Buried Truths

Chapter Four: Secrets in the Shadows

The shadows seemed to grow longer as Elliot and Vera stood in the clearing, the abandoned mill behind them like an old wound that never healed.

They had barely begun their investigation into Lily’s disappearance, but already, their search was leading them down a dark path. There were whispers now—whispers of secrets buried deep, secrets that tied the town’s most respected families to things that should never have been.

As they made their way through Harrison Creek, the quiet, sleepy town felt different, heavier, as if every corner hid another piece of the puzzle, one that had been deliberately hidden for far too long.

Vera led the way through the winding streets, her face pale but determined. She had lived here her whole life, and even she could no longer ignore the dark undercurrents that had always been present, beneath the calm, everyday life of the town.

As they passed the old church, its stained-glass windows shattered and boarded up, Vera’s eyes lingered for a moment too long. She wasn’t just looking at the dilapidated building; she was thinking, perhaps, of the many things it had witnessed.

“You think we’re getting closer?” Elliot asked quietly, breaking the uneasy silence between them.

“I don’t know, Elliot. But the more I dig, the worse it gets,” Vera replied, her voice low. “It’s not just about Lily anymore.

There’s something bigger at play here. I’m starting to think your father might be more involved in this town’s history than anyone ever realized.”

The thought twisted inside Elliot like a jagged knot, but he forced himself to stay calm. Robert Carter, his father, had been a cornerstone of Harrison Creek, loved and trusted by everyone.

The very idea that he could be connected to something like Lily’s disappearance—something dark and dangerous—felt impossible to process.

But it was the only lead they had. And the evidence was mounting.

Vera pulled a small folder from her bag, its edges worn from years of use. “Look at this,” she said, flipping it open to reveal a series of photographs, yellowed with age. “This is from a medical facility—one that was active around the time Lily went missing.”

Elliot squinted at the photo. A group of young girls, no older than twelve or thirteen, standing together in what appeared to be a sterile, clinical room. The girls wore hospital gowns, their faces pale and expressionless. And at the center of it all, standing in a white lab coat, was none other than Dr. Robert Carter.

“What the hell…” Elliot whispered, his heart pounding. He recognized the building in the background, a stark, white structure that looked like it had been taken straight from a science fiction movie. This was no ordinary medical facility. This was something else entirely.

“Do you see it now?” Vera’s voice was steady but edged with urgency. “There’s a connection here, Elliot. Your father wasn’t just a doctor. He was part of something much darker—something he’s kept hidden. He wasn’t just helping people; he was experimenting on them. These girls… they were part of some kind of twisted project.”

Elliot felt his stomach churn. The photo felt like a betrayal, as if everything he thought he knew about his family, about his father, was a lie.

But the thought of Lily, of what might have happened to her, pushed him forward. “How do we know for sure? Could this be fake?”

Vera shook her head. “I’ve been digging for years, Elliot. These photos come from a confidential government file—something that’s been buried. I don’t have all the answers, but I know your father was involved in these experiments. And Lily? She might have been one of the subjects.”

Elliot stood frozen, the weight of the discovery settling over him like a suffocating fog. His father’s involvement in something so monstrous—it was impossible to fathom. The kind of person he thought his father was, the loving, devoted parent, was slowly slipping away, replaced by something much darker.

Before he could speak again, the crunch of gravel underfoot interrupted them. Elliot spun around to find Sheriff Will Baker, his presence as imposing as ever.

The sheriff’s tall, weathered frame filled the entrance of the alleyway, his boots heavy against the ground. He wasn’t just any lawman; he was the sheriff of Harrison Creek, a man who knew the town’s pulse as well as anyone. But unlike others, Sheriff Baker carried an aura of quiet authority that seemed to demand respect, or at the very least, silence.

Vera stiffened beside him. She had grown up with the sheriff—he was her uncle, a fixture in her life. And despite his gruff exterior, she knew that beneath the badge was a man with his own secrets.

“I thought I might find you two here,” Sheriff Baker said, his voice low and gravelly. He eyed them with suspicion, his gaze lingering on the folder in Vera’s hand. “You two have been poking around, asking questions no one wants answered. This case… Lily’s case… it’s been closed for years.”

“We’re not just asking for the sake of asking, Sheriff,” Vera replied, her voice steely. “We’re trying to find out what really happened to Lily. You know more than you’re letting on.”

Sheriff Baker’s jaw clenched, and he looked away for a moment, as though wrestling with something deep inside. “I’ve been the sheriff here for a long time, Vera. And I’ve seen a lot of things, things that you wouldn’t believe if I told you.”

Elliot’s curiosity burned through the tension in the air. “What do you mean? What’s going on, Sheriff?”

Baker’s eyes met Elliot’s, and for the briefest moment, Elliot saw a flicker of something—regret, perhaps, or guilt—before it was quickly hidden behind the sheriff’s usual stoic expression.

“I promised someone a long time ago that I wouldn’t speak of it,” Sheriff Baker said, his voice low. “Lily Rose’s death—what happened to her—that’s not a story for the likes of you. Some things are better left buried.”

Elliot’s heart skipped a beat. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The sheriff knew something—something vital—and he was refusing to share it. Was he complicit in the cover-up? Or was he just trying to protect someone?

“Who did you promise?” Vera demanded, stepping forward, her voice firm. “Who are you protecting, Sheriff?”

But the sheriff didn’t answer. He only looked between them, as if weighing his words, before letting out a heavy sigh. “There’s more going on here than you think,” he said quietly. “But if you want to dig deeper, you’re going to have to do it without me. I can’t help you anymore.”

With that, Sheriff Baker turned and walked away, his boots echoing in the quiet of the street. Elliot and Vera were left standing in stunned silence, the weight of his words hanging heavily between them.

“What the hell was that about?” Elliot muttered, his mind racing.

Vera ran a hand through her hair, her face pale with the realization that their investigation had just taken a more dangerous turn. “We’re not going to get any answers from him. But that doesn’t mean we stop looking.”

Elliot nodded, his resolve hardening. The sheriff might have his secrets, but so did everyone else in this town. And they were going to uncover them—no matter the cost.

As they turned back towards the darkening streets, Elliot’s mind raced. If Sheriff Baker knew something, someone else had to. And he would stop at nothing to uncover the truth