Can't Outrun The Past {Book 3}

Chapter 9: Getting the Whole Truth Part 1

*Noah's POV*

"Daddy, watch out!" I screamed from the backseat.
But it was no use. The other car crashed into us, sending us spinning.
I screamed as the car flipped over, once, then twice, then three times. It finally came to a stop, but it was in a ditch. On the plus side we were right side up.
"Daddy?" I called out, trying to see through the divider in the cop car. "Daddy, answer me!" I cried after a second.
Still no answer. I slowly undid my seatbelt, leaning forward to crawl through the now smashed divider. "Answer me, please."
I crawled through, being careful not to sit on the glass from the broken windshield. I sat on my knees and faced Dad.
"Daddy," I shook him. "Daddy, wake up!' Tears swelled in my eyes, starting to accept that he was dead.
"Princess?" Dad croaked out.
"Daddy!" I shouted.
He undid his seatbelt. "Ar-are you alright?" He asked shakily.
"I think so, but you're not." I whispered the last part, my eyes traveling from the cut at his temple to the very growing pool of crimson on his shirt.
"Yeah, I can feel it, baby girl." Somehow he still managed to smile. "You're not fine either. Your jeans are ripped and blood is streaming from them."
"But it doesn't hurt like yours does, I bet, Daddy." I cried, wiping tears away.
"I'm not in pain, darling." Daddy whispered, pulling me across the consul carefully and into his lap. "I need you to be brave for me, No. Can you do that?" Dad held me close.
"Wha-What do yo-you nee-need me to do." I stuttered, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.
"I need you to crawl out of the car and check on the other driver. I then need you to call uncle Alex, okay?" Toward the end his breath became labored and his eyes began to droop. "Can.. you.. do.. that?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I can."
Daddy kissed my cheek, and nuzzled his head against mine-something he used to do when I was little. His curls tickling my face. "Goodbye, little one, I love you."
"I love you too, Daddy." I sobbed.
And just like that my father closed his eyes and drew his last breath. "Daddy! Daddy! Come back!" I screamed.
I sat there, screaming and cry for him to come back.

"Daddy, no! Come back!" I screamed. "Wake up." I shot up, looking around.
I was on the couch in the living room of the cabin. "It was just a dream, Noah." I muttered to myself, running a hand through my short hair. "It's all over now." I took a deep breath and went to get a drink.
Opening the fridge, I grabbed a water bottle and took a long slip.
"Ya okay, N?" Nancy asked, making me jump and spill water down my shirt.
"Just a bad dream." I shrugged.
"Wait, a bad dream that didn't involve having to have your brother to calm you?" Nancy gaped.
I rolled my eyes. "I'm not two, Nanc, I don't always need someone."
"Awe, I'm so proud of you." Nancy hugged me loosely. "My baby is growing up."
"Shut it." I tried to shove her away. "Just go get dressed." I shooed her.
"Why? It's three in the morning?" Nancy glanced at the clock in confusion.
"Because we're going to Magnus'." I stated. "It's a two hour train ride there and then two hours back."
"And we leave a three because?" Nancy started up the stairs.
"Janna is stupid and already agreed to it, but Mum wouldn't and she'll be back by eight. We'll have been back only a hour by then." I explained.
Nancy nodded with a giant smile. "Now all ya got to do is convince Connor." She geld up her hand.
I highfived her. "On it."

*Connor's POV*

"Con!" Someone was shaking me. "Con, wake up!"
I groaned. "What is it Noah?" I asked, not opening my eyes.
"Get up and get dressed. We're going." Noah whispered.
I opened my eyes to find Noah and Nancy fully dressed with trainers tied. "Go where?"
"To see that man." Nancy said in a duh tone.
"Are you lot crazy?" I climbed out of bed. "Jimmy said he was the towns crazy person." I began to find clothes, knowing well that they would win.
"But I have to know what happened here, Con, it's one of the greatest mysteries London holds. Magnus is my only shot at finding out." Noah pleaded.
"Fine. Just give me a minute." I sighed, giving in.

****

"So how did you swing this?" I questioned once we were out of the cabin and walking through the woods.
"You know how Mum, Aunt Mack, and Rafe are in the city trying to convince someone about something?" Noah said.
I nodded telling her to go on. "Well I told Jan that Mum called and needed all three of us to come to her immediately." Noah explained.
"At three-twenty in the morning?" I tried not to raise my voice. "We're literally walking through the same woods the girl was kidnapped and murdered in, and you think it's a good idea to lie about it?"
"Listen we don't even know if the stories are true." Nancy sighed. "So stop being a baby." A twig snapped behind us causing Nancy to whirl around, shining her flashlight in that direction.
"Now who's the baby?" I remarked, earning a hit on the shoulder from Nancy.
"May I ask, who's brilliant idea was this?" We'd almost reached the city.
In the dim light I could barely make out Noah's raised hand. "Of course, you're the one who's going to get us killed."
The city was dead at this hour. Almost every shop closed and barely an cars out. London was a beautiful place at night. So calm and still in areas, yet so alive in others.
The girls stopped in front of the nearly deserted train station.
"The next train leaves in five minutes so we have to hurry." Nancy announced, scurrying off to get tickets.
Noah slipped her hand into mine as a sketchy looking man glanced up and smiled at her. I hope he wasn't going the same way as us.
Noah's grib only tightened as we pasted a lady drunkenly screaming at the teller about needing to get home.
As we took a seat to wait on Nancy, I began to observe the people around us.
The lady from earlier sat in front of us. She looked barely eighteen with jet black dyed hair. She were a cut out dress that looked sufficatingly tight. Her fish net tights ripped and barely covering anything. She were too much dark eye makeup, and cheep perfume that didn't cover the smell of alcohol well.
I felt bad for her. She probably didn't know anything other than this. I wondered if Noah was creating a twisted story in her mind about the woman. Giving her a name and background, a reason for being like this.
The man-who sat a little further down-was still staring at Noah in a uncomfortable way and grinning. Like he didn't realize she was a child.
His clothes looked like they hadn't been washed in weeks and he smelled of old cigars. Everything about him screamed creep.
Nancy came to stand directly in front of us, cutting off my view of the man, but his view of us.
"Come on, I got the tickets." She motioned for us to follow her to the train-which we did.
The man Jimmy had told us about, Magnus, lived on the outskirts of town. The only way to reach him was by train.
I prayed as we boarded, that he wouldn't just be some crazy old guy. That he wouldn't let my sister down.
"Con," Noah whispered, moving ever so slightly toward me. "Look." She whispered again, this time in my ear.
I folllowed her gaze to the creep from the station. He sat a couple rows up from us against the wall. He was, in fact still staring at Noah.
Noah subconsciously moved to the other side of me. Pressing herself between the window and me.
The train finally came to a stop, and we filed off.
The only thing around us were woods and a single light post. "Please tell me we aren't going through those?" I asked hopefully.
"Of course, we are." Noah laughed and took off for the deep, dark foliage.
"Whatcha listening to?" Nancy asked from beside me.
We were about halfway through the woods-or so I hoped. Noah, being Noah, refused to walk with us so she walked a little ahead of us.
I showed her my screen and she immediately smiled.
"That's seriously what you're listening to right now, scarredy cat." She laughed. "Twin Peaks." She shook her head. "Do you think we'll find Laura Palmer in these woods?"
"It just reminds me of this mystery is all." I shrugged with a slight smile.
Nancy tripped over a fallen limb and fell flat on her butt.
I laughed. "What where your going next time, Nanc."
"Guys!" Noah's voice came from farther up. "Hurry up. I see his house!" She sounded so excited about this.
I helped Nancy up and after she brushed herself off, we ran to catch up with my twin.

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Can we talk about the Calpurnia cover please? Like it's pure beauty; I also might have picked it for more than just that reason 😉.
The next chapter will be part 2.
Anyway did I make you cry with the beginning? Hope not, but I made myself so.... Bye - Izzy