Trail of Shadows

The Dark Descent

The car rumbled along the streets of Oak Hollow, the glow of streetlights casting elongated shadows on the pavement. Inside the vehicle, the atmosphere was hushed, tension palpable in the air. Emma sat in the front passenger seat, staring out into the night, while Hunter navigated the desolate roads. Meghan, nestled in the backseat, broke the silence.

"It's been nearly a week since Tyler woke up, but he hasn't said anything. I'm getting really worried about him," Meghan expressed, her voice tinged with concern.

"Yeah, me too," Hunter chimed in, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "He's been through so much and finding out about Mr. Johnson's death... that hit him hard."

Emma turned to face the backseat, her expression mirroring the collective unease. "Meghan, you mentioned the FBI questioning him while he was still recovering. What did they want?"

Meghan sighed; her gaze fixed on the passing scenery. "They practically interrogated him. I mean, he was still half-drugged up on painkillers, and they bombarded him with questions about Lilly, then Anne's case and now Mr. Johnson. It's like they're more interested in Tyler being a suspect than finding the actual murderer."

Hunter scoffed. "Typical. They don't care about the truth; they just want to close the case and make headlines."

Emma ran her fingers through her hair, frustration evident on her face. "We need to do something. Tyler shouldn't have to deal with all this alone, especially after everything he's been through." Hunter exchanged a glance with Meghan, a silent communication passing between them. Meghan hesitated for a moment before mouthing the words, "We need to tell her." Hunter shook his head in response.

Emma, sensing the secretive exchange, furrowed her brows and turned toward them. "What's going on? Why are you guys acting so weird?" The air inside the vehicle felt charged with tension, and Emma's eyes darted between Hunter and Meghan, sensing that something significant was about to be revealed.

"Okay someone better tell me what's going on?" Emma demanded; her tone edged with urgency.

Hunter exchanged a brief glance with Meghan, who gave him a subtle nod, urging him to disclose the truth. Taking a deep breath, Hunter turned back to the road, ignoring Meghan's push.

"We've been keeping something from you, Emma!" Meghan blurted.

Hunter hesitated for a moment, glancing at Meghan with a mixture of surprise and irritation. "Meghan, seriously?" Meghan shot him an apologetic look but remained quiet, knowing that the truth was about to come out.

Emma's brows furrowed, a mixture of confusion and concern etching her features. "Keeping something? Okay someone better start spilling?"

Taking a deep breath, Hunter admitted, "A few months ago, Meghan and I... we hooked up. In my room."

"Hunter!" Meghan's tone carried a mix of disbelief and disappointment. "That's not what I meant, tell her the truth now!" she demanded.

Emma chuckled, "I mean y'all are so obvious. So, what's the secret?" her tone changed.

"Okay," Hunter admitted, keeping his gaze on the road as he spoke. "I found files about Tyler's mom in my dad's stuff. They suspect it might not have been an accidental overdose. Something called Strychnine... it's a poison. Like, from outdoor pesticides."

Emma's eyes widened with a mix of shock and disbelief. "What? Are you saying Tyler's mom was poisoned? And someone set it up to look like an overdose?"

Hunter nodded gravely, "That's what it seems like. With everything going on, I didn't want to burden Tyler, and then that shit went down, and the truth became harder to tell."