The Mute and the Liar (25 page)

“
Got
myself
some
construction
work back in
Elmview.
It’s
not
too
bad.
”

“
Good!
That’s
what
I
like
to
hear:
people
getting
back
on
their
feet
and
persevering.
I
wish
you
the
best
of
luck
with
that.
”

There
is
a
pause.
They
share
a
wordless,
tender
moment.
When
Kit
finally
looks
away,
she
turns
to
me.
“
And
what
are you
thinking
of
doing,
Sweetie?
”

Panicking,
my
hand
reels
around
my
throat
once
more.
Luckily,
Jayce
quickly cuts
through
the
silence.

“
Alicia
wants
to
be
a
detective.
”

“
Oh
really?
That's
amazing!
I
love
watching
Poirot.
So
you're
interested
in
all those crimes
and
stuff?
”

“
She's
brilliant
at
solving
difficult
crimes,
you
know,
like
murders.
But
she
has
trouble
solving
the
simple
ones.
Like
kidnappings,
for
example.
”
He
flashes
me an
angelic
smile.

“
The
simpler
ones
might
be
the
hardest
to
solve.
”

“
I
think
the
difficulty
of
the
mystery
depends
on
the
intelligence
of
the
criminal.
”

He
can't
be
any
more
obvious,
can
he?
He
might
as
well
have
“
evil
mastermind
”
printed
in
bold
capital
letters
on his
forehead.
However,
Kit
doesn't
 
pick
 
up
 
on this and instead nods
in
agreement.

“
You're probably
right
there.
”

Eventually,
after
a
comfortable
silence
only
broken
by
the
sound
of
the
oven,
a
bowl
of
pasta
is
placed
in
front
of
us.
Kit
takes
the
final
seat
at
the
table and we begin eating.

As
the
bowl
of
hot
pasta
glimmers
in
front
of
us,
I
suddenly
realise
just
how
hungry
I
am.
I
wolf
the
food
down,
shovelling
as
much
of
it
in
my
mouth
as
is
humanly
possible,
and
momentarily
forget
the
existence
of
manners.
I
lean
over
my
bowl,
elbows
pushed
on
the
table,
creating
a
cage
in
case
one
of
the
others
was
planning
on
taking
it
from
me.
I
finish
the
bowl
in
seven
forkfuls,
and
look
up
with
a
sense
of
satisfaction,
to
see
that
the
others
are
staring
at
me,
shocked,
mouths
slightly
parted.
After
an
unnerving
silence
in
which
they
are
obviously
comparing
my
table
manners
and
eating
habits
to
that
of
a
rabid
puppy,
Kit
addresses
Jayce.

“
So how long are you
planning
to
stay?
”

“
We
have
a
deadline
of
3
rd
March
at
midnight.
”
Jayce
murmurs,
watching
me.
So that's
a
message
for
me
then.
Father
is
supposed
to
have
killed Lauren
by that
time.

“
What
was
that?
”
Kit
turns
to
him,
but
he
goes
back
to
being
Smiling-
Philanthropic-Eco-Friendly-and-Homeless-Animal-Saviour-Jayce
and
gives
her
a
sickly
smile
and
reassures
her
in
a
honey
voice:
“
don’t
worry,
we’ll
be
out
of
your
hair
in three days, if
that’s
all
right.
”

“
Of
course it’s
all right!
Stay
as
long as
you like.
This
is
wonderful!
I
get
so
lonely
up
here
in
the
middle
of
these
woods.
It
will
be
great
to
have
some
company.
I
am
doing
a
bit
of
redecorating
in
my
house
at
the
moment.
Just
the
odd
bit
of
paint
here
and
there,
you
know.
It
would
mean
a
lot
if
you
guys could
help-
”

“
Of
course
we'll
help,
”
Nick
quickly
cuts
in.

The soft clatter of cutlery against china continues,
and
it’s
not
long
before
every
bowl
is
empty.
Kit
collects
them
and
quickly
loads
the
dishwasher, then
resumes
her
seat
once
more.

“
I
still
have
to
finish
my
aria.
I
hate
leaving
a
song
unfinished.
Would it
be
so
terribly
irritating
if
I
continued
my
practice?
It
will
only
take
another
five
minutes
or
so.
”

“
Sure.
We
love
hearing
you
sing.
I'll
even
play the piano
for
you if
you
want,
”
Jayce replies.

“
Oh,
would
you
Jaycie?
That
would
be
wonderful!
Oh,
also,
do
you
all
have clothes
and
other
items?
”

“
We
do,
but
Alicia
doesn't.
”
Nick
jabs
a
thumb
at
the
Tesco
bag,
which
has
been
thrown
in
the
corner
of
the
room.
It
is
only
then
that
I
realise
I
am
still in
my glorious
school
uniform,
navy tartan kilt
and
all.

“
Don't worry
Sweetie;
I'll
give
you
some
of
mine.
Come;
I'm
sure
you
must be
tired.
I'll
show
you
your
room
now.
You
two
already
know
your
way
to
the
guest
bedrooms
on
the
third
floor,
yes?
”
they
nod
in
agreement.
“
Jaycie,
I'll
be
in
the
music
room
on
the
top
floor
in
a
few
minutes.
”
After
a
table
tennis
round
of
'goodnights,'
Kit
leads
me
up
the
spiral
staircase,
and
I
follow
her
to
the
top
floor
and into
a
huge
room.