Corrupt

27. The Chase

27. The Chase

***********PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT EDITED**********

With the envelope Jared had given to me gripped between my hands, I stared after him, lost at what I should do. Doubt weighted heavily on my mind, swarming my thoughts with the terrors of what could go wrong.

I shifted it in my hands, the packet surprisingly heavy. The fact that Jace had known about Noah hurt more than I wanted to admit, but I also wasn't all that surprised. It seemed the more I discovered about how much he really knew, just how involved he was in everything would grow clearer.

I pried the tab open, shifting it so the papers were visible inside. I slid them out, lifting my eyebrows at the list of locations and times that had been recorded. Several were highlighted, and my face wrinkled in confusion. Flipping through the pages, pictures began to surface as well of the boy and I felt unease fill me. It felt invasive, looking at moments of Noah when he had no idea that he was being watched. I flicked my eyes over his face on one of the pictures. He sat leaning over a book, his brow scrunched up as if confused at whatever he was studying. Another was him walking towards his car, earbuds in each ear and a harmless smile painted across his lips.

I stuffed the photos back in quickly, my stomach churning at the new information I had in my hands. He was just a little boy and Jace already had him being watched. That fact filled with stomach with grief.

The shiny glint of the car keys left on the coffee table caught my attention and I sucked in a shallow breath, the beginnings of an idea beginning to spiral curl together in my head. It couldn't just be a coincidence, was I right? I hedged closer to them, my body tense as my eyes flickered back towards the door. Jared wouldn't have just left me with the information in this envelope and nothing else. This had to be his help also.

Right?

Before I could overthink it, I was stuffing the keys in the pocket of my hoodie. I sucked in a breath, my nerves getting the better of me, before I sunk down in a plush chair. I needed a plan.

And quickly.

Swallowing sickeningly, I pried the envelope open once more. Skipping past the pictures, I plucked out a pile of what seemed to be notes. Scanning over the writing, which was scrawled hastily across the lines, I tried to gather whatever the person had written.

"A schedule?" I muttered, flipped it over, hoping it would give me more hints. Running my finger over the list of times, I paused to take a glance at the clock hanging on the wall over the fireplace.

4:03.

Shooting my gaze back at the paper still gripped tightly in my hands, my teeth sunk into my lip. Based on this schedule, he would have just gotten out of class and would be heading off to the library.

Knowing it was my only chance, I once again sorted the papers back into the envelope, before forcing my weak legs to straighten and hold my weight. I needed to get a move on.

I tucked the papers against my torso as well, before wrapping my jacket tighter around me.

The terror that I was going to get caught made it hard to move my feet forward, but I forced myself to stride over to the doors. The memory of how cruel the guys had been over the last few days turned my gut sharply. If I was going to do this, now would possibly be my only chance. I didn't know when someone would eventually come looking for me, but I knew it could be at any time. That had me opening the door with urgency and shooting a look down the hallway.