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

Chapter 33

Sophie's POV

The sterile smell of antiseptic hung in the air as I walked down the hospital corridor, each step heavy with dread.

I could still feel the weight of the barn fire pressing down on me, the echoes of Alex's laughter ringing in my ears. I finally stopped outside Room 302, my heart racing as I gathered the courage to see Zach.

"Hey, Sophie," he said weakly, his voice barely above a whisper as I entered. His face was pale, a stark contrast to the bright white sheets beneath him, and I could see the bandage wrapped around his thigh, darkened with dried blood.

"Oh, Zach," I breathed, rushing to his side and taking his hand in mine. Tears welled in my eyes as I looked at him, lying there in pain because of the chaos Alex had unleashed. "I'm so sorry."

"Hey, hey," he said, squeezing my hand gently. "Don't cry. I'm okay." His attempt at reassurance felt fragile, and I could see the pain flickering behind his eyes.

"No, you're not okay!" I exclaimed, my voice trembling. "You were shot because of me. Because of everything that happened!" The memories flooded back, the gunshot, the fire, the fear. I felt like I was suffocating under the weight of it all.

I tried to stop my tears but they just kept coming. I didn't sleep all night my mind kept flashing me with images of what happened.

He took a deep breath, wincing slightly. "Sophie, it’s not your fault. Alex… he's the one to blame."

"But he revealed your identity!" I blurted out, horror creeping into my voice. "People are throwing tomatoes at your family! This is so messed up!"

Zach sighed, his brow furrowing in frustration. "Yeah, well, it’s not just my family. They're throwing tomatoes at you too, you know. This whole thing is a mess, and people don't know the truth. They just see a name and a story."

My heart sank at the thought of anyone blaming him—or me—for Alex's twisted games."What if they never understand? What if they think we're involved?"

"We can't let that happen," he said firmly, his grip tightening around my hand. "We need to focus on finding Alex. He's still out there, and he's going to hurt someone else if we don’t stop him."

"Zach, you need to rest," I urged, my voice breaking. "You've been through so much."

"I'm fine," he insisted, though the paleness of his face told a different story. "Just promise me you won't give up. We can't let him win."

"I promise," I whispered, though doubt gnawed at me. I felt helpless, lost in a sea of uncertainty. But I didn't want to show that to Zach—not now.

"Can you get me some water?" he asked, nodding toward the table beside him. "I'm really thirsty."

"Of course." I stood, but before I left the room, I turned back to him. "I'll be right back."

As I stepped into the hallway, the fluorescent lights flickered overhead. I felt dizzy, the reality of our situation crashing down on me. I walked to the vending machine, my mind racing. What would happen next? How could we find Alex?

After filling a cup with water, I returned to Zach's room, only to find him staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. "Here you go," I said, handing him the cup. He took a sip, his expression thoughtful.

"Do you think they'll catch him?" he asked after a moment, his voice low.

"I don't know," I admitted, sitting down next to him. "The police haven't had any leads since the barn. They don’t even know where he is."

"Maybe we can investigate ourselves," he suggested, his eyes lighting up slightly. "You and Dorothy are good at that sort of thing."

I chuckled nervously. "Yeah, but this isn’t a game, Zach. He's dangerous."

"I know," he said, his expression sobering. "But if we can figure out where he might go next, we might be able to stop him. He's not just going to disappear."

My mind raced as I considered his words. Could we really take this into our own hands? "You're right," I said slowly. "But we need to be careful. He’s unpredictable."

"I've been in worse situations," he said with a faint smile. "Just take it one step at a time."

"Okay," I agreed, feeling a flicker of determination. "But first, let's focus on getting you better. Then we'll figure out our next steps."

"Deal," he said, a hint of relief in his voice.

I stayed with Zach for hours, talking about everything and nothing, trying to keep his spirits up despite the pain he was in. But eventually, the nurse came in to check on him, and I knew I had to leave.

"I'll be back soon," I promised, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead.

"Don't take too long," he said with a weak smile.

I felt bad for lying to him. In the first case I investigated I almost got killed and now Zach all died.

I'm never touching another case ever again.

As I walked out of the hospital, the weight of the world bore down on my shoulders. I knew I had to see Dorothy. She’d always been my partner in crime, and now more than ever, I needed her by my side. Even though she can be annoying.

Dorothy's POV

When Sophie finally walked through the door, her eyes were red and puffy, and I could tell she had been crying. I rushed to her side, wrapping my arms around her tightly. "How is he?"

"He's stable, but…" She paused, her voice trembling. "He's in so much pain, Dorothy. He’s scared."

I held her tighter, feeling the tension radiating off her. "It's okay. You're both going to get through this. We'll find a way."

"I don't know how," she said, pulling away to look me in the eyes. "Alex is still out there, and he's going to keep hurting people."

"We'll figure it out together," I promised. "But right now, you need to take care of yourself too."

Sophie shook her head, her expression clouded with despair. "I can't just sit here and do nothing. What if he comes after us next?"

"Then we'll be ready," I said firmly. "But first, you need to eat something and rest. You can't help Zach if you're a mess."

"I don't feel like eating," she mumbled, looking away.

"Fine, but I'm getting ice cream," I declared, heading toward the kitchen. "What flavor do you want?"

"Anything," she replied, her voice barely audible.

I returned with two bowls of ice cream, handing one to her. "Here, eat this. It'll make you feel better."

She took a small bite, grimacing. "I don't want to feel better. I want everything to go back to normal."

"We'll get there," I assured her, sitting down beside her on the couch. "But you need to fight for it. We both do."

"I'm just so tired," she admitted, her voice cracking. "I can't stop thinking about the barn, about Zach."

I turned off the TV, the noise suddenly feeling overwhelming. "Let's just talk. What do we need to do next?"

"I  don't know," she said, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I can't stop thinking about Alex. He's out there, and he knows everything about us."

"I don't feel well," Sophie mumbles.

"Do you need to lie down?"

Sophie nodded.

As we went upstairs, the weight of the world still pressing down on us, I knew the battle ahead would be tough. But with Sophie by my side, I believed we could face anything.

What other secrets would we uncover? Would we find Alex before he struck again? And would we be able to protect the ones we loved? The answers were uncertain, but one thing was clear—this was just the beginning.