The Mute and the Liar (75 page)

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.
”