connected."

As we scrolled through various links, one article caught my eye. "Listen to this," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Ash wasn’t just a killer; he was a master of deception. He left behind a trail of ashes as a signature, but also as a way to taunt the families of his victims. He killed a total of 15 people. All cases are now closed but some sources think he killed 50 people. "

Dorothy grimaced. "That's sick. He was toying with them."

Dorothy thought for a moment, then her expression morphed into determination. "We can't talk to people about Ash to the victims' families it's like when Dad disappeared it was difficult to talk about... it still is even though he's back."

I nodded, feeling a sense of urgency. "You’re right."

Dorothy's POV

"Nichole," I interrupted, snapping my fingers. "We need to see her again."

"Let’s call her," Sophie suggested, already pulling out her phone.

I watched as she dialed, my heart pounding. "Hey, Nichole! It’s Soph. Can we come over? We need to talk."

A pause. "I know you came here early but it's important."

As she hung up, I felt a mix of hope and anxiety. "What if Nichole knows something that could lead us to Naylene? What if Nichole knows why her sister was searching for a prolific serial killer before her disappearance."

Sophie seemed to sense my spiraling thoughts. "Let’s focus on what we can control. We’ll ask Nichole if she knows about what we found on Naylene's search history."

I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities. "And if she mentions anything about Ash then, we’ll dig deeper."

We raced to Nichole's house, anticipation buzzing in the air between us. The evening felt heavy like a storm was brewing just out of sight.

When we arrived, Nichole was waiting outside, her expression a mask of concern." What’s going on? You both look like you’ve seen a ghost."

"Nikki, we’re worried about Naylene," Sophie said, urgency flooding my voice. "We've been thinking about how Naylene was searching up Ash".

Her eyes widened in shock. "Ash? Why—"

"Yeah, that one," I cut in. "Do you know if Naylene mentioned anything about him or anyone suspicious lately?”

Nichole hesitated, then shook her head." No, about our conversation earlier. Naylene has never been interested in that serial killer stuff but she was acting distant."

My stomach twisted. "Did she say anything that could give us a clue?"

"Not really," Nichole replied, biting her lip. “But she did mention she wanted to buy a true crime documentary. "

" Did you ask her why? You said she wasn't interested in that stuff, "I pressed, my eyes sharp with focus.

"No, anytime I talked to her she threw me off her case, "Nichole said, frowning." But now… I wish I’d pushed her harder."

"It’s not your fault," I reassured her."

Nichole nods, her expression turning serious." I'll tell you everything I remember. But if there’s a chance Ash is involved my sister is in trouble."

We gathered around Nichole's kitchen table, the tension palpable as she recounted every detail she could remember. My mind raced with the implications, each piece of information feeling like a puzzle piece trying to fit into a larger, sinister picture.

As she spoke, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched, that Ash’s legacy of fear was still very much alive. We had to keep digging, no matter the cost. Because if there was even a chance that Naylene was caught in this dark web, we had to unravel it before it consumed her — and us, too.

As Nichole nodded, I felt the weight of the task ahead. The truth was out there, hidden in the ashes of Ash’s legacy, and it was our job to uncover it — before it was too late.

Why was Naylene looking into one of the most infamous serial killers ever?