The Mute and the Liar (13 page)

“
What
do
you…
How
do
you
know
Alicia?
”
he
questions
carefully
and
softly,
as
though
he
thinks
talking
too
loudly
will
make
the
phone
break.

“
Who is
this?
”

“
But
of
course,
you
can’t
really
ask
her
right
now,
can
you?
It’s
a
sad
day
for
every
parent
when
their
child
doesn’t
come
home.
”

There
is
a
long
pause,
before
father
suddenly
growls,
his
voice
raspy
and
broken.
:
“
This
is
the
boy
from
the
park,
right?
…
What
have
you
done
with
my
daughter?
”
he
raises
his
voice
a
little,
like
it's
caught
somewhere
between
talking
and
trying
to
shout.

“
Now,
now,
Mr
Lewis.
”
Jayce
patronises,
like
a
mother
telling
off
her
child.
“
You
should
know
better
than
to
raise
your
voice
when
your
daughter
is
in
such a... critical
condition.
”

“
Alicia?
Are
you
there?
Alicia?
My
God,
if
you
harm
her,
I
swear
I'll-

“
You
'll
what?
”
Jayce
cuts
through.
“
Go
running
to
the
police?
Not
really
the
smartest
of
moves
considering
I've
got
Alicia.
I’ll
do
you
a
deal,
though,
a
really
good
deal
actually.
You
know,
because
you’re
a
good,
honest
and
respectable
man,
and
because
your
daughter’s
hot,
and
because
I’m
a
reasonable
kind of guy.
”

“
What
do you
want?
”

Jayce
doesn’t
even
wait
a
second
to
answer
this.
He
obviously
had
his
answer
planned
out
before
he
even
kidnapped
me.
He
says
in
a
cold,
steady
voice:
“
I
want
you
to
kill
a
woman
named
Lauren
Janice
Cobalt.
”

A… Murder?

The
remaining
ground
beneath
my feet
hurtles
away.

I
thought
he
might
want
father
to
do
something
in
exchange
for
my
freedom...
but
commit
a
murder?

What
the
Hell?
What
kind
of
a
crazy,
messed-up,
inhumane
person
is
he?

How
can
he
expect father
to
agree
to that?

What
is
going
on?
Who
I
am
squashed
beside?
A
murderer,
maybe.
A
monster,
possibly.
But
not
a
human
being. This
is
getting
too
much.
I
feel
if
I
don’t
hold
onto
something
I
will collapse into
a
suffocating
black
hole.

There
is
a
long
pause.
Father
seems to be considering
this option,
or
considering
whether
I’m
worth
it.
It
suddenly
hits
me
that
Father
may
decide
not
to
help
me
at
all.
I
haven’t
spoken
to
him
for
over
seven
years.
I've always had the feeling he didn't like me.

Then
again,
he
is
my
father.
He's
supposed
to
help
me.
And
this
is
a crime,
and
he
loves
nothing
more
than
solving
them,
proving
to
everyone
he’s the best detective in the world
.

He’s
finally
free
of
me
now.
Would
he
even
think
about
helping me?
I’m
surprised
he
even
realised
I
was missing.

If
I
were
him,
I
would
just
put
the
phone
down.
“
No,
”
he
says
finally.

No
what?
Does
that
mean
he
won't
help
me?

“
I
don’t
believe
you,
”
Father
states
firmly.
“
You
haven’t
taken
Alicia.

You’re lying.
”

“
Oh.
I
see.
You
need
some
encouragement.
Right.
Alicia,
hand
over
the
notebook.
”
Jayce
turns
to
me,
holding
out
his
hand,
daggers
in
his
eyes.
I
clutch
this
notebook
against
my
chest,
shaking
my
head.
“
Now.
”
He
commands,
and
when
I
refuse
again,
he
just
swipes
it
from
my
hands
in
one
swift, fluid
movement.

“
What’s
going
on?
What
are
you doing?
”

“
Did
you
know,
sir,
that
your
daughter
has
never
liked
you?
In
fact,
I
think
she
would
rather
be
stuck
here
with
me
than
in
that
house
with
you.
Have
you
ever
seen
what
she
writes
in
that
notebook?
You
ought
to,
you
know. Some very juicy
stuff.
”

He
flicks
through
the
pages
of
the
notebook,
and
I
suddenly
feel
exposed,
weak.
I
panic,
heart
racing,
and
try
to
snatch
the
book
back,
but
he
just
holds
it
out
of
my
reach.
I
jump
for
it,
looking
stupid,
but
all
I
can
think
about
is
how
I
need
to
get
it
back.

No
one
is
supposed
to
see
this.
It
is
everything
I
wish
I
could
say
out
loud.
This
notebook
is
my
voice.
And
now
he's
taken
it.
It
feels
like
he
has
stolen
a
part
of
me.
I
jump
again,
reaching
for
it,
my
heart
beating
a
million
times
a
second,
but
it's
no
use.