The Mute and the Liar (21 page)

And with that,
the
phone
clicks
off.

I
have
to
get
home.
Father
is
in
danger
and
Jayce
is
forcing
him
to
kill
someone.
This
can’t
be
happening.
This
can’t
be
happening!

I
have
to
call
the
police!
I
start
dialing
the
number
and
run
out
of
the
back
door
leading
to
the
back
of
the
car
park,
hoping
it
will
keep
me
out
of
sight.
I’m
just
trying
to
do
anything
I
can
so
Jayce
won’t
find
me
as
I
make
the
call.

In
my
haste,
I
crash
straight
into
someone
standing
on
the
other
side.
That
person
says
something
in
a
disappointed
tone,
and
suddenly
ice
slithers
through
my veins.

“
Once
again
with
all
the
predictability.
Once
again
with
all
the
running
and the escaping and
the stupidity. You’re getting
annoying.
”

How is
he
possibly
doing
this?
How does
he know my
every
move?

How?
I
manage
to
move
my
lips
to
form
the
words,
but
no
sound
comes
out
of
my
mouth.

“
Please,
Nick
is
even
more predictable
than
you.
I
suppose
I
didn’t
expect
him
to
protect
you
this
much,
but
I
got
suspicious
when
he
offered
to
take
you
here.
He’s
so
impatient,
he
can
almost
feel
every
second
he
loses.
So
of
course
he’s
not
going
to
go
out
of
his
way
and
waste
petrol
and
take
you
inside just
so you
can
relieve
yourself.
”

Hearing
footsteps,
I
look
up,
and
see
Nick
approaching
us,
an
apologetic
look
carved
on
his
face.
Jayce
grins
at
him.

“
What
did you do
to
Kaylie?
”
Nick growls.

“
Nothing.
Unlike
you
two,
I
don’t
have
to
blackmail
her
into
doing
anything.
She
offered
to
help
me.
You’re
right,
you
know.
She
is
a
lovely
girl.
”
He
ignores
Nick’s
piercing
glare,
and
turns
to
me.
“
So
we
have
reached
a
stalemate,
haven’t
we?
Your
father
isn’t
going
to
try
anything,
or
else
I’ll
kill
you.
And
you’re
not
going
to
try
anything,
or
else
I’ll
kill
him.
The
only
thing
we can do is
wait
for
your
father
to
perform
my task.
”

I
grip the mobile phone even tighter, but
he snatches
it
out
of
my hands.
I
take
this
notebook
and
my
pen
out
of
my
pocket
and
write
in
big,
scratching
letters,
exactly what
I
think
about
his
stupid
‘stalemate.’

I
DON’T
CARE IF
YOU
KILL
MY
FATHER.

“
I
know.
But
do
you
really
want
to
carry
the
burden
of
killing
your
other
parent
too?
”

He
knows.

He
knows.
He
knows.
He
knows.
He
knows
everything.

A
sharp,
suffocating
silence follows. It cuts right through me.

But
no,
it
is
not
a
silence,
because
I
can
hear
something.
One
thing.
I
can
hear
one thing
in
this
silence
that
is
not
a
silence.

I
can hear
the
sound
of
screaming.

Is
there someone
around
me
screaming?
Am
I
screaming?
No.
I
realise
I
know
exactly what
is
screaming.

A
memory.

“
What
are you talking
about?
”
Nick snaps.

Jayce
looks
at
me
hungrily.
The
look
of
a
starving
hyena
that
has
just
found
a
succulent
piece
of
meat.

“
Alicia’s
more
insane
than both of
us
put
together;
didn’t
you
know?
”
“
Jayce.
Stop
this.
I
think
you
need
to
calm
down
and
think
about
what

you’re
doing.
”
I
see
Nick
put
his
arm
around
my
shoulders
protectively,
but
I
can
't
feel it
, like
my
whole body has become numb.

“
A
ww
.
Look
at
you
two,
all
grouping
up
trying
to
fight
me.
You
forget
that
I
know
you.
Nick,
you’ve
got
my
blood.
And
I
know
you
too,
Alicia.
You’ve
got
my
mind
.
We
all
think
the
same.
”
He
talks
slowly,
savouring
every
letter.
H
is
piercing
eyes
flicker
over
both
of
us,
judging
us.
“
If
anything,
I’m
more
innocent
than
both
of
you.
Unlike
you
two,
my
murder
hasn’t
been
committed
yet.
Don’t
you
get
it?
Even
if
I
get
caught,
I’ll
just
tell
them
about
you,
”
he
points
at
Nick.
“
And
then I’ll tell
them about you.
”

He
puts
his
hand
on
my
cheek,
staring
at
me
for
a
moment.
After
a
few
seconds,
he
looks
back
at
Nick,
and
puts
his
other
hand
on
his
shoulder,
connecting
us
all
together.