Facing Reality

Chapter 8

    I sat at the edge of the boat, staring into the water. I felt someone come sit beside me, but didn't turn to check who it was.

    "John just left," Riley told me quietly.

    I nodded wordlessly.

    "He wouldn't tell me why."

    I shrugged, still not saying anything.

    Riley sighed. "Sarah, we've been friends for a while. Could you please tell me what's going on?"

    I swallowed hard. The man hadn't said anything about telling other people... right? "He... told me to..."

    Riley stared at me. "Who told you to do what?"

    "That man who grabbed me? He told me to some type of boat. There was this guy there who told me to tell John to leave. And, before you ask, no, I did not see him."

    Riley's eyes were wide. "Sarah... do you think he was the guy responsible for the murder?"

    I nodded slowly. "Yes. It was pretty clear that he was."

    "Hey, guys!" Grey called. "Luke's back!"

    I jumped to my feet, suddenly scared that John had been caught while he had left. I ran to the other end of the boat, grabbing Luke's forearm. "You didn't catch him, did you?"

    Luke stared at me, confused. "No. You're not really holding out the hope that he's still innocent though, are you?"

    I bit my lip and didn't reply.

    Luke sighed in frustration. "Sarah, there's been another murder. Another witness told us that John was there."

    I couldn't help it. "For your information, he just left town, so he couldn't have killed anyone."

    Anger flashed across Luke's face. "How do you know this?"

    I marched up to him and put my hands on my hips. "Don't you dare! You, Mr. Gage, should have listened to us." I snapped my fingers beneath his nose. "Wake up! Look at the evidence! John didn't murder anyone!"

    Luke put up his hands and backed down. "Alright. I'm sorry," he told me. "But, if you're so sure, who was the real killer?"

    I huffed and rubbed my jaw as if it would give me a clue. "I'm working on it, alright?"

    Grey suddenly popped his head from behind a stack of crates. "Hey, guys? They caught him."

    My heart dropped to my toes. John. I should have never let him leave.