by Ford, Mia
16
Jayden
“Okay, so I’m going to go and see my dad,” Savannah says determinedly. “I’m going to stand up to him this time and ask him once and for all what the hell is going on. He must know something.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” I reach out my hand to hold hers but I snatch it away at the last moment. I don’t know if we’re going to be telling people what happened between us yet, not even our best friends. I haven’t forgotten that she’s married! I do feel bad about it, but I find her so utterly irresistible. “To speak to him, I mean?”
“No, not at all. I want to do this alone.” She gives me a reassuring smile. “Plus, you and Tommy have a job of your own anyway, don’t you? You need to go and check with Hank Fry today, find out what he’s done.”
I nod slowly, still not sure what we’re going to find out when we go to Hank’s. I have no idea what sort of man he is, how he’s going to react when me and Tommy turn up, what we’ll find… but we have to try.
“Yeah, of course. But I’m concerned about you. I want you to be okay…”
I don’t know much about her father, but the last time he was in the frame I lost her. I’ve only just gotten a small piece of her back. I can’t stand to say goodbye to her again. I’m frightened for the both of us.
“So, Savannah, you will be with your father. Tommy and Jayden, you will be with Hank sorting that little asshole out.” Pippa dares us all to defy what she’s said about Hank, but none of us do. “And I’ll be at work. Luckily, I have a job where I can do some research myself. There might be some stuff in the old files.”
We’ve all agreed that this is leading up to something fishy and we need to know what. There are some odd little clues that don’t fit together at all right now, but we’re all hoping that they will soon enough.
“Let’s have a productive day,” Pippa says like it’s a motivational meeting. “And meet back here tonight.”
“We’ll give you a ride,” Tommy says to Pippa. “Since you don’t have your own car here.”
“Oh, great. Then I can point out the house which I’m pretty sure is Hank’s too.”
“Perfect.” Tommy rises to his feet and indicates outside to Pippa. “Let’s get ready.”
I know that I don’t have much time now they’re gone, so I take advantage of the few moments we have left. I cup my hands around Savannah’s cheeks and I gently place a kiss on her lips.
“You take care of yourself today,” I warn her. “I’m going to be worried about you all day long.”
She lightly drags her finger down my cheek and smiles. “I’ll be fine. You be careful too. Today we’re going to have some more answers, so I’m not worried at all. I’m just happy that things are moving forward.”
“Right, I have to go.” I move backwards away from her, already hating the distance. “I’ll see you later.”
I feel bad as I turn to leave, but this is a necessary evil today. I’m very uncomfortable leaving her alone for even a minute, but I cannot be controlling. She knows what she wants and she thinks this is best for her. I just hope she’s right. Tommy doesn’t think Bryan will find out that she’s left the institution for a while, and while I fear he might be wrong since this whole city seems to be run by Bryan, he did get her out so I have to trust.
I let Pippa and Tommy do all the talking as we head towards the city center. I barely even listen to what they’re saying. I’m locked inside my brain, silently praying that this all ends okay. I’m also thinking a lot about Savannah and what happened last night. She was beautiful, stunning, amazing, and she did promise me that she was in her right mind. I’m going to have to trust her, I don’t have any choice in the matter. It’s happened now.
Not only has it happened but it was everything I could have dreamed of and more. Having sex with her was something so intense, so wonderful, it made my head spin. It was a better experience than anything I’ve ever had before and I know it’ll never be like that again. What I don’t know is where it will lead.
“Right.” Pippa leans across the seats and points. “That’s the house there. The one with the red door.” She leans back and opens her door. “And my work is within walking distance so I’ll get out here.”
Before either of us can protest, Pippa slides out of the car and goes. The more separated our group becomes, the more nervous that makes me. I’m scared of Bryan finding one of us while we’re alone.
“Right, I suppose we better find a parking space then.” Tommy’s tone is as grim as I feel. “Get this over and done with.” He leans forward to look at the door. “I don’t know about you but I’m not looking forward to this.”
“No.” I unclick my seatbelt as he pulls up. “But we have to do it, don’t we?”
We walk with determination, stepping in unison as if we’re vigilantes. I’m sure everyone must be looking at us as if we’re crazed lunatics, but I keep my eyes fixed on the door. It’s my goal. I need to get there now.
Bang, bang, bang.
“Knocking loud enough?” Tommy sneers. “You’re going to have to calm it down if you don’t want to freak him out…” He trails off as the door swings open and a very elderly man is on the other side. “Erm…”
Shit, I’m starting to see that he might be right. I might have come in a bit hot and heavy then.
“Are you Hank Fry?” I ask in a softer tone. “Because we’d like to have a word with you.”
“No. Not me.” He points to the left. “He lives there. Tell him to keep his music down too. This is an apartment block not a rave. He and his friends are a bunch of idiots. I’m absolutely sick of listening to it.”
Me and Tommy share a look. Now this is starting to sound more like the person we’re looking for. Someone with no consideration for others. Someone who could be manipulated into doing something awful.
“Right thank you.” I step away. “Sorry that we disturbed you. Have a nice day.”
We make our way over to Hank’s actual house without saying a word to one another. I think Tommy must be as lost in his own worries as I am mine. This isn’t right, I don’t know how it’s going to end up.
This time, I press the door bell, once and not hard, I don’t want to go in all heavy-handed again because it didn’t exactly work out last time and now I’ve had a moment to work out this might not all be simple.
The door swings open and his time it’s a younger guy, one who’s probably in his early twenties with baggy sweat pants on and a beanie hat pulled down almost over his eyes. He runs his eyes up and down us.
“Yeah?” he demands. “What do you want this early in the morning?”
“We, er, just wanted to talk to you actually. Hank Fry.” He nods, confirming his identity. “About the black van that you left at the garage on the outskirts. You know the one I mean, right?”
His whole demeanor immediately changes. It’s obvious that this is something which freaks him out, to me this confirms that Savannah is definitely right. He did something bad with that van. He kidnapped her child.
“I, er, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He takes a step back but Tommy shoves his foot in the way to stop him from closing the door. “I don’t know anything about any van.”
I decide to use a bit of initiative to make him spill the beans. “I saw the paper work. It belonged to you, right?”
His cheeks stain red before he slumps his shoulders forward in defeat. “Oh right, that one, yeah well it didn’t work anymore so I decided to take it in. To get it crushed, you know. There was no point in keeping it.”
“Why didn’t it work? Was it, maybe, involved in a hit and run accident?”
“Are you cops? I’m not going to talk to you if you’re cops. I’ll be killed.”
“No, no.” I hold my hands up in a surrendering gesture. “We aren’t cops. Just concerned citizens.”
“Why are you concerned? Who the fuck sent you? Was it Billy fucking Rice?” I’ll be the one to kill him.”
�
�Billy Rice?” Inside, I note that other name down. “No, I don’t know him. I just want to know what happened.”
“I didn’t… I didn’t want to get involved in any of it. He and his brother, Shank, made me. They got me to get the van without really telling me about the stupid plan. I didn’t want to do it, even for the money…”
“Money?” My ears prick up. “What money? Were you being paid to do something bad?”
He rakes his fingers through his hair and blows out some air. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
He falls inside his house and I step in behind him. We’re getting somewhere here, figuring it out and I can’t let go of that now. Hank hasn’t said anything directly yet, aside from the two names, but I feel with a little bit of pushing we can get more out of him. Hank’s on the edge, ready to crack.
“Hank, we can help you here. That’s what we’re here for. To sort this mess out. It doesn’t matter what you did, you won’t be in any trouble, this isn’t us trying to get you in the shit here. We just want to know what happened.” He quivers, his whole body shaking. I need to push just a little bit more. “Did something happen involving a child? And I don’t really mean a hit and run because I think that we can both agree that didn’t happen, did it?” He shakes his head but says nothing. “I think what happened was more along the lines of a kidnap…”
His body relaxes, I think I’ve done it. I can almost feel the words about to roll off of his tongue and it fills me with relief, but then Tommy lets out a warning cough and Hank’s whole body demeanor changes. He freaks.
“No, stop it,” he screams while reaching into the waist band of his trousers. “I can’t fucking tell you anything and I think you know that. He’ll kill me, he will absolutely kill me. He’s a psycho.”
“If I say a name to you, and this is who you mean, will you nod?” He doesn’t do anything, so I carry on anyway. “Are we both talking about Bryan Janssen here? Is this the man who paid you?”
“No, no, no.” He yanks his hand out and a glint of metal catches my eye. He has a gun! Immediately, I take a step backwards and I hold my hands up defeated. “That’s right, you get out of here. I can’t fucking talk to you guys anymore. This is dangerous. In fact, I need to get out of here before you assholes get me killed.”
I fall out the door and continue moving towards the car with Tommy beside me.
“That was mental,” he mutters, sounding incredibly unimpressed. “What else are we going to find?”
“I don’t know,” I reply wryly. “But we have somewhere to start. Billy and ‘Shank’ Rice.”
“Yeah.” Tommy shakes his head. “Because they don’t sound like assholes at all!”
“I know, but we’re getting close. I can just feel it.”
17
Savannah
Discomfort circles me as I stand outside the door to my father’s home. It’s almost as if this isn’t the house I grew up in because I don’t really have any happy memories here. With my mom not around, I didn’t spend much time here at all because it never made me happy. It was more stressful than anything else. It feels the same now, I can almost feel the stress balling up around me, but unfortunately, this is something that I have to face.
Here goes nothing, I think to myself as I raise my fist. Time to face the music.
I hammer loudly, the noise ricocheting through my body, painfully aching all of my bones. I don’t know if I’m strong enough for this really, I never have had the full power around my father, but Peter’s life is at stake here. Peter, who is definitely alive, and now others are starting to see it too. I knew that my instincts were right. I can just feel that he’s still out there somewhere in the world. I just can’t wait to be back with him.
It takes a while, I actually have to knock again, but soon my dad comes to the door. His eyes widen with shock when he sees me. He actually turns an even funnier shade of pale. It’s clear he wasn’t expecting me which is fair because it isn’t exactly like I made a habit of visiting him all the time. I can’t remember the last time I came.
“Savannah?” His hand claps to his mouth in shock. “Oh, my goodness, what’s going on? Bryan said…”
“Let me guess, he told you that I was in an institution which is where I need to be?” I roll my eyes. “Well, as you can see, I’m out and I would appreciate it if you didn’t tell him. Can I come in, please?”
“Not tell him?” He stands in the way of the door frame, blocking me. “Why doesn’t Bryan need to know?”
“Because I haven’t told him yet. So, do you think I can come in so we can talk?”
“Bryan is your husband… why doesn’t he know that you’re out of treatment?”
“He’s my husband, not my keeper. I can do what I damn well please. Can I come in now?”
As I speak about Bryan as my husband, a little bit of guilt floods me. But not much. I don’t feel so bad about it because he isn’t exactly a great man to me. If he hasn’t taken our wedding vows seriously, then why do I need to? In my mind, we’re spilt up anyway. There’s no chance of me going back to him no matter what happens with Jayden. I’m done. Ever since he’s scared me I know that I can’t be near him again.
“Don’t forget that I’m the one who’s your daughter. You should be on my side.”
Those words seem to be key and he steps aside to let me in. I push past him and wander down the hallway, ignoring all the fake happy family pictures as I go. That couldn’t be further from the truth these days so I don’t want to acknowledge that it ever was that way or that it’s just an act. I’m only here for one reason.
I move all the way into the living room and take a seat on the couch. I inhale deeply, trying to find a familiar scent, but there’s nothing about this house that feels like I was ever here anymore. It’s a stranger’s home.
“So, Savannah.” Dad perches on the edge of his chair and twirls his hands nervously. “What’s happening here? The last I heard was that you were getting help because of what’s going on with Peter, and believe me everyone understands that… well, you know, it damaged you. We would all feel the same way as you…”
“Did you go to Peter’s funeral while I was in the hospital?” I interrupt and demand. “Did you see him?”
His eyes dart everywhere. It’s as if he can’t even look at me which only confirms his guilt to me. I knew it. Whatever the hell all of this is, he’s been in on it from the start. That could be why he wanted me to marry Bryan in the first place. It’s all been some very big, convoluted thing that I need to begin unravelling.
“I did go to the funeral.” He gulps and nods. “Bryan only did what he thought was right by doing it quick…”
“You liar.” I bang my fists down, grabbing my father’s attention. “You liar. He isn’t dead.”
“Savannah, we cannot keep going through this. You should be at treatment to sort this out…”
“Don’t bullshit me, Dad.” The curse word doesn’t sit right, not when yelled at my father, but he needs to hear it now. I have to make him see how serious I am. “I know that Peter isn’t dead, I know it. You’re all just lying to me and I want to know why.” He parts his lips but I have no intention of letting him get his words out. “Before you say anything, just know that I’ve seen paper work. I know there’s money changing hands between you and Bryan and it was also obvious from his reaction when I confronted him about it that it’s dodgy.”
My dad’s face is completely red now. Guilt it written right across his face. “I don’t know what you mean…
“Dad, this is your grandson.” I try a different tactic. “Your flesh and blood. Are you really willing to just let Bryan have him? To do whatever? He’s a terrible father, I’ll tell you that now, he won’t be caring for Peter.”
“Peter is… he’s…” I can see something bubbling in Dad’s mouth. “He’s not here anymore.”
“Don’t you dare lie to me anymore, Dad. Just tell me some truth, please. Why are you all so happy for me to think that I’m going
insane? That’s horrible. You do realize that, right? It’s disgusting behavior. Not only to separate a mother from her child, going against nature, but also to make me doubt my sanity.”
“I… I…” he stammers, but nothing quite makes it out. He’s acting cowardly.
“You, what, Dad? Come on, it’s time for you to finally be honest with me.” He says nothing, making my blood boil. “Okay, so you don’t want to tell me about Peter yet? That’s fine. I’m going to assume that there’s a good reason for that and that you’re actually doing something to help me. I wouldn’t want Mom to be looking down on you, fucking ashamed of the man she married.” Again, he looks crushed by guilt, but he still doesn’t say anything. “So, instead what I shall do is ask you about the money. What’s happening with that?”
“The money is just business,” he answers quietly. “Nothing more. Nothing dodgy.”
“If that’s the case then why did Bryan freak out? I mean, he went mental. That’s not a normal reaction if it’s ‘just business’.” The sarcasm drips off my tongue. “Do you think I’m an idiot or something? I understand the world, you know. I might not be involved in the business, but I know what it looks like and that wasn’t it.”
Dad doesn’t say anything for a while, he examines his finger nails as if they are absolutely fascinating. I try to wait patiently for him to decide what to do but I can’t stop tapping my feet rapidly and angrily on the ground. To me, this seems simple and very straight forward. I don’t know why Dad is making such a big deal out of it. I’m his daughter, his flesh and blood. I’m the one that he should be supporting. Why can’t he see that?
“I think you should just go back to Bryan,” he finally tells me. “That man can protect you.”
“Protect me from what?” I demand as I fling my hands in the air in frustration. “Please, enlighten me because I can’t see it right now. Unless you know something, then there isn’t any basis for that argument.”
