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?”
also unfamiliar. It has
“Yes, I’m James Alexanders.”
Electrics in Barnbridge. I have a young woman here insisting that I call
must show in my
Do you know her? She would be
want to laugh
That’s my Jade….
him a hard time,
across to listen in, but he’s already up and with me, leaning in close
“A redhead?” I ask.
that’s right. Do you know her?” His tone is snotty and self-important, but I couldn’t care less. His words are balm to my withered soul. “…. She insists
her whatever
asking for our
“Is she
just…. Oh, she’s
“What? Fuck!”
these days…. She can’t have wanted it that
wave across to my jacket, trying to keep the busy-bodying moron on the line. “Michael. My
inside, then as I tap on the one I want, extracting it from
the nerd on the end of the
has vanished. This is probably
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
don’t stock batteries ready-charged,
don’t care. Use the battery from your own phone if necessary. Charge me for it. But have that mobile ready for her to use, as soon as she has it. Did she ask for anything
breathing heavily, stands
gather my words. “That was Domestic Electrics in Barnbridge,” I say. “Charlotte’s in there trying to buy a smartphone, and an
If anything, his breathing increases and he’s
not coping
…. Am I?
Pull yourself together, man….