Not to be found

Chapter 34 - Turning Tables

2 months later

*Noah's POV*
I frantically dash around the living room trying to make all the last minute adjustments. Dad leaving me to finish up so that he can check that the barn is all good to go.

Mum will be back any moment with Lacey and Sophia. It's Lacey's 20th birthday and so they both offered to take her out to breakfast and shopping for the rest of the day whilst we set up a surprise party for her.

It's been two months since the accident, in that time my broken ribs have healed, my lung is now repaired and my wounds have turned into scars. I'm still a little sore but that is expected, I've been signed off work for a few more weeks but I want to go back. I need to catch those idiots who tried killing me, my girl and my dad. I need to get them. They can't hide forever.

Since then we've also been interviewed by the police, who were very cooperative. At first they didn't understand as to why Lacey ran away in the first place, and decided that they were going to prosecute her for wasting police time. Thankfully dad managed to talk them around so that they could understand why, and the news reports soon died down. Her parents know that she's safe, but she's had no contact. She refuses to and I do not blame her for that.

Sophia knows, Ed knows. They're the only other two that do as well as their parents of course, we had no other choice. We had to say something, the police showing up was a major giveaway.

"Woah, great job bro!" Ed praises my efforts as he walks in through the front door holding a green liquid in a bottle.

"Cheers man, what the hell are you drinking?" I ask scrunching my face up.

He takes a sip of the thick green liquid, "it's kale and orange, thought I better be sort of healthy before the vodka starts flowing."

"Fair enough," I say whilst hanging up the last of the balloons.

Dad rushes in holding his phone up in the air, "they're here!" He announces.

I quickly throw the roll of cello-tape that I'm holding into the kitchen, it was a long shot but it made it to the sink. As for the scissors I just push them under the sofa.

The three of us; myself, dad and Ed hide behind the biggest sofa waiting for the three of them to come in the front door. I've never been so anxious in my life.
I so hope that she likes it.

*Lacey's POV*
"You go first," Sophia nudges me towards the front door, her arms lined with the handles of shopping bags.
I offered to pay and carry them but they both refused.

"Are you sure you don't want me to carry anything?" I say feeling super guilty, I want to help.

"Nope, you just go inside," Julie says as she follows behind locking the car up as she goes.

I reluctantly give up trying to help and do what they say and head inside. Strangely, the room is dark and just as I am about to go flip on the light switch it's done for me and I practically jump as high as the ceiling when Mike, Noah and Ed spring out from behind the sofa and yell, "SURPRISE!"

Julie and Sophia burst into laughter as they put the bags down on the sofa, "oh my god how could you guys do this to me?" I laugh into my hands to cover my blushed face.

"Oh c'mon you love it really," Ed teases as he passes me a glass of wine.
I haven't drunk much since the party, and I certainly don't want to end up in that state again.