Faith

by Lisa Helen Gray

  “No,” I whine, throwing my hands up in a fit. “It sucks. I should have just texted you to come over but I didn’t want to make a bigger scene. Go grab a bottle… actually three. I’ll order a Chinese now and by the time we get back, it should be there.”

  “Good on ya, girl. Then we can email the fucker and tell him he has little balls and wasn’t worth it anyway.”

  I laugh, loving my bestie to pieces. Besides my family, she is the only person in the world I’ve become close with. Not even Susan, my business partner, knows much about me. We’re friends and go out from time to time, but we mostly keep it professional.

  *** *** ***

  By the time we get back, I’m ready to put on some pyjamas, get into bed and watch a horror movie with plenty of gore and blood. Romance is not going to be watched for a while in my house. And the people who truly knew me would understand what a rarity that is. I’m a sappy, hopeless romantic.

  Romance novels.

  Romance movies.

  Romance TV shows.

  I loved them all.

  That stuff, apart from animals, who were my kindred spirit, were my all-time favourite things in the world.

  Oh, and cooking.

  I loved baking.

  Heading up the stairs, I grab my bag and rummage for my keys.

  “Shit, where are they,” I grumble, wondering how they could get lost in such a small bag.

  “Um, Faith… you won’t be needing your keys.”

  The wariness in her voice has me looking up. I see her frightened eyes on my door. Dread fills my stomach and I turn, finding the door to my flat open a notch.

  “Oh, no,” I gasp, looking around the hallway for any other signs of intruders, but there are none. The flat across from mine is currently empty, and its door is perfectly in place.

  “I’m gonna call the police.”

  “What if he’s still in there?” I whisper-hiss at her. My eyes drift back to the door again, finding no forced entry, and the tension in my shoulders loosens. “Relax, it’s one of my cousins. They have a key. They’re probably raiding my fridge.”

  Nina relaxes, shaking her head and smiling. “One day, we need to get those fuckers back for always scaring us. Remember the time Maddox—Oh, my god.”

  “No!” I gasp, looking around my near-empty flat and trashed belongings.

  Pictures upon pictures I’d hung with pride on every inch of my walls were now torn down, smashed on the carpeted floor.

  My sofa has been flipped over, but even from this angle I can tell it’s been slashed open, the brown suede completely shredded, no longer useable.

  My TV is gone. My Xbox One, my Wii, my DVD player, all of my boxsets, and pretty much anything of value is missing.

  My knees threaten to give out, but Roxy’s barking has me running to her, pinpointing her in the bathroom. I open the door and let her out, dropping to the floor to pull her into my arms. They locked her in there. They locked my poor baby in the toilet. I run my fingers over her, looking for any signs of injury, but feel none. I sag with relief, not knowing what I would have done if they’d hurt her.

  “Poor baby. It’s okay, it’s okay,” I coo, cuddling her close and letting her lick the tears from my face. She leaves me, sniffing around the room in array, seemingly unperturbed by what’s happened.

  The mess is still as startling as the first time I saw it. Then my eyes widen.

  “What—what is it?” Nina asks, her phone to her ear.

  I’m not sure whether she’s talking to me or to whoever she’s on the phone to, but I ignore her and run to my bedroom. I push through the door, stepping over torn clothes and broken pictures and make my way over to my dressing table. All my costume jewellery is there, and I carelessly throw it to the side as I search for the necklace my dad gave me the day he adopted me.

  It’s gone.

  A pained scream leaves my throat and tears fall down my cheeks as I fall haplessly to the floor. Everything in the flat is replaceable with time. I can get more pictures from Facebook, or from my family. I can buy new furniture and clothes. Hell, I can even replace the presents bought for me and the books that I’d noticed were shredded and all over the place.

  But the necklace… It’s irreplaceable. My dad could get another one made as my uncle Malik designed it, but it wouldn’t be the same. It wouldn’t hold the same sentiment. It held high significance to me—meant everything to me. It was symbolic of a beginning for me, for the start of our family.

  It was a heart pendant with a crown on top, and it had mine, my mum’s, and my dad’s initials carved into the back. When you opened it, it had a picture of me, Mum and Dad on the right, and on the left it read, Family is a gift, and you’re mine.

  It was the day Maverick Carter became more than my mum’s boyfriend.

  More than our landlord.

  More than my friend.

  He became everything to me on the day he gave me that necklace.

  He became more than just a father, a protector, and loved one.

  He became my hope.

  “No!” I wail, feeling my world crumble around me.

  Why would someone do this?

  Who would do this?

  It doesn’t make sense.

  My phone chimes in my hand, and I’m prepared to ignore it, but when I see my bank’s name flash across the screen, warning bells start ringing in my head.

  I don’t bother reading the message, already having a gut-feeling of what it will say. Instead, I access my account and feel my heart sink further.

  My entire savings are gone.

  All gone.

  “Faith?” Nina croaks out.

  I look to my best friend, hoping, somehow, this is all some joke, but the sorrow in her expression is enough to confirm this is real. This isn’t my cousins coming in and turning my furniture and pictures upside down and telling me I have a ghost. This is real. “It’s all gone,” I whisper, feeling so lost and alone that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to recover.

  And one thing is clear as I empty my bag out in front of me, finding my cards, keys and ID missing.

  This was planned.

  This was Noah.

  And he’s going to pay for it. One way or another.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Present

  Bad luck always comes in threes.

  It’s the way of life.

  And for four months, I’ve been on edge, waiting for the third to kick me right in the arse.

  Because four months ago, I was robbed. My identity, my money, my belongings, and my trust in the world taken from me in the blink of an eye.

  And a week later at one our family Sunday barbeques… I lost both my great-grandparents. On the same day. On the day I’d made myself sick with worry about telling my parents what had happened to me.

  I’d spent the week hiding from my family, blocking their calls and turning them away at the door. I didn’t want them to see what had happened, how stupid I had become.

  Plus, I was worried what their reactions would be.

  You see, when you mess with a Carter, you mess with us all. It’s always been that way and always will be. We grew up close. If one of us had a problem, we all helped. If one of us were sad, we were all there to cheer you up. If someone fucked you over, we made them pay. All of us.

  But today, I know I’m going to have to tell them. My mum has been worried sick, demanding to come see me, asking me why they weren’t allowed to visit me at my home.

  It’s been hell having to lie to them, especially when we are all still grieving my great-grandparents. They were the best anyone could ask for, and Sundays aren’t the same without them.

  Nina promised to keep my secret and had even stayed with me until the landlords came and replaced the locks and added security in the hallway. They weren’t happy to find that one of their buildings were broken into, but they were more worried about my safety. They were a great couple, even going so far as to invite me to stay with them.

 
A knock on my door jerks me out of my daydream and my nerves resurface. I’m hoping, after this, I will have more to tell my parents, to give them some peace of mind.

  I open the door and smile when I see the officer working on my case. PC Collings came on the scene after police came to take fingerprints and whatever else they needed. He also took the list of belongings that were stolen.

  Money wise, I’m going to have to wait for the bank to refund me my stolen money.

  “Hi, Collings. Come on in. Can I get you a cup of tea?”

  He smiles as he shakes my hand. “It’s okay. I can’t stay long. I just wanted to get you up to date on the case.”

  From there, I know it’s not going to be good. It never is. We’ve had this conversation a few times, and it always leads to him telling me they have nothing.

  “I’d offer you a seat but the garden chair broke last night when I tried to fix the lightbulb.” Thanks to Nina’s mum, I was able to scrounge an old TV, a sleeping bag, a garden chair and a few blankets. Nina gave me some clothes and a bit of money to tide myself over. After four months, they’re still my only possessions.

  My wages have gone straight on bills, rent, food, toiletries and other essentials that were broken in the burglary.

  He chuckles. “It’s fine. I’ll stand. It won’t take me long.” He leans against the kitchen counter before facing me. “As you know, we have alerts out for your necklace and other items they might want to sell, but so far, nothing has come up. The profile for Noah has been deleted and we are no closer to finding him.”

  “But you still think it was a bogus account?”

  “We do. It’s what most internet trolls do. Today, I just wanted to let you know we spoke to your bank again and they will be issuing a refund on the money taken. We also have a private investigator/officer coming in soon to go over everything once again with you. There may be something you missed, something small that could help us.”

  “Someone new?” I interrupt. “Why?”

  “We’re afraid, after doing a wider search, that you aren’t the only person this has happened to. Johnson has been working on the case for a while, following this person’s steps in his own time, but so far, no luck. Whoever this person is, they’re a professional. Johnson’s agreed to come on payroll since the latest victims have all been around this area. Either the offender has ties here and needs to stay, or something has happened and he can’t travel as far as he had been before.”

  “Oh, God,” I gasp, my hand going to my chest.

  “I have to go, but I’ll be in touch and keep you updated if any new information comes to light. You’ll be getting a phone call or a visit off Johnson in a few days. Don’t worry, he’ll have identification, and I might be with him—if I’m not put on another case.”

  “Wait. Before you go, did they all happen around here?”

  He grimaces. “No. All over actually.”

  It sickens me that someone has got away with this for so long. Hope for getting my necklace back has just flown out the window.

  “Okay, thank you for keeping me up-to-date.”

  “My job, Faith. Stay safe,” he tells me, before leaving my flat.

  I deflate against the door. I thought for sure I’d finally have some good news to share with my parents—when I tell them. Now I have nothing. They’re already going to be disappointed in me.

  Knowing I need to face the music, I grab my bag and coat, and clip Roxy’s chain on her before heading out the door. I’m on the stairs when I bump into someone carrying a cardboard box. Stuck in my own little world, I pay no attention, calling a quick apology over my shoulder.

  *** *** ***

  Walking into my childhood home, I feel sick. I’d made sure to call ahead and tell my mum to keep my brothers, sister and cousins away.

  I should have amended that to include my uncles, because when I walk in, my stomach sinks at seeing all five of them. No Mum or Dad.

  Malik is sitting in the chair, looking bored; Max is talking to Myles about someone he thinks is sniffing around his daughter; and Mason is chatting to Evan.

  But when I walk in, all eyes turn to me, questions lurking behind them.

  “Um… where’s Mum and Dad?”

  Uncle Max steps forward, a frown on his face. “I’m telling you now, girl, if you’re pregnant, you’re going to be a single mum, because I’m going to fucking kill him for touching you.”

  “Max,” Myles scolds, coming over to place a warm hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay, baby. We’ve got you. You’ve got support from your family.”

  “I’m with Max.” My uncle Malik stands up next to Max, showing him his support. I’d roll my eyes, but I’m too confused and embarrassed. This is worse than when Max tried to give all us girls the sex talk.

  With diagrams.

  And pictures.

  It was one of the most humiliating days of my life. All the other girls in my family agreed, and we’d begged our mums to warn him away from ever giving us one again. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he always seemed to know if one of us started our period. He took us to Boots and bought us everything a girl could ask for.

  At the time, all I’d wanted was a hot water bottle, my mum, and my bed—okay, and chocolate. I didn’t need my uncle buying my sanitary towels for me, and then proceeding to let everyone he spoke to know that I had just turned into a woman.

  Yeah, it sucked.

  “Me too,” Evan pipes up.

  “Leave her alone, guys.” My mum’s voice carries warning as she steps into the living room.

  “Mum, I said alone,” I whine. She walks over and hugs me, and I hold her a little longer, needing her comfort. I’ve stayed away for so long, even when they’d needed me after my great-grandparents’ passing.

  “Whatever you’re gonna tell us can be said in front of your uncles. We need to know who we gotta kill.”

  My dad, handsome as ever, walks in the room, all intimidating. I can see the worry around his eyes, and I know I’ve been putting them through the wringer.

  I sigh, giving in to my fate. They’re going to find out eventually, if not straight after I tell my parents, so I might as well get it out the way and tell them all together.

  “Alright. I need you all to sit down.”

  “Oh, God, she’s pregnant,” Max yells, throwing his hands up dramatically.

  “Max!” I shout, wanting to die right there.

  “No, she’s not,” Dad shouts back, before turning to me. “Right?”

  “I’m gonna fucking kill him.” That from Malik.

  “Just let her talk,” Myles puts in. “She needs to know we support her.”

  “Jesus-fucking-Christ, sit down and let her fucking talk,” Mason yells, grabbing everyone’s attention.

  They all listen, and as they take their seats, leaving me standing there like I’m on stage, I clam up, wondering how to begin.

  “I—I don’t know how to tell you.”

  “Please, just tell us,” Max pleads, sitting on the edge of the chair. “Your dad is gonna get a hernia if you don’t spit it out.”

  More like he is.

  “I just don’t know where to start,” I say softly, already feeling tears beginning to burn the back of my eyes.

  “How about from the beginning, darling.” My mum reaches out, squeezing my hand, and that’s all I need to begin.

  “I’m twenty-five, I’m single—”

  “Thank fuck,” Max mutters.

  “Max,” Myles warns.

  “Just wait until this is Charlotte standing there, telling us she’s pregnant. Let’s see how calm you stay then.”

  At that, Myles goes deathly pale and glares at Max.

  “Did you really need to bring them in? I can’t say what I need to,” I tell my mum, frustrated.

  “Just ignore them. Go on.”

  “Okay, well, I was getting fed up―”

  “Sexually frustrated,” Max puts in, and I glare.

  “So, I let Nina talk me into signin
g up for a dating site.”

  “Please tell me you didn’t get married to some old, hairy bastard?” my dad yells, standing up. Mum shoves him back down, glaring at him.

  I keep going, needing to just get it out. “I ended up picking a date, just one, to see what it would be like and… well―”

  “You got pregnant?” Max interrupts.

  “No,” I yell. “I’m not pregnant!”

  “Hallelujah,” Max roars, falling back on the sofa.

  “What happened?” my dad asks, his jaw hard.

  I gulp as I watch his hands fold into fists. “I went on this date and he didn’t turn up.”

  He relaxes, but then squints at me, clearly confused. “And that is why you’ve been avoiding your family for months?”

  I shuffle on my feet, eyeing the floor. The minute I look up, tears are spilling down my cheeks and it all comes out in a massive ramble. “I got home, and it was gone. It was all gone. Roxy was locked in the bathroom and my necklace—our necklace, the one you got me the day you adopted me—had been taken. He took all my money and savings and trashed everything. I’m behind on bills, student fees and loans. I have nothing. I’ve been sleeping in a sleeping bag for months and have a garden chair for a sofa—had; it’s broken now. I’ve lost everything. And I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you but I’ve been so ashamed. I know it was the man I was meant to meet. Somehow, someone took my keys from my bag, cards from my purse, and I didn’t even notice. And all because I was embarrassed about been a twenty-five-year-old virgin.”

  I end the rant on a shout, breathing hard. They all look stunned, my mum the only one with the ability of motion as she comes to hold me.

  “And stay a virgin,” Max tells me before giving Myles a look I can’t read. I don’t see anything else because I fall into my mum, sobbing.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t want you to be disappointed in me. And I knew when you found out you’d want to replace everything, but my necklace was irreplaceable. I failed you. I let you down. You’ve told me, throughout most of my life, never to talk to people I didn’t know on the internet. I’m just sorry, Mum.”