James
It’s unbearable.
We hear nothing. Charlotte has simply vanished.
We return to the site where we last saw her, where my Jade-Eyes fled into the dark. The area is saturated with police; cars, officers, dogs. But other than a small deserted building a couple of miles distant, showing signs of hasty abandonment, they have found nothing. And despite searching and calling, neither do we.
Do they have her?
We have no way of knowing.
I can’t stomach food. I survive on stress and strong black coffee. Michael is as bad….
…. or worse….
When I try to sleep, I toss and turn, but sleep refuses to come. Eventually, I give up trying, instead throwing on a robe to head for the lounge to find a drink. I find Michael already there, looking as terrible as I feel.
Richard has Beth back, and after she has bathed and slept and recovered herself, she seems essentially unhurt, but there is a haunted look around both her eyes and Richard’s.
How would I feel in his position? At the price paid for Beth’s freedom?
Three days pass.
*****
Passive with stress, red-eyed with exhaustion, Michael and I sit in silence in my office. We don’t use the apartment. Without Charlotte there, there is too much of the feel of abandonment.
I pace. He sits. Neither of us speaks. We have nothing to say.
My mobile rings.
I don’t recognise the number. “Hello?”
Alexanders?” The voice is also unfamiliar. It has the grate of a minor functionary, and the sleaze of the
“Yes, I’m James Alexanders.”
This is Domestic Electrics in Barnbridge. I
my face because Michael’s eyes widen. He stands, head
doesn’t have any money to pay for them. Do you know her? She would be a rather striking
want to laugh
That’s my Jade….
giving him a hard
wave Michael across to listen in, but he’s already up and with me, leaning in close
“A redhead?” I ask.
is snotty and self-important, but I couldn’t care less. His
give her whatever
sure of that, sir? She’s asking for
“Is she there? Can I
just…. Oh,
“What? Fuck!”
hesitates at my language, then drones on. “…. Isn’t that just young people these days…. She can’t have wanted it
up. I’ll get you the card details…. Hold on….” I wave across to my jacket, trying to keep the busy-bodying moron on
the cards inside, then as I tap on the one I want, extracting it from the
read card details to the nerd on the end of
has vanished. This is probably
was asking for, get it and make it ready for use. I want you to put a SIM card in the phone, on an unlimited usage contract. You can charge it to this card. And get the battery fully charged. I want the phone to be ready for her when she comes back. And she will come back.
stock
patience is fraying. “I don’t care. Use the battery from your own phone if necessary. Charge me for it. But have that mobile ready for her to
breathing heavily, stands
to buy a
doesn’t seem reassured. If anything, his
not coping with
…. Am I?
Pull yourself together, man….