Jack In The Box

Chapter 35

Riley

“Jack will wake up soon, right?” I asked Ezra. “Right?”

Ezra stared at me with the familiar eyes. “I don’t want to lie to you, Riley, but I can’t guarantee about that. He could wake up tomorrow, a week later or even after ten years.”

“That can’t be true.” I said the words barely out of my mouth. I wiped a tear that was sliding down my face. “There has to be some other way!”

“The damage is done. The killer got what he wanted. There were two key people who knew his identity. He killed one of them and the other slipped into a coma. Everything turned out in the killers favor.”

“So what are you going to do? Just give up?!” I asked.

“No. Of course not! The investigation will go on with or without Jack.” He squeezed my shoulders in assurance. “Everything is going to be okay. You’ve gotta be strong.”

“How could I?” I whispered.

My best friend was dead, and the man I loved had slipped into a coma with a possibility that he may never wake up. I didn’t think I could remain strong much longer. I was alone in this, and the killer was out there.

“Can I see him?” I asked.

Ezra shrugged. “Riley, it’s best for you not to.”

“But I really want to! You can’t stop me!”

And of course he didn’t. The next hour I was walking down the long hallway of the hospital ward towards the room Jack was admitted in.

When I entered the room and saw Jack lying there with all those wires connecting to his body. It was heartbreaking and I couldn’t bear to see him like that. I sat there for a few hours until Ezra told me I should leave.

“But what if the killer comes here and tries to hurt Jack?” I asked.

“We have two security guards outside the room. A doctor and a nurse who makes regular rounds. The killer won’t be able to get in. I have told hospital staff to not allow any visitors apart from you and me.”

I looked at Jack. Ezra sighed, understanding my dilemma. “Go home, Riley.”

Maddy and I had often discussed what I would wear at her wedding as her maid of honor, but never in my worst nightmares had I imagined I would be picking a dress from my wardrobe for her funeral. I was wearing the same dress I’d worn during my parents funeral. I looked at myself in the mirror. My brown hair was pulled back in a bun, my face looked tired with puffy red eyes. Like I cared.

I cried that morning, I’d let loose the floodgate that was bound to open but I’d been holding back. I almost fainted but Ken caught me in his arms before I could hit the floor. He held me tightly in his arms while I let all the tears free.

reassure me; he never said a word when our parents died too.

as if my feelings were being conveyed through the weather. The air was damp and breezy. I was seated in the middle aisle of the church

himself wearing a black suit. His reddish blond hair combed neatly. His eyes were vacant; no sign of sadness or remorse. Maddy surely wasn’t too close to him, but I knew they got along better than he and I did. Suddenly, his eyes met mine for a fraction of a second before

church basked in hushed conversations. Everyone was dressed in black, their faces white as sheets. I hated this feeling; it was like nothing was going to be okay ever again. No matter how happy you were in life, one day it was coming to an end. For

I guess Maddy had done just that. She was reading a book, having a glass of wine and preparing dinner while hogging on

and just then realized that it wasn’t the best thing to do at a funeral because all heads turned to face

“Sorry.” I mumbled.

used to joke around and make fun of things, especially the other nurses. All this seemed so unreal. The funeral service went slowly. I had

would have had something

to the point. I couldn’t complete because I was going to cry again. Everyone’s faces mirrored sympathy, Maddy’s mother held onto her father and sobbed

eyes open any minute. While I placed her favorite flower in the casket, I noticed stitch marks on her neck. I stayed until after all the mourners had

began pouring. I took a few steps back and took shelter by a

my nostrils. He shocked me further by extending his handkerchief towards me. I stared at him, flabbergasted. What if he’d doused that

sorry too.” I responded, dabbing the cloth under my

with someone like Paul, but I really didn’t want to make a scene

Dr. Bennett, but it’s a little nauseating. I don’t

some horrible things which I shouldn’t

I’d see a day where Paul Bennett, my mortal enemy would apologize to

to know why were

want an honest

course, I

of you. The way you were close to Aaron. He always talked about you and it made me green with envy because I wanted to be in your place. I wanted to be his favorite. And then when you took a liking to Jackson

that made you happy.” I concluded for

realized how wrong it was, and that there’s no point in the constant bickering. What

Dr. Paul Bennett?” I mocked, giving him a sideways

have a common enemy,

“What do you mean?”

what I said. A lot of people died, and we could be next on the killer’s

was the first time I agreed with Paul on

talking to a killer right now, and you could be laughing at the lot of us for not suspecting you of

think I could be smart enough to be the killer, but I could say the same thing about you too. Maybe the goody-two shoes act is just your way to distract the investigators from yourself. Maybe

think I would

your favor. Everyone knows you’re his bae...as people like to call themselves these days.

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