Echoes of Yesterday

Part 27 - Vanished in thin air

As we gathered our thoughts in the booth, the memories of that night in the woods came rushing back. I closed my eyes, trying to piece together the fragments of our experience.

"Remember when we stumbled upon that house?" I asked, my voice tinged with urgency. "That's where we found Tristan's picture."

Theo nodded slowly. "Yeah, it was strange. I think Maya was the one who found it first, right?"

"Exactly," I replied, feeling the weight of realization settle in. 

"She led us there, didn't she? Who else would know that house was even there?"

Eric's brow furrowed in contemplation. "She sighed and suggested we go that way. It's all starting to connect."

"Do you see it now, Eric?" I pressed, leaning forward. "This was all part of Maya's plan. Everything was a scam! She wanted us to get trapped while we thought we were trying to find Tristan."

Theo looked uneasy, his expression shifting from confusion to understanding. "So she set this up to keep us distracted while she worked on whatever scheme she has going on."

Eric rubbed his temples, frustration etched across his face. "This isn't just about finding Tristan anymore. It's about Maya manipulating us the whole time."

"We can't go alone, not after everything that's happened," Theo said firmly. "We need to involve the cops."

"Yes, we'll take them with us," Eric agreed, determination igniting in his eyes. "We can't let her pull us into another trap. We need backup, and we need to get to the bottom of this."

I felt a surge of adrenaline at the thought of confronting Maya. The sense of betrayal burned deep, but it also fueled my resolve. 

"If she's hiding something, we'll find it. We'll expose her plans and rescue Sarah and Tristan if they're still alive."

Theo nodded, his face set with determination. "We'll have to act quickly. The longer we wait, the more chances Maya has to cover her tracks."

"Let's gather everything we know and go to the police," Eric said, standing up with renewed vigor. "We'll present our findings and make sure they take us seriously."

As we moved to leave the ice cream shop, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that hung over us. Maya had become a puppet master, and we were just players in her game. But I wasn't about to let her win.

We stepped out into the cool evening air, our minds racing with plans and possibilities. The shadows loomed around us, but I felt a flicker of hope igniting within. We were determined to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.

The next day dawned with an unsettling chill in the air, an omen of the journey we were about to undertake. After a restless night filled with doubts, we gathered our courage and met outside the woods. Officer Harris had agreed to join us, along with a couple of other officers, but I felt a heavy weight on my chest as we approached the spot Maya had led us to before.