Breach of Faith

by Andrea Hughes

  Mum gasped, “Will did that?”

  “Frank told him to stop but he wouldn’t let go.” The frustration had left me tired and breathless as I looked imploringly at my mother. “He was so angry, mum. I’ve never seen Will like that before, he scared me.”

  “What happened next?”

  “Frank said something to him, told him to leave me alone I think.” I sat down suddenly on the chair. The telephone was digging into my buttock but I didn’t care. “Will pushed me, hard, and attacked Frank. I stumbled and fell; banged my head on a rock.” I rubbed absently at the colourful injury on my forehead. “So you see, it wasn’t Frank’s fault. It wasn’t even Will’s fault, not really, he just … lost it.” I yawned and picked up my cup again, “how long before you spoke to Frank did Will call?”

  “Not long; half an hour, maybe. He said he’d come straight from the hospital.”

  As groggy as I was, my mother’s words took a few seconds to register and I looked at her in surprise. “He came here?”

  Mum nodded, “he said you’d asked him to come. He’d been due to visit the kids today, anyway, hadn’t he?”

  “He looked a bit the worse for wear,” added Dad, frowning. “Tired and bleary as if he hadn’t slept a wink. I wasn’t sure whether he was capable of looking after them, the state he was in.”

  A sinking feeling tugged at my stomach. I peered out through the lounge room door; the rest of the house was quiet, too quiet. I looked back at my mother. “Where are they?” I asked, already dreading her answer, “Kensie and Tom? I thought they’d be desperate to see me. Are they asleep?”

  Mum glanced at Dad. “What do you mean, where are they? Will’s got them.”

  I dragged myself painfully to my feet, the blood draining from my face leaving my skin feeling tight and cold. I felt the tea cup fall from my nerveless fingers, powerless to stop it.

  Obviously concerned, Mum got up too, taking my cold fingers in her own. “He said you’d asked him to come and get them, look after them while you were in hospital. He picked them up a few hours ago.”

  “But he’s lost it. He’s furious, not thinking straight. Where’s he gone?”

  “Kate, he’s their father, I’m sure they’ll be okay.”

  Dad stood up and patted my shoulder. “It’s just a misunderstanding, love. Are you sure you didn’t say something to him when you were in hospital? To make him think you wanted him to take the kids? You have had a bit of a knock on the head.”

  I rounded on my father. “He didn’t even come to the hospital,” I cried. “I haven’t seen him since the beach.” I turned to my mother, “he hurt me, mum. What if he hurts them too? Where has he taken my kids?”

  Chapter thirty three

  5 January

  I flung the telephone onto the lounge feeling helpless and impotent.

  “What did they say, love?”

  I grimaced at my father, “they said there’s nothing they can do because the kids have only been missing for a few hours and it was their father that took them. I couldn’t even tell them where he’s staying because I never even thought to ask him.”

  Dad groaned. “Maybe he mentioned something to your mother.”

  I felt glum. Last week I’d never have believed Will capable of hurting anyone; Will wouldn’t hurt a fly. But the last couple of days had changed everything. First of all, the incident here yesterday, threatening my baby; just the thought made my shiver. Then the aggression towards Frank. His anger was justified, but a punch-up on an international flight? I shook my head; what was he thinking?

  Not to mention the situation on the beach, I rubbed absently at the bruises on my arm. There had been a look in his eyes, a look that was more than just anger or hate. Maybe it had been gone almost as soon as it had appeared but the momentary insanity had scared me.

  Dad pulled a face, “I did tell you, didn’t I? I told you that the police wouldn’t do anything about the kids. After all he has rights.”

  I scowled, “well, thanks, dad. I’m sure that saying I told you so is really helpful. Wow, I feel so much better now.”

  “There’s no need to be sarcastic, I was only trying to help.”

  I gave my father an apologetic half smile, “I know, I’m just worried. I’ll go and quiz mum again. See if she remembers anything else.”

  As I wandered into the kitchen feeling deflated, Mum was putting the final touches to yet another pot of tea. If in doubt, put the kettle on; that was my mother’s mantra. She swore by the healing properties of tea.

  “What did the police say?”

  I shrugged, “not a lot. Nothing they can do.”

  Mum took my hand, squeezing my fingers. “I’m sorry, Kate. I should have checked with you before letting him take the kids. I just assumed –”

  I held up my hand and shook my head, “it’s not your fault, mum. I’m sure they’ll be all right, he’s their father and he loves them. It’s just that he’s been acting so erratically… no, he wouldn’t hurt them, I’m sure of it. I just wish I knew where they were.”

  Mum passed me a pity cuppa. “I know you’re worried about Kensie and Tom but I’m sure they’ll be okay. You have to think of yourself and the baby, stress isn’t good for you.”

  Suddenly, I had a brainwave. Why hadn’t I thought of this earlier? “Maybe Frank knows.”

  Mum frowned, “knows what?”

  I ran out of the kitchen, the cup of tea forgotten. “He sat beside Will on the plane. He might know where Will’s staying.”

  Snatching up the telephone, I called the Towers Hotel. With fingers and toes crossed I waited for my call to be connected to Frank’s room.

  “Hello?”

  He sounded tired and I bit my lip. I really didn’t want to dump yet another problem on his plate but I knew he’d want to help. He’d do anything for me and for that I’d be eternally grateful. I pointedly ignored my father’s accusatory glare and with a sulky grunt he left me alone. Even after everything I’d told him, he still didn’t approve of Frank’s involvement in my life but right now, I couldn’t care. All I cared about were Kensie and Tom, and my father’s sensibilities would just have to wait.

  “Frank it’s Kate.”

  “Kate? What’s up? You told me you were going to sleep for a week.”

  “I know but I need your help. Do you know where Will’s staying?”

  “Will?” Frank sounded disappointed but resigned. “Why?”

  In brief sentences I filled Frank in on the recent happenings, “… and I just want to know they are okay,” I finished.

  Frank was silent for a moment. “I’m sure he didn’t say anything while we were on the plane but … he had a couple of brochures and one caught my eye because it was bright pink, you know, almost fluorescent. It was for some kind of hotel because at the top of the brochure it said rooms were one hundred and forty pounds a night and I remember thinking that I wish my room had cost one hundred and forty a night, instead of almost twice that much.”

  I felt my face redden with hot blood. My God, he’ll send himself broke if he stays there much longer.

  “Anyway,” Frank continued, “I didn’t notice the name of the place, I think I was still reeling from the shock of all that fluorescent pink, but I did get the impression that this hotel was heavily into fluoro colours.”

  “I don’t know much about the hotels around here but mum might,” I replied thoughtfully. “I’m sure a place like that would stick out like a sore thumb. Thank you so much, Frank.”

  “My pleasure. Kate, you are looking after yourself aren’t you?”

  “I’ll be much better once I find Kensie and Tom. Don’t worry,” I promised, “I won’t do anything to hurt our baby. Frank, I have to go –”

  “Wait! I’m coming over there.”

  I grimaced as I imagined my father’s reaction when the real-life, flesh and bones Frank turned up on his doorstep. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

  “I don’t care. I’ll be there soon so don’t go
anywhere without me.” And with that, the line went dead.

  Striding briskly back through the house, I finally found my parents hidden away in their office. “Fluoro!” I announced, slamming into the room.

  Mum looked up, startled, and dropped the pile of papers she was holding. White sheets fluttered everywhere and Dad ran to help her pick them up. “Fluoro what?”

  I briefly explained what Frank had told me.

  Still looking miffed, Dad put the pile of papers onto the table. “Doesn’t ring a bell,” he muttered, “are you sure this man knows what he’s talking about?”

  “Yes,” I replied shortly, “mum, what about you?”

  Mum looked thoughtful then turned and started flicking through the pages of the local newspaper.

  I peered over her shoulder, “what is it, mum?”

  Reaching the final page, Mum pushed the newspaper away and grabbed the weekend feature magazine, thumbing through the pages once more.

  “Mum?”

  “There!”

  Moving beside my mother, I looked at the page. “New hotel doing roaring trade,” I read. “In the centre of town, opposite the pier stands a nondescript, drab building. Built in the nineteen forties, this structure was once described by the Prince of Wales as the ugliest in town. How things change.” Skimming quickly through the article, reading under my breath, I came to the paragraph my mother had obviously been thinking of. I read it out loud.

  “A lick of whitewash on the exterior of the building has turned a one-time eyesore into an attractive addition to our historic town, turning frowns into smiles and creating yet another high class establishment, perfect for the upcoming tourist season. But that’s not all. Step inside this once crumbly, run-down structure and a veritable smorgasbord of colour will entertain you. Designers, decorators and owners have gone all out to create an experience worthy of rivalling those seen in the psychodelic sixties. Pinks, yellows and purples dominate this surreal interior, interspersed with a splash of orange and red. Not a dull wall to be seen.”

  I turned excitedly to my mother, “this has got to be it. Who else would have a fluorescent pink brochure.”

  Reaching across, Mum flicked over the page to reveal a photograph of the interior of the hotel.

  “Bloody hell,” I took a step back and squinted at the picture. “They weren’t exaggerating, were they.”

  Dad grunted, “hope Will brought his sunglasses.”

  I snorted in amusement, “I’ll go and give them a call. I’ve got a good feeling about this.” I felt my muscles begin to relax. It had been a big day, long and tough.

  Thank God it was all about to come to an end; I was going to find my children. And Will had one hell of a lot of explaining to do.

  Chapter thirty four

  5 January

  I leaned back in the chair, eyes closed, breathing deeply and steadily. In through the nose, out through the mouth, or should that be in through the mouth and out through the nose? What did it matter? It wasn’t bloody working.

  I am not relaxed.

  Opening my eyes, I punched down hard on a cushion; again and again; punching my damn husband; bloodying his nose, blackening his eyes? Maybe I was hitting him where it really hurt; rendering him infertile. Right now I didn’t care. A movement caught my eye and I glanced up, mid-punch to see Mum standing in the doorway, “not good news then?”

  I scowled. “He’d been staying there, but he’s checked out. I missed him by that much.” I held finger and thumb a millimetre apart in illustration.

  “Were the kids with him?”

  “Receptionist said he went straight to his room, came back down five minutes later with his bags, threw her the key-card and ran out. He had a rental car so he could have left them in there while he packed.”

  Mum nodded. “So, what now? Where would he take them?”

  “Beats me.” I was seriously frustrated now. “I tried calling the airline but they couldn’t tell me anything.”

  “The airline? Why?”

  I looked up at my mother, tears threatening. “He might take them away, mum. He might take them back to Australia; without me.”

  Just then the doorbell rang and I sprung to my feet, pushing past my mother in my urgency. “Maybe that’s him now.” I flung the door open. “Where the bloody hell have you been?”

  “I got here as quickly as I could.”

  “Frank.” I could sense my mother behind me and took a deep breath, pulling Frank through the door. I hadn’t realised before just how much I was beginning to rely on him; his strength and perseverance, his calmness and solicitude. His love. The disappointment of not being greeted by two happy little faces was almost overshadowed by the enormous relief I felt at seeing Frank’s face

  “Heard from them?”

  I shook my head, fighting back tears. “I found the hotel from the information you gave me but he’d already checked out.”

  “Damn.”

  “So I tried the airline. I thought he might be trying to take them back to Australia.”

  “And?”

  “Passenger confidentiality,” I sneered. “They wouldn’t tell me anything. Not even general information on whether he’d tried to change his ticket.”

  A small sound came from behind and I turned to find Mum waiting patiently, an expectant look on her face.

  “Oh, mum. Of course, um, this …” I waved vaguely in Frank’s direction, “is my friend Frank.”

  “I gathered that.” Mum inspected Frank closely, taking in the bruised face and casual but smart clothes. I could see my mother’s mind ticking over, putting two and two together. “I see you’ve met Will.”

  Frank nodded sheepishly and fingered one of the bruises. “Twice. It’s nice to meet you Mrs –”

  “Call me Gwen.” She turned back to me, “I’ll tell your father we have a visitor.”

  I pulled Frank into the sitting room, closing the door behind us. “I should warn you, my father isn’t particularly impressed with you, I’m not sure how he’ll react knowing you’re here. He’s not a violent man –”

  “Thank God for small mercies,” Frank smiled faintly.

  I frowned at his flippancy, “—but he’s not happy about you being the father of my baby and blames you much more than he blames me.”

  “That’s understandable; you’re his daughter.” Frank reached out and grasped my hands. “Don’t worry, best behaviour and no more fighting. I’m here to help and I’m sure he’ll appreciate that.”

  I was unconvinced. “We’ll see.”

  Letting go of my hands, Frank sat down on the lounge, patting the cushion beside him, “tell me where you’re up to.”

  I sat. “There’s not much more to tell. The hotel were as helpful as they could be but they had no idea where he was going. The airline couldn’t tell me anything at all, even when I said he’d taken the children, they said to call the police. Frank, I’m probably over-reacting but his behaviour’s been so erratic recently, he’s scaring me.”

  Frank thought for a moment, “well, has he got their passports?”

  I stared at him in amazement then banged my palm against my forehead. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

  At that moment, a large tray of steaming cups and a plate of biscuits preceded my mum into the room and Frank took the tray, depositing it on a nearby table, while I filled my mother in. “I unpacked all the bags when we got here and put them away. I kept my passport in my handbag just in case, but I knew I wouldn’t need theirs so I hid them in their little travel bag. They’re safe.”

  “Kate?” Mum frowned, “is it the little blue backpack you’re talking about?”

  “Yes.”

  “The one with the dolphin on the front?”

  “What is it, mum?” But I had a sneaking suspicion I knew exactly what my mother was about to tell me.

  Mum took a sip of her tea. “When Will came over earlier on and said you’d asked him to take the kids for a while he went and got some bits and bobs from their
room. He came back down with that bag.”

  “Are you sure?” I jumped up and ran out, almost knocking Dad over on the way.

  “Where’s the fire, love?”

  I heard my father but ignored him, intent on my mission. In the children’s room I pulled open the door of the wardrobe and stared inside. The bag had gone. Wandering back down the stairs, I could hear my father’s angry voice and I jumped down the last couple of steps, reaching him in record time.

  “I think you should go.” Dad had his back to me, his aggressive stance saying more than words as he faced up to Frank.

  “I just want to help my friend.”

  “She doesn’t need your help, it’s her family she needs right now.” Dad’s voice was full of restrained anger. “I think you’ve already done enough, don’t you?”

  Dad took a step towards Frank and I put my hand on my father’s arm. “Dad, please don’t.” I glanced at Frank, “I need him here, dad.”

  Motionless, Dad stared pointedly at Frank. I held my breath; what was he going to do?

  Without warning, he shook my hand off his sleeve, turned abruptly and left the room followed resignedly by Mum. “I’ll see to him,” she said quietly, patting my shoulder, and flicking an apologetic smile at Frank.

  “I’m sorry, Kate, maybe I shouldn’t have come.”

  I gazed at Frank, “I’m glad you came,” I whispered and gave him a fierce hug. “He’s got their passports,” my voice was muffled in his jacket, “I don’t know what to do now?”

  *

  Silently, I watched while Frank dialled the number, waiting impatiently when he announced he was in the queue. Time seemed to stand still, the second hand on my watch creeping desperately slowly around the face. Mother’s intuition was screaming that the kids were safe and happy with their dad, so why did I feel so wretched. I knew I was being emotionally irrational, and the pregnancy wasn’t entirely to blame. Suddenly a change in Frank’s stance signified something was happening.

  “It’s show time,” he muttered, putting on his brightest face. “Good afternoon … Beatrice, was it? Beatrice, my name is Davis, John Davis. I need to get an urgent message to one of your passengers, name of Robson, William Robson; he’s travelling on flight number … oh, hold on a moment, I have it here somewhere …”