Glass Town

by Steven Savile

  “I can imagine,” Rosie Raines said. Of course she could, he was describing her life.

  “If I’m honest, it gets so lonely,” he said, again that grain of truth as he thought about Glass Town, about the year he’d spent trying to convince Eleanor Raines to love him like he loved her, and how all of that time together just left him feeling lonelier than he ever had before. But she didn’t love him. She didn’t even like him. That made Glass Town his prison as much as it was hers. He’d thought about killing her not so long ago, and had come close to doing just that. If he couldn’t have her, then no one would. But, when it came right down to it he couldn’t bring himself to do it. That was when he’d left her to rot. He’d always known there was a weakness in Damiola’s design—a crack where one of the lenses was flawed that allowed him to slip in and out of that place. It had happened twenty years after they had disappeared, a Luftwaffe bomb hit the street and tore away one side of the building. It was a miracle the glass had survived at all.

  He could have killed her and walked away, into the twenty-first century and no one would have been any the wiser. It was a case of be careful what you wish for. Given his time again, he’d even come to think he’d swap places with Isaiah; let his brother have the girl after he’d used her up. There were always prettier girls. There were always more willing women. He had money, he had power; he could have anything he wanted in this place. It didn’t have to be Eleanor Raines. So what had made him do it then? He thought, looking at the woman across from him. He could have her, if the whim took him. She wouldn’t fight much, and the fighting only added to the thrill as far as he was concerned. So why Eleanor? The answer was simple: She was in love with his brother. His brother didn’t get to win.

  He breathed deeply, needing to bring his focus back to the here and now before the bitterness and anger slipped through. “And suddenly I find I’ve got a whole new family I’d never heard of? It’s like getting a second chance at life, Rosie. Maybe that’s a bit melodramatic, but I’m sure you know what I mean. Look at us sitting here having a nice chat, me and my new … aunt? I guess that’s right. It’s really something, isn’t it?”

  She smiled at that. “It is,” she agreed.

  “Did you know about me?” Seth asked, wondering if she would admit it even if she had.

  She raised her cup to her lips again, taking another sip before answering. “Not really. You have to remember I married into the family. I’m not a Raines by birth; not like Josh or Barclay. I never knew Katherine; she was already dead before I met her son. There was only ever Boone, and he didn’t talk much about the past. Barclay certainly didn’t. I don’t know what had happened between them, but he hated anything to do with the family.”

  Seth resisted the temptation to say that he’d been there the day her husband died, in that little tobacconists, or that he’d brought to life the kid, just like the Comedians, and made sure the knife was rammed home before he allowed the demon to fade. The old grudges ran deep. He’d thought he was ending Isaiah’s line at the time. He’d made a mistake. He wouldn’t make another one.

  He leaned forward in his seat, hands cupped around the warmth of the bone china. “I want to know everything about you guys. Josh, his sister. I don’t suppose you’ve got any old home movies or anything?”

  “Oh, there’s a few, on tape somewhere, I’ll see if I can rustle something up for you to have a look at.”

  “That would be wonderful,” Seth said.

  “You can’t have had it easy growing up,” Rosie said.

  He barked out a sharp, bitter laugh at that. “You could say that. It was certainly an experience. The kind of stuff happening around me as I grew up, the people and the way they were all so afraid of the old man, it colors how you see the world. You start to think you’re untouchable. That violence and crime is a genuine answer. People look at you differently, too. They’re frightened of you because of your name.”

  “I can only begin to imagine, but I liked what your grandfather said at the funeral, about the past being dead, wiping the slate clean, about you boys finding each other and starting again. Family’s important.”

  “It’s everything,” Seth agreed. “What time did you say Josh was getting home?”

  “I didn’t. I never know whether he’s coming or going these days. He’s hardly here. After the funeral … I thought he’d done something stupid, he loved that old bugger like a dad, and finding him at the bottom of the stairs like that…” she shook her head.

  Seth resisted the temptation to say he would have willingly swapped places or how much he would have enjoyed seeing the old man broken at the bottom of the stairs, one less of his brother’s bastard line in the world. Instead he said, “I was really hoping I’d get to talk to him. I don’t suppose you have his mobile number to hand? Maybe we could call him, let him know I’m here? I’m sure he’d come running if he knew I was.”

  “Oh, yes, of course, it’s programmed into the phone. I never remember any numbers these days. Not like when I was younger and you knew maybe a dozen off by heart. Funny how times change, isn’t it? We’d be lost without things like speed dial.”

  Seth smiled. “Would you mind?”

  “Of course not. You boys should get to know each other. Would you like a top-up?”

  “I’m good,” Seth said. He hadn’t taken a single sip from his cup. “But if you could find those old tapes while we’re chatting, that would be great.” Rosie offered no indication she’d caught the impatience in his tone, but he was going to have to be more careful if he wanted this to work. He offered that salesman’s smile again as she picked up the old plastic phone’s receiver and pressed the top button—speed dial 1, making the call to the most important person in her life. The little things you learned about someone just from being observant. Josh came before his sister, Alexandra. It didn’t say Lexy. It was her full name. His wasn’t. Good to know.

  Rosie stood while she waited for the call to connect, whispering “Come on, come on,” into the plastic mouthpiece, then smiled as Josh obviously picked up.

  “Hello, love. Yes, no, everything’s fine,” she said. “Just wondering where you are? Ah, there’s someone here who wants to talk to you, hold on love, I’ll hand you over.”

  Seth reached out for the receiver. “Hello, Josh, Cousin Seth here. I’ve been really looking forward to talking to you.”

  “What the fucking fuck are you doing in my house?”

  “I’ve just been having a pleasant chat with your mum, Cuz. She’s truly delightful. I envy you.”

  “What do you want?”

  “I was hoping you’d be here.”

  “If you hurt her, I’ll—”

  “Don’t be silly, it’s fine. It’s hardly a wasted journey. I’ve seen where you grew up, seen a few family photos,” he looked over at the mantelpiece where the three generations of Raines men stared back at him. “I’ve enjoyed myself, and I think Rosie has, too. We’ve bonded over stories of how hopeless our generation is when it comes to matters of the heart.”

  “What do you want, Seth?”

  “I hope what you’re doing isn’t too important for you to take some time out. I think you and I should have a sit-down. Like I said at the wake, we really should get to know each other better.”

  “I don’t need to know you better. I know exactly who you are, Seth. I know what you’ve done. How you betrayed your brother, how you kidnapped Eleanor. I know all about Glass Town.”

  “Do you now?”

  “I found the magician, Seth. Think about that for a moment. He told me how to hurt you. I can end this.”

  “You don’t want to do that,” Seth said, choosing his words carefully. He kept that salesman’s smile on his lips as he leaned back in the chair, projecting an image of easy conviviality. “That’s too much, really. A simple get-together at the pub would suffice. You know the place, The Hunter’s Horns, on the edge of the estate. I can be there in a few minutes if you want?”

  “It’s not happ
ening, Seth. Not in a million years.”

  “I’ll be there for a few hours. If you can make it, it would be really great to see you. After all, we’re family. You’ve got to look after your own.”

  “I swear, you raise a finger to her, to either of them, and—”

  “You kill me, Cuz. You’re a funny, funny guy. I didn’t expect that, but you need a sense of humor at a time like this. It’s a good quality to have. I’m really looking forward to getting to know you better. I think we’re going to be the best of friends.”

  “You don’t frighten me, Seth.”

  “I should. It’s good that your mum’s so close. Just around the corner. I can pop by any time to say hi. She’s promised to sort some old family movies out for me so we can have a good old reminisce together,” he looked at her for confirmation that she was indeed going to sort the tapes out. She was already on her knees in front of the big old dresser rooting through the labels of dozens of VHS cassettes looking for the past.

  “You’re welcome anytime,” she said over her shoulder, just loudly enough for her voice to carry down the line to Josh.

  “Well, then, there we have it, a standing invite,” Seth said, all smiles.

  “Fuck you.”

  “All you have to do is stop what you are doing for a little while. That’s not such a lot to ask, is it? We really should raise a glass to the old man; send him off in style. My treat, Cuz. What do you say? Clean slate? Come around to the family place. The way I see it, it’s as much your inheritance as it is mine. The sins of the past don’t belong to us. We’ve got a chance to be different. Blood. That’s my sales pitch,” he smiled at Rosie, who nodded encouragingly.

  “She begged me to save her from you. That’s how much she hates you, Seth. She wants out of the prison you made for her, and I’m going to get her out. I know what I have to do. I know how to stop you.”

  “There’s something you really need to know about me, Josh, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my family and the people I love. Nothing. I really am looking forward to seeing you again. I think we understand each other.”

  39

  POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES

  “Jesus fucking fuck.”

  “What? What is it?”

  “He’s in my fucking house. Jesus fuck, Julie, he sat there beside my mum, taunting me. Fuck. Fuck. Just … fuck.”

  “Slow down,” Julie said. “What did he say to you?”

  “He told me I should be frightened of him…”

  “You should be. I am. Anyone in his right mind would be.”

  “He’s not going to win, Julie. He’s not. We’ve got to stop him.”

  Julie looked at his watch. “Listen to me, Josh. You need to stay calm. Okay?” He put his hands on Josh’s shoulders and forced him to look him in the eye. “What is this about?” He didn’t let Josh answer. “Eleanor Raines. That hasn’t changed. Nothing has actually changed, has it? No, that’s not true, one thing has changed: you know how to beat him. Right?”

  Josh nodded, but it was obvious he was fighting every instinct to head for the stairs and race all the way back to the Rothery, playing right into Seth’s hands.

  “You still know how to beat him, don’t you?”

  Josh nodded again.

  “Right, so nothing has really changed. You still hold the same hand you did before you picked up the phone. He’s trying to call your bluff.”

  “He’s in my house,” Josh repeated, as if he could make Julie understand the implications of what that meant by sheer force of will.

  “I get it. I do. I know what you’re dealing with better than anyone, remember? He killed my partner. I know exactly what he’s capable of. But I’ve put my faith in you. I need you to come through. Otherwise, to be blunt, I’m fucked. So get a grip. What did he want?”

  “To frighten me.”

  “Right, but what did he say? You asked him a couple of times, what did he say?”

  “That he thought I’d be there. That we should take time out; sit down together. He wants me to go to his family’s pub, The Hunter’s Horns.”

  “You don’t want to do that.”

  “No shit.”

  “No, I mean if you’re going to meet him, it should be neutral ground, not walking into the belly of the beast. You don’t stand a chance on their turf. You’ve got to be clever about this.”

  “I know exactly what I’ve got to do; I’ve got to destroy the anchors Damiola put in place. Shatter them and bring the curtain crashing down on Seth Lockwood once and for all.”

  “It sounds easy when you put it like that,” Julie said. “Look, do me a favor, hold fire a couple of minutes, I’m desperate for a piss. Point me in the direction of the bathroom, then we’ll head out and do some shattering.”

  “Through that way,” Josh pointed.

  Julie locked himself in the bathroom, then opened the window. He took his phone from his pocket and dialed the number Seth had put in his contact list. It was picked up on the first ring.

  “Julie, Julie, Julie. I hope you’re calling with good news?”

  “I’m with him now,” Julie whispered, leaning his head out of the window so the wind could blow away his words. It wasn’t foolproof, but he needed to get a message to Lockwood without tipping Josh Raines off to the fact that he was playing both sides against the middle. “He’s coming for you.”

  “Good. Let him come. I’m ready. I’ll rip his fucking balls off and make yo-yos out of them.”

  “He reckons he knows how to beat you,” Julie hesitated, not sure he really wanted to throw his lot in with Lockwood. The silence on the other end of the line was expectant. He seriously thought about hanging up, flushing the toilet, and heading out of the flat, out of the city, and then ultimately out of the country. It was a big world. It might all be connected, but you could still disappear if you were willing to forego certain creature comforts. “He said he’s going to destroy the anchors. I don’t know what that means, but he seems pretty sure it’ll fuck you up.”

  “That can’t happen, Julie. I’m putting my trust in you now. I need you to handle it. Look after me and I’ll look after you; that’s how this arrangement of ours works. And remember, I know where the bodies are buried. Well, the body, at any rate. Don’t disappoint me. When you know which anchor he intends to target, send word. I’ll do the rest.” Seth killed the call.

  Julie slipped his phone back into his pocket, and then closed the window.

  He flushed the toilet and ran the taps before he unlocked the bathroom door.

  Josh waited for him at the top of the staircase; no sign that he’d heard the hushed conversation.

  “Okay, where are we going?”

  “Two choices, an abandoned church, or an abandoned cinema; the others are too public.”

  “I’m not a particularly religious guy,” Julie said.

  “And the lens setup is probably easier to find in a cinema,” Josh mused. “Given there’s a whole projection room filled with the kind of equipment Damiola would have used.”

  “Makes sense. And it seems fitting, you know, looking for a lost actress in an abandoned cinema. There’s something right about it. Where’s the cinema?”

  “It’s the old one on Latimer Road.”

  “I know it,” Julie said. Too well, Julie thought, remembering vividly what had happened the last time he’d set foot in the place. He had no intention of going back there. At the very least Taff’s blood was still on the floorboards; at the very worst the woman was still there. “But, you know, there’s a lot to be said for an abandoned church, including the whole having fallen out of favor with God thing. Think about it, if you were Lockwood, where would you expect you to go? The cinema, right? Everything about this revolves around movies: Hitchcock’s lost film, an actress that disappeared right off the set, even the place, what did you call it, Glass Town? Used to be a film studio, our failed attempt at a Hollywood. So if I were him, I’d be expecting you to go to the old Latimer Road cinema. I vote for the ch
urch. Try and blindside him. Any advantage we can get, right?” He hoped he’d sold it hard enough without overselling it. He didn’t want Josh thinking he was trying to steer him away from the cinema for any reason other than that it made sense to try and outthink Lockwood and exploit any slight advantage they could maneuver.

  He willed Josh to say they were going to the church.

  “Makes sense,” his unsuspecting partner agreed.

  “I’m driving,” Julie said, heading for the door.

  “You don’t know where you’re going,” Josh called, heading down after him.

  “That’s why you’re navigating.”

  He popped the lock so that Josh could clamber in, and in those few seconds took his phone out to text a single word to Seth: church. He couldn’t be more specific than that, both because of the time it took to type out even a short message and because he didn’t actually know which church was their destination. Seth would, though. He slipped the phone back into his pocket and got in.

  “What were you doing out there?” Josh asked, as he got in beside the wheel.

  “Just checking in to see there were no messages from the station. I’m supposed to be on duty in an hour, but that’s not happening. Obviously.”

  They drove a while in silence, both men wrapped up in their own thoughts. Julie followed the occasional left, right instructions, resisting the temptation to point out it would be much easier if Josh just told him where they were going. He tried to picture the map scorched into the floorboards and work out where the church was based on their current route, but his mind didn’t work that way. He envied the cabbies who, armed with The Knowledge, could plot the fastest path between any two points in the city unerringly, taking into account traffic flow and congestion. He could barely manage to find his way through some of the backstreets around the Rothery and he’d been driving them for the best part of a year.