Saving Death

Chapter 17

After parting in the library, an agonizing three days passed, and I hadn't heard a thing from Sam. Not only had he avoided working on the farm, but he'd ignored all my messages. After one last attempt, I'd given up and resolved to find another way to get through to him. He was finally opening up to me bit by bit, and I wasn't going to give up now. I knew he'd come around eventually. I just needed to give him time.

"Are you going to eat that, or just poke at it all morning?"

"What?"

Louisa was staring at me with a blank expression. After our failed attempt at connecting Mr Jenson to Zac's death, she'd lost all drive and enthusiasm for life, and I knew where her mind dwelled.

"I'm not really hungry," I mumbled, pushing the muffin towards her. She tucked into it without another word.

"You seeing Blake today?" I asked, to lighten the heavy mood between us, more than out of actual interest.

"No," she said through a mouthful of blueberry muffin. "He's ignoring me." At this, my ears pricked up.

"Why?" I asked, trying not to sound too eager.

"Don't know, don't care," she said, but as her throat bobbed, I knew the opposite was true. She cared. She cared as much as I did and if I didn't get to the bottom of this for my own sanity, I at least needed to try for hers.

Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I dialed Sam one more time. It went straight to voicemail, but I was surprised to find that this didn't produce doubt in my mind—only suspicion. A suspicion which deepened Thursday afternoon when I was waiting in my car to turn out of the college gates.

I recognised the roar of the motorcycle first and then I saw him—Blake. I stared as he passed, and when his eyes locked with mine, I saw accusation in them. In that moment, I was sure that Blake was responsible for Sam's disappearance. I knew Sam was loyal to him for some reason, but I was not. I was free to make my own decisions—and I made the decision to get some answers.

It was later that evening that I found myself pulling up on the road where Blake lived, preparing to spy on someone for the second time in a week. As I turned off the engine, I cast myself into darkness and silence. I felt myself tense, but the adrenaline coursing through me kept the demons at bay. This was it. Tonight, I would find out what was going on. I just hoped it would be something I could cope with.

The road was scattered with a few other cars and, squinting out of the windscreen, I just made out Blake's motorcycle on the driveway and Sam's car parked on the curb directly outside. My interest spiked and my eyes strained in the night in a desperate hope of glimpsing him. As minute by minute ticked by on the digital clock of my dashboard however, I felt the crush of disappointment creep up on me. I wasn't going to see him unless I went further.

Unclenching my icy hands from the steering wheel, I took my keys out of the ignition and climbed out of the car, closing the door behind me as quietly as I could. Hesitating, I knew Sam would want to keep me safe and away from Blake, but I was involved whether he liked it or not. Besides, I was stronger than he thought I was. Even I'd come to realise that. I hadn't run for the hills when I'd seen his true colours the other day. It had surprised me as well as him.

The evening air was damp from rain, and I trod carefully, making sure not to disturb any unsuspecting neighbours' dogs. It was a quiet street and seemed like the type of area where curtains would twitch and eyes would always be watching. It made me wonder if anyone had witnessed anything strange since Blake had moved in, but I also hoped I wasn't being watched now. Feeling self-conscious, I pulled up my hood to conceal my face.