The Mute and the Liar

by Victoria Best

  Father is already at work. It feels strange seeing this kitchen. I almost expected to see Kit’s kitchen, with its French windows, red checked tablecloth on the small round dining table and the pots every colour of the rainbow striping the shelf next to the sink. This kitchen, with it’s white tiles, stone floor and large, square dining table just doesn’t seem right.

  After taking two pills for my headache, I walk over to the cupboard to make myself a bowl of cereal. Every movement I make is cautious, wary, as though I’m expecting something bad to happen any minute. I feel like I’m just a guest in this house.

  I bring my bowl over to the dining table. That’s when I notice that Father has left some of his papers on the dining table. I examine some of them and, when moving one sheet away, notice there’s a photograph hidden underneath. I freeze up.

  It’s a photo of Nick.

  Is it because of the kidnapping? Is Nick being involved in this as well? It wasn’t his fault, he was on my side, he was trying to help me. They can do whatever they want to Jayce, he deserves it. But they can’t bring Nick into this.

  Father has left some handwritten notes scribbled on a spare piece of paper.

  Marty Wilson, an amateur boxer from Kent, drowned in the river Medway in December. Police assumed he was under the influence of alcohol and had fallen in accidentally or decided to go swimming. However, it has recently surfaced that he was severely hydrophobic and would not have autonomously gone anywhere near the river, whether under the influence of alcohol or not. Nicholas Monroe had just lost the Eleventh Southeastern Amateur Boxing Regionals against Wilson. Not only that, but he was in the same bar as Wilson at the time; it was a group event for all the contestants. If we can assume Monroe was also acting under the influence of alcohol, then we can easily believe he may have pushed Wilson into the river out of jealousy or spite.

  Marty Wilson. There’s that name again. It was in the article at Kit’s house, and Becky mentioned it as well in her text messages to Jayce. I suddenly remember something else. When we were in the car on that first day, Jayce coldly told Nick: “If you tell a single soul about this, I’ll go to the police and tell them what really happened to Marty.”

  So it really was Nick. Nick pushed Marty into the river that night.

  That’s why he went along with Jayce’s plan; Jayce knew what happened and would have told the police if Nick acted out of line.

  This just makes my cheeks flare up and my fists clench. It’s not fair. How can Jayce get away with everything and meanwhile Nick is being suspected of murder?

  There’s nothing I can do though; Father might start questioning why I am trying to protect Nick and I still don’t know whether he has been connected to the kidnapping. That reminds me – what about Kit? She didn’t know anything. Do they think she was involved as well?

  How much do the police know?

  Before I can ask any more dead-end questions, the doorbell rings. I open the door, not really expecting much.

  The moment I open the door there’s a rush of colour and confusion, and someone throws themselves at me, squeezing me tightly.

  I can’t believe my eyes. It’s Jeffrey.

  *****

  It takes me a while to take in that it’s really him. I finally learn the meaning of relief – blue, rushing, cool relief. He really is alive. I welcome that resuscitating thought with open arms.

  He finally lets go of me and starts babbling – when I say babbling, I really do mean babbling.

  “Thank God you’re safe Alicia! I can’t believe you’re actually here, and you’re okay. I was so worried about you! You won’t believe what happened. Jayce came to see me in the hospital. Jayce!” my ears perk up at the sound of his name and, just like that, Jeffrey has my full attention. “I could have killed him. I was so angry. I lunged at him but obviously the nurses got in the way. Anyway, before he left he gave me your address and said I should go see you to make sure you’re okay because he was worried something bad was going to happen to you.”

  I quickly open my notebook.

  What did Jayce say? You have to tell me everything!

  “That was it, really. Oh, and he told me to tell you that he would be leaving for a while, so you don’t need to worry he’s going to kidnap you again any time soon.”

  Where is he going?

  “I don’t know. He didn’t say.”

  Oh. Well, that’s not a lot of help. I should feel happy and relieved. But instead a metal-like weight lodges itself in my stomach. I have to stop thinking about him. He’s gone now.

  You came all the way here from Bath? Where are you staying?

  “My sister lives about an hour away from here so I’m staying with her for the week. Do you mind that I parked my car outside?”

  I shake my head. He puts his hands on my shoulders and his soft almond- shaped, sky blue eyes look at me full on. They’re so warm and comforting. So different from Jayce's eyes that burn right through you and make you feel like you have to look away.

  “I’m so sorry about all of this, Alicia. I really am. Are you all right?”

  I nod and he hugs me again. My arms automatically lift up and hug him back. He’s so… warm. Makes me feel safe.

  We head into the house and I close the door behind us.

  “I’ll make sure Jayce pays for this. God, even his name makes me feel sick. Such a psycho. I mean, randomly kidnapping someone? Who the Hell does that?” he asks, his voice raising an octave at the end. He makes his way to the dining table and sits down.

  He was acting under someone else’s orders.

  “That’s no excuse though Alicia, is it?” he snaps back. “He could have easily just called the police or, here’s a genius idea, not gone along with this shit in the first place.”

  I narrow my eyes a little and look away. I think Jeffrey’s being a little harsh. Jayce did try to let me go. Didn’t he? Or am I just going mad?

  He did try to help me.

  “When?” Jeffrey says with an incredulous tone, almost with a laugh. “Yeah, I’m sure he was really trying to help you that time when stopped you from running away and then tried to kill me. That was really just a twisted act of love, wasn’t it?”

  He wasn’t a bad person, Jeffrey.

  “Yeah, I’m sure he only goes around killing everyone who gets in his way when he’s bored. The rest of the time he magically transforms into a fluffy bunny. God, have some sense, Alicia.”

  But he wasn’t!

  “Alicia, he sent some guy to the hospital just to threaten me so I wouldn’t go near you again. He’s a bloody psychopath. I’m just glad your dad got you out of there before he seriously hurt you.”

  He wouldn’t have hurt me. At least, that’s what I tell myself. I seem to have forgotten that he nearly strangled me and put a knife to my neck.

  Are you sure it was Jayce who sent that person to threaten you and not the person controlling him? The person impersonating his friend Becky?

  Jeffrey lets out an irritated groan and rolls his eyes.

  “Why are you defending him? He hurt you!” he says this a little too loudly for my liking, raising his voice even more near the end. His suddenly harsh, sharp tone sends an uneasy feeling prickling down my neck.

  “I think you’re just confusing yourself,” he says, his voice calm again but a little stilted and forced. “I get it now. You see Jayce as the good guy because he didn’t kill you. You’ve taken that to mean that he cared about you or that he was protecting you. When really it was just because it wasn’t part of his plan.”

  Stockholm syndrome. That’s what Jeffrey’s describing. When people who have been kidnapped mistake their captors’ actions for kindness.

  Maybe Jeffrey is right. Maybe I'm being silly in defending Jayce. I decide to get some information out of Jeffrey. It might make this all a bit clearer.

  What did the person who came to see you at the hospital look like?

  “I know who it was. It’s this guy in the year above me at my school. I co
uld see he had his phone in his inside coat pocket and was secretly filming me, so I pretended I didn’t know him in case he retaliated. He didn’t talk in his normal voice. He put on a stern, deep voice so it would sound like he was older. He’s got curly brown hair. Tall with tanned skin. Weird name. It’s Russian, I think.”

  My eyes widen into round baubles.

  Sasha Rabinovich.

  Jeffrey immediately straightens up and his whole face illumines.

  “Yeah, that’s it! That’s crazy, how did you know?”

  Sasha organised a party and Jayce made me go to it. If Sasha’s on his snide too, it’s a possibility the whole party was just part of Jayce’s plan.

  Sasha! That reminds me! I’ve still got his phone when I picked it up at the party!

  I dash out of the room, Jeffrey trailing at my heels. I almost leap up the stairs.

  “Alicia! Where are you going?” he calls when I’m already halfway up the staircase.

  I see Kaylie’s dress she gave me for the party the moment I walk in. It’s been hung over a chair in the corner. I slip my hand in the pocket and pull out the phone. I run back to Jeffrey.

  This is Sasha’s phone. I took it at the party.

  “You stole someone’s phone?” he asks incredulously, raising his eyebrows.

  I didn't steal it, I borrowed it. It’s police evidence; it needs to be thoroughly examined.

  Jeffrey laughs at this. With forced-steady fingers, I turn the phone on.

  I was scared the phone would already have been registered as missing and stolen and would have been locked, however the phone switches on with a pleasing click. I thank God it’s not password protected either.

  I click messages and – surprise, surprise – an all-too-familiar name is the last person Sasha has been texting. Becky Meyer.

  I scroll up in the conversation near the beginning so that I can get the whole story in chronological order.

  The first message from the Becky impersonator was sent on 5th December 2010, the same date the first message was sent to Jayce.

  Hey, Sasha. Becky? Who is this??

  Yay, I knew you still had my number! How have you been, Sasha? It’s been a while. Oh my god. Who the Hell are you? How the Hell are you doing this?

  Let’s not talk about me. That’s a boring story. Let’s talk about you! You’ve always got good stories. You were always my favourite.

  Get off of Becky’s phone. She’s dead, so whoever you are, you’re not fooling anyone. Bit of a screwed up thing to do, isn’t it, pretending to be a dead girl?

  Just hear me out, Sasha.

  Fuck off or I’ll call the police.

  Sasha. Why don’t you believe that it’s me? I can prove to you that it’s really me. You came to warn me right before they attacked me. Do you remember what I said to you? You said I had to stay with you.

  That’s right. I wanted you to stay with me till the end. Even if the others all left.

  Don’t. Don’t want?

  Pretend to be Becky.

  It’s all right, Sasha. I’m here. You’ve got to believe me. Why are you doing this to me? I’ll report you. Just stop.

  I am Becky. It’s me, Sasha. Your best friend. Just stop.

  You don’t have to believe me. But can we keep taking anyway? I miss you. I know you’re not real. I watched you die. You’re dead.

  Ssh. I’m here now. I know it’s not you.

  Let’s just keep talking, Sasha. Haven’t you missed me? It doesn’t matter if you believe it’s me or not. Let’s just talk.

  *****

  I scroll downwards. Their conversation continues like that, fairly friendly, nothing particularly eye-grabbing. Until I get to the messages sent on the 29th February – the second day I was held captive, when Jayce nearly killed Jeffrey.

  Sasha. Can I ask you to do something for me? Just something small? Sure. What is it?

  Can you hold a party for me tomorrow night? I know it’s short notice but it only has to be a small thing. Do it with Ryo if you want. Today I need you or Ryo to go to Bath city centre, near the Abbey, and look out for Jayce. He will be walking with this short, skinny girl with brown, curly hair.

  Jayce is here in Bath? Why didn’t he tell us?

  I don’t know. Anyway, I need you to invite him to the party and tell him he can bring friends. That’s very important. Basically, I need to get rid of this phone. I’m going to leave it outside your door tonight. There is the girl who is going to your party and I need you to put the phone in her bag. She’s medium height, quite curvy, with bright blue, very curly hair and blue eyes eyes and will be most likely wearing a black dress. You’ll know her when you see her. Is that all right?

  Sasha is surprisingly quick to agree, clearly strongly believing and worshipping this fake Becky. The conversation turns light-hearted again. However, as I scroll down the messages, something else catches my eye. It’s late afternoon the same day when ‘Becky’ gives Sasha another order.

  Something’s just come up and I need you to do something else for me. Is that all right?

  What?

  When I give you the phone tonight, I need you to go to the Royal United Hospital Bath straight away. Take the phone with you. I want you to use it to film your conversation with this person I need you to talk to. His name is Jeffrey Clarke. Say you’re his friend and need to see him urgently. I need you to repeat the following to him. You’ve

  got some pretty bad injuries there. How are you feeling? If he asks you who you are, tell him you are no one important, but he is. Tell him he became important the moment he looked at that girl in the Abbey. Reassure him that Alicia is fine but tell him that he could have ruined everything. If he worries that Jayce will do anything to harm Alicia, lie to him that he is under your control and won’t do anything without your orders.

  Jayce? Why do you keep making me do things to do with Jayce?

  Sasha. I’m trying to help him. He’s in trouble and I’m trying to get him out of it. This is the only way.

  Does he know you’re alive too? Yes.

  Oh. What?

  I kind of hoped it was just me.

  Sasha, please. I just want everything to go back to the way it was. Listen; when you’re done I need you to send the video to Jayce. You also need to change the sound of your voice when talking to Jeffrey, make it sound older and deeper so Jayce can’t recognise it. Can you do that for me?

  I really don’t know about this. It sounds risky. Why do you want me to do all of that?

  To help Jayce. And it’s the only way for everything to go back to the way it was. Please? You want me to come back home, don’t you?

  Fine. I'll do it.

  *****

  My reading is cut off when the phone starts ringing.

  I look urgently at Jeffrey, outstretching my hand to give him the phone, with a wide-eyed look I hope will make him answer it. He understands, takes it out of my hands and puts it on loudspeaker before answering it.

  “Hello?”

  “Who the fuck is this?” screams a furious voice down the other end of the phone. “How fucking dare you steal my phone! When I get my hands on you I’m going to rip-”

  We never get to hear what he’s going to rip, because Jeffrey has switched the phone off.

  Jeffrey! I almost hiss out loud. We need to talk to Sasha to get more information out of him! I snatch back the phone and redial the last called number. Within a millisecond, Sasha has already picked up the phone.

  “I’m going to rip you limb from limb.”

  Limb from limb? That’s a bit cliché. I was hoping he was going to threaten us with something super cool and original, something like “I’m going to rip your ribs out one by one and use them to make a scale model of the Eiffel tower!”

  “Whoever you are, you get the fuck here right now and give me my phone back, or else I’ll-”

  “Yeah, yeah, we get it, you’re going to rip me limb from limb. Okay, I need to ask you some questions about Becky,” Jeffrey says steadily,
with a stern and condescending undertone.

  “What the actual… Whatever, just give me my phone back before I rip your fucking limbs off.”

  “Have you ever seen Becky in real life? The Becky who texted you back in

  December?”

  “What the fuck? Why are you talking about this? Get here with my phone or I’ll”

  “Rip me limb from limb, yeah I got that part. I will repeat the question. Did you ever see Becky face-to-face? The Becky who started texting you in December? You better answer this or I will take this phone straight to the police and they will find out what really happened to her!”

  That makes Sasha stop. He is silent for a few moments, then says in a calmer voice: “No, we only ever texted.”

  “Did you ever talk to her on the phone?” Jeffery asks, keeping his voice steady.

  “Are you fucking deaf? I just told you we only ever texted. Now you’d better get here with my phone right now-”

  Did he do everything she told him to? Jeffrey nods at my message.

  “Did you do everything she told you to?” he asks on my behalf.

  “Yeah. Why the fuck are you reading through my messages? You bloody stalker-” If it was even possible, Sasha’s voice has just become even louder and angrier than it was before.

  Jeffrey cuts through Sasha’s swearword-infested ranting. “Why did you do everything she told you to?”

  There is a short pause before Sasha answers. “Because it was the only way she would come back.”

  “Even though you had your suspicions that she was just an imposter right from the beginning?”

  “She’s not an imposter. She’s told me stuff only she would know.”

  Jeffrey hesitates about what to ask next.

  Was anyone else involved? I quickly scribble.

  “And apart from Jayce, is there anyone else you know who Becky got involved?”

  “No. What kind of weird questions are-” I write Jeffrey another message:Ryo? “Not even Ryo?”