Overlooked Love

Chapter 29: Waking Up

"Sophie," a familiar voice said that Sophie couldn't place.

Sophie reluctantly opened her eyes. At first, she winced from the light, but when her eyes adjusted, she could see that a few people were in the room. Grady was hovering above her, and Katherine and Elwin were standing off to the side.

At first Sophie was confused, but then she remembered everything that had happened.

Sophie jumped up. "What happened? Is Keefe okay? Did you get them? W—"

"Sophie, relax," Grady said, as he gently pushed her back down.

Elwin then walked over to her and started running tests on her. "Why are you here?" Sophie asked.

"Well, you weren't injured enough to go to the hospital, so I was called to just do a check up on you," Elwin said with a smile.

"What about Keefe?" Sophie asked.

"Don't worry, he's safe and recovering. When we took him to the hospital, he just had a minor concussion and a few bruises and scratches," Grady said.

"That's it?"

"Well...he was also poisoned too," Grady said.

"WHAT?"

"Don't worry Sophie, Keefe wasn't poisoned in a bad spot like Edaline, so he will easily recover."

Sophie sighed in relief. "Okay, and what about Tam, Fitz, and Linh?"

"They are all safe. I explained everything we found out and learned about to them and the rest of your friends. I also told Katherine," Grady said.

"You can trust me," Katherine said. "I know Hank tricked you guys, but I promise I'm here to help." Sophie still didn't want to trust her. Katherine could just be saying that as an act.

"So...what happened to Hank?" Sophie asked.

"Well, luckily we were able to arrest him. He will be sentenced to prison for life," Katherine explained.

"Okay and what about the other two men?"

"Well, the one that grabbed you ended up running away, so we never caught him," when Katherine said that, Sophie could see Grady's eyes darken. "And the other man...died."

Sophie gasped. "The rock killed him?"

"Yes it did," Grady said, looking triumphant.

Did that consider Grady a murderer? Well...the guy was evil and it's not like Grady purposely tried to kill the guy, but still...

"We could not identify the man that your dad accidentally killed, but Keefe said that it was the same man that threatened Lady Galvin at school. We also know of two other members of this organization. We know that there is Hank and a guy named Zach. Your friends, Linh and Fitz, said that they heard that the men were talking about a man named Zach that was at the cemetery before Lady Galvin's death. So he is a suspect for her murder. Keefe told us his description and we are on the hunt for him. We have also been looking into Lady Galvin's past. Her records confirm that she used to work at the place your parents once did. Now, with what we have sorted out, it looks like Lady Galvin might have been close with your parents and maybe that relationship had something to do with why this organization killed her. With what Grady told me about what you found at her house, it seems as if your parents created something very important and it was never patented before they died. Now, we are wondering if it's a possibility that this organization is after this creation your parents made. It makes sense, but we still don't have enough information yet. Maybe whatever was in that box you had to give them was the answer, but these are all just theories. We also searched Lady Galvin's house for more clues, but we were too late. That organization was there before us and must have taken anything important," Katherine said.

Sophie's fists clenched. She hated how they had to get away with this.

"There is also one more important thing," Katherine added. "We have another suspect. His name is Dan Rogers. About a month ago, he was arrested and we learned that a few days ago, he somehow escaped. He also has a fire tattoo. Does that name seem familiar to you?" Katherine asked Sophie. Sophie shook her head.

"Why was he arrested?" Sophie asked.

"Well, we don't know the specifics, but he tried to kill someone with a knife at some haunted house on Halloween"

What...

Sophie paled and started to shake.

It might be a coincidence...

But something deep inside her told her that it was not.

"Sophie? Are you okay?" Grady asked, looking concerned.

Sophie tried to speak, but she couldn't form words. Elwin then rushed back to her and made her drink something.

"Sophie?" Grady pressed again.

"I um it could just be a coincidence," Sophie stuttered.

"Sophie, whatever you think or know, you must share. We need all the help we can get. It's okay, you can tell us," Katherine said.

But it wasn't okay. Grady would kill her for this!

Sophie gulped. "Well, I went to a Haunted house this past Halloween with my friends. Well, when I got lost...there was a guy that tried to stab me. Keefe saved me at the last minute and the guy got arrested," Sophie choked out fast. Katherine gasped.

And Grady—

"WHAT? YOU ALMOST DIED AND DIDN'T CARE TO TELL ME?" Grady yelled.

Sophie shrinked back. She had never heard Grady yell that loud before. "I—"

"NO! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"

"Well, let me explain!"

"Fine, go ahead!" Grady's face was as red as a tomato.

Shoot! The problem here was that she had no good explanation.

"Well um," Sophie then sighed. "Okay, maybe I don't have a good explanation, but I just didn't want to worry you! I just thought that it was some random guy that took his role a little too far. I didn't think that he was an actual murderer! Besides, if I told you, you wouldn't let me hang out with my friends anymore and I just didn't want you to freak out."

Grady gave her a deadpanned look and then he looked away. "Yeah? Well congratulations, you just made me more worried," he mumbled.

"It wouldn't make a difference. Besides, I thought he was in jail!"

"That's not it Sophie! I know this is a bigger deal than what you are trying to make it seem! You know you should have said something to me! The point here is that you don't trust me. If you don't trust me, then I can't protect you or help you. That's what worries me."

Oh.

Sophie flushed from embarrassment. She looked to see that Katherine and Elwin looked like they were very interested in the floor.

"I'm sorry dad."

"Sorry doesn't cut it sometimes."

Sophie suddenly felt a horrible feeling inside her. She had never felt so guilty in her life. Looking at the disappointed expression on Grady's face made the whole thing worse.

Why didn't Sophie just tell Grady?
Sophie was so stupid sometimes.

Katherine coughed. "This um seems like a private conversation you too should have alone. So, before I go, there is just one more thing Sophie. Do you know what the man looked like? The one that tried to stab you?"

"Not really. It was dark and he had a dark cloak on him," Sophie said.

"Okay, but just so you know to look out for him, I'm going to show you a picture of him that was taken when he was in jail," Katherine said as she stuck in her pocket to get the photo. When she pulled it out and showed it to Sophie, Sophie gasped. Sophie did recognize the man.

He was the same man that was in the picture frames in Lady Galvin's bedroom.