Page 25 of Unpredictable Flames

Ignoring my questions, Cole pressed on. “Those masked men who attacked you and Cole, do you have any idea who they might be?” he asked, his voice tight with determination.

I shook my head, a shiver running down my spine as I recalled the terrifying ordeal. “I don't know who they were,” I admitted, my voice trembling slightly. “All I remember is them crashing into a truck before speeding away.”

A spark of realization flashed in Cole's eyes, and he turned to me. “Hang on, Lily. I think I might have an idea,” he said.

Without another word, Cole dashed into Jake's room, with me trailing behind him. Bursting into Jake's room, Cole wasted no time in getting to the point. “Jake, do you still have your porch cam?” he asked urgently, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of the device.

“Is something wrong?” Jake asked.

Cole ignored Jake’s inquiry and pressed on. “Just tell me if you still have it.”

Jake nodded, pointing towards his laptop sitting on the table. “It's hooked up to that,” he replied, gesturing towards the screen.

Without wasting a moment, Cole darted to the table, swiftly opening the laptop and accessing the porch cam footage. Jake and I hovered behind him, curiosity piqued.

“What are you doing, Cole?” I asked, my interest piqued.

Cole explained his plan, his fingers flying across the keyboard. “If we're lucky, the porch cam might have caught something that could help us track down those masked men,” he said, his determination evident in his voice.

Together, we watched intently as the footage played. Cole suddenly pointed to the screen, his voice rising with excitement. “There!” he exclaimed, swiftly pausing the playback and directing our attention to the truck as it sped away.

“What do you see, Cole?” Jake inquired, his eyes fixed on the screen.

I echoed his question, eager for answers.

Cole leaned closer to the laptop, his focus unwavering. “The license plate,” he announced triumphantly, pointing to the enhanced image. “We've got the plate number now. We can track them down.”

Jake's face lit up. “Finally, we'll catch those bastards,” he declared, a glimmer of determination in his eyes.

But amidst the excitement, I noticed a subtle shift in Cole's demeanor. There was a fleeting flash in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it. Before I could voice my concern, Cole interjected, his tone decisive. “Don’t worry, I'll take care of it, Jake. Don't worry. Just focus on getting better.”

His words left me curious, but I hesitated to probe further. Instead, I watched as Cole bid us farewell, his sudden departure catching me by surprise. He enveloped me in a tight hug, then turned to Jake, hugging him one-sided from his good shoulder. “Rest up, buddy. You'll be okay,” he said with genuine warmth.

As Cole made his exit, a sense of unease lingered in the air, but I quickly shrugged it off, not wanting to dwell on it. Instead, I turned to Jake, finding peace in his reassuring smile.

“Are you hungry, Jake?” I asked, hoping to lift his spirits. “I can whip up something for dinner.”

But Jake shook his head, his gaze drifting towards the backyard. “Nah, I'm good. Just gonna sit out there with a beer,” he replied, his tone weary.

I nodded understandingly. “Alright, I'll join you later. Got a few things to take care of first.”

With Jake heading towards the kitchen, I waited until I heard the back door creak open and close before hurrying back to the computer. My curiosity gnawed at me. I needed to understand what had rattled Cole.

As I replayed the footage, my heart raced with anticipation, hoping to catch a glimpse of what Cole had seen. I accidentally stumbled upon a folder on Jake's computer. My curiosity piqued, and I hesitated before succumbing to the temptation to explore further.

Messages from an unknown sender filled the screen, and one in particular caught my eye. A message from someone named Ali. Someone I didn't recognize. I began to read, oblivious to the world around me.

Suddenly, a hand reached out and closed the laptop, jolting me out of my trance. Startled, I turned to see Jake standing behind me, his expression unreadable. My heart pounded in my chest as I realized I had only caught a glimpse of the name and the subject line: “Private Conversation - Just Between Us.”

“What was that message about, Jake?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly, not ready for the answer but desperate to hear it anyway.

Jake's face hardened as he looked at me, disappointment etched across his features. “What do you think you're doing, snooping around on my laptop, Lily?” he demanded, his tone cold and distant.

I felt a sting at his words, my heart felt like it was splitting in two. “I just... I saw a name, Jake. Who's Ali?" I pressed, trying to keep my voice steady. The silence that followed was deafening.

He avoided my gaze, shifting uncomfortably. “It's nothing you need to worry about,” he finally muttered, sidestepping my question yet again.

“Then why won't you talk to me? If it's nothing, then just tell me,” I persisted, my frustration growing with every evasive answer.

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