Secrets And Lies [Completed]

15. back to square one

"Before the song.....started playing,..... I had checked my watch. The time.....was 8:30," Veronica continued, her voice laced with fear. "..... exactly the time....the police found her body...at the Oakwood beach eleven years ago."

I closed my eyes, unable to take it in. How could I have forgotten?

When I opened them, I found the rest of the gang looking at me already. Siya softly rubbed her thumb against the crevice of my hand.

"So...do you think the psycho is doing this to commemorate her death anniversary?" I asked, a question to no one in particular.

Veronica lowered her gaze, shaking her head. "I don't know....but it's too much of a coincidence."

I inhaled a shaky breath. If Siya hadn't made me quit smoking, I probably would have been on my 5th cigarette already.

A moment later, Himanshu walked up to us and stood beside me.

"I know it's a stupid question,....but how are you guys holding up?" He asked, a similar look of distress on his face.

"If you know it's a stupid question, why are you asking it?" Siya gave him a glare, and looked away. I sighed.

"I'm sorry, Siya.... I didn't mean to. I just.... didn't know what to say." Himanshu apologised, clearly confused at the response to his question. And I couldn't blame him.

"It's fine, Himanshu." I said, exchanged a look with my wife and looked back at him. "We're all....just...a little at edge."

He nodded. "Of course."

"How's your fianceé doing?" I asked, glancing at her as she sat a few feet away from us, clutching her purse and coat for dear life. Her face clearly showed the vicarious terror that she had had to endure just a half hour ago.

"She's...." He trailed off, looking at her. "Coping."

I nodded.

"I need to deal with the situation in hand anyways." He continued, looking back at us. "So I've told my dad to pick her up. He's gonna be here soon."

A moment of silence followed.

"So do we tell the police..... about the text?" Saina began.

"You know what happens if we do." Zoya answered on everyone's behalf.

"Yeah, but we don't know that yet." Himanshu reasoned. "For all we know....this could just be a copycat killer.... someone trying to gain publicity of it."

"The brutality with which those boys were killed.... doesn't make me think that it's a random person doing this." Veronica spoke, her eyes grounded to her feet. "Whoever did this...." She looked up. "....had proper planning. They didn't just want to kill. They wanted to send a message. They knew.... we'd be there. The six of us."

I didn't know if it was the cold November air or her words which caused shivers to run down my spine.

"Do you think it's someone taking revenge for Yash?" Zoya voiced her concern.

"Maybe." Veronica worded. "Maybe not. We have never been right about these things."

Zoya sighed exhaustively.