Sophie’s Quest – Episode 7
Episode 7
.
.By Tess
……. OFFICER THOMAS ……
I brought my car to a stop somewhere around Zoe’s street and breathed out before turning to look at Zoe seated on the passenger seat. She was dressed in all black and looked very confident. I’d talked to Zoe earlier after Paul had called to tell me what had happened between the three of them. She told me outrightly that she’d forgiven them ’cause they’re her best buddies.. Sophie, especially. She hasn’t told them yet though…and that was it… Zoe had volunteered to help in the case and here we are…About to bug Ben Logan. I’m still not in support of Zoe doing this but she looks pretty much confident and from observation, she’s really smart and would be useful if she can be very careful
“Don’t give me that look, Officer. Just give me the device” She said, stretching her hand.
I chuckled and brought out a small, round and black bugging device–hardly noticeable. I dropped it in her open palm and she enclosed it,then zipped down the pocket of her black jacket and dropped it in before zipping it back up
“The African spirit,huh?” I laughed “Very dominant in you and Sophie… Stubborn yet determined and confident”
“You can say that again, Officer. Black and bold” She grinned,then tied up her curly afro hair.
From the car,we could see Ben’s house. He had driven out minutes ago and Yeah..we gotta act fast. Zoe knows her way around and there’s a secret underground tunnel that leads from Ben’s house to Zoe’s backyard
“I’ll be on the lookout,Zoe” I said as I attached a black Bluetooth to her ear for communication “Be quick” I added as she nodded and pushed the car door open. God knows I’m having double minds about this,but Zoe’s perfect for the job…Being a teen and all
……. ZOE ………
I walked hurriedly down the street with my hands in my trouser pockets and a hood over my head. I’m gonna call Paul and Sophie after this and they’re gonna fill me in on everything. I got to my house and went over to the backyard before shifting the large garbage can that blocked the large hole of the tunnel.
I took in a deep breath before attaching a small torchlight to the band around my head. I bent to a crawling position and crawled in before laying flat on my stomach. The tunnel was dark but that’s the essence of the torchlight
“I’m in” I whispered after connecting the device on my ear. I resumed crawling with my arms and stomach…More like pushing myself forward with my arms. The tunnel had a sizable width but it wasn’t sizable enough to let me crawl on my hands and knees. Its metal was luckily not rough
“Got it” I heard Officer Thomas say from the device.
I kept pushing myself through the tunnel with my arms and stomach. I’m so gonna be thirsty after this.
“C’mon,Zoe” I whispered and crawled for minutes before stopping to look back at the length I’ve gone. I couldn’t even see the hole of the tunnel anymore. I looked forward again and kept crawling “Almost there”
The other end of the tunnel was in sight now and a relieved smile broke out on my face. I pushed in the wood that closed the hole of the second end and it fell noisily into whatever room the tunnel had led to. I crawled out and looked around the room before standing. I don’t wanna look down at my clothes right now. I’m sure I’m covered in dirt.
“I’m in the house now” I whispered into the bluetooth
“Check for cameras, Zoe”
I looked around “I can’t see any”
“Stay in the dark”
“Right” I whispered back and then bent to a crawling position again…This time,on my hands and knees.
Obviously,this is Mr Ben’s bedroom. The room was slightly dark and the door to the room was shut. I crawled to the high bed and leaned against it before looking for something I could place the bugging device on. I need something that he uses constantly. Mr Ben wears only one particular pair of black boots…but where are they?. I scanned the room again, then crawled towards a chair in the room to check under it
“Zoe”
“I’m on it, Officer. Give me a few more minutes”
“It’s not that,Zoe. Get out now. His car is in sight”
“Damn it”
“Zoe…Out…Now”
I quickly scanned the place again, then reached out under the chair and felt the boots. Just then,I heard his car screech to a stop outside. I unzipped my pocket and took out the bugging device hurriedly only for the small object to fall to the floor. Damn it!.
I searched around the floor with my hands as I heard the front door of the house opening
“Zoe!. Are you back in the tunnel?”
I didn’t answer as I kept searching the floor for the bugging device
“Zoe,can you hear me? Zoe?”
Found it!. I quickly picked it up and attached it to the left boot. It attached perfectly,coupled with the fact that it was hardly noticeable.
Job done. Now I need to get out of here.
“Get enough money from him,boy. Tony Parker literally swims in money. Do a clean job for him this time and get our money” Mr Ben’s voice sounded as his footsteps approached the room. He was most probably on a call.
Already at the hole of the tunnel,I crawled in,then turned and picked up the fallen wood before fixing it back into the hole perfectly. The wood was painted same colour as the walls of Mr Ben’s room. More like Camouflage.
I crawled back through the tunnel as noiselessly as I could and soon,I was pushing myself out of the hole at the other end. I coughed and let myself fall on the grass. I lay flat there and tried to catch my breath
“Zoe, I’m heading for that tunnel and coming in there with you if you don’t answer me” Officer Thomas’ voice sounded through the bluetooth and from the way he spoke,I knew he was walking…. Obviously heading down here
“I’m fine. I did it” I finally spoke before closing my eyes briefly. First Secret Agent job, done and dusted.
……. SOPHIE ……
“I saved you a seat here,Soph”
I looked down at Zoe surprisingly. Isn’t she supposed to be mad at us or something?. I slowly sat beside her and placed my backpack on the desk
“Zoe, ain’t……”
“I’m done being angry,Soph. I guess I over-reacted”
“So we’re forgiven?” I asked in excitement
“You sure are” She grinned and we both squealed and shared a hug “Where’s Paul?”
“Paul’s in History class”
“Oh” She smiled again and dropped her backpack “So no more secrets?”
“No more secrets” I affirmed
“I went with Officer Thomas to Ben Logan’s yesterday”
“What? Zoe”
“……to bug him. Wasn’t easy but I did it”
“You’re so gonna fill me in properly on this later. I and Paul found out something. The attack on my brother is related to a certain Brielle Parker. Turned out Austin was dared to sleep with her and make a video”
Zoe gasped “That’s shitty”
“Very much” I affirmed just as a teacher walked into the classroom
“Seriously,Soph. I don’t believe this” Zoe whispered right before the teacher started to speak
“I don’t know, Zoe. It’s unbelievable” I whispered back.
After the lesson, Paul met up with us and we talked more about the whole stuff.
During recess,we all sat at a round table in the cafeteria, having French fries with ketchup. Zoe prefers hers without ketchup though.
“Is she seriously heading here?” Paul asked, looking towards a particular direction in the cafeteria. I and Zoe turned to see who Paul was referring to.
Red hair,tall,light-skinned…Who else if not the former regular visitor at our house—Emily. I haven’t seen her much since the frat incident happened.
“Hi,Emily” I spoke first, smiling up at her. I noticed–She’d given her red hair a lighter shade
“Sophie” She smiled back and settled on a chair beside me before acknowledging my friends “How’ve you been?” She asked, stealing a fry from my plate
“…been good”
She hummed and nodded, munching the fry “I miss your brother. He was a damn hottie yunno”
I prevented myself from rolling my eyes while Paul and Zoe resumed eating their fries
“You don’t miss him more than I do” I said, picking up a fry too from my plate.
Emily chuckled before placing her elbow on the table
“I know who’d killed your brother,Soph” She spoke lowly, watching me intently
“Yeah. Brielle Parker” I replied, watching her too. She looked surprised as she gave a little gasp
“You know about Brielle?”
I nodded
“I guess you know about the dare then”
“Yep”
“It wasn’t your brother,Sophie”
“I don’t get you”
“It wasn’t your brother who’d slept with Brielle”
I leaned forward and placed my elbow on the table too. I knew Emily was being serious. I could tell. My heart began to beat unsteadily
“Who then?” I asked, holding Emily’s gaze
“Jace”
What?…Jace?….And my brother was attacked instead?. I made to spring up from my seat but Emily held
me down
“Don’t you wanna hear the end of the story?”
I slid my fingers into my hair and breathed out as I waited for Emily to continue
“Jace had always hated Austin, yunno?. So after framing him up,he’d hired someone to murder him. I know the hired murderer,Sophie. Extraordinary everyday from
STORY CENTRAL(SC) TELEGRAM GROUP His name is Tony. I also know something else.. Tony’s gonna be meeting with Jace tomorrow evening for one of their discussions. Here’s the address” She slipped out a folded piece of paper from her pocket and dropped it into my palm “You might want to go there and get some evidence for the police or something. You’ll surely find something as evidence,Soph. Maybe tape their discussion?. Just trying to be of help” She concluded,took another fry from my plate and walked out of the cafeteria.
I unfolded the paper and glanced at the address:
’12 Roseville Street’
Someone’s so gonna hear from me.
.
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TBC
