dead.
“Then
Madame la Concierge
suddenly clammed up like she thought she’d said too much. Maybe she thought I was an undercover tax inspector or something. But it would be interesting to know who it is paying the bills and I’m going to find out.”
Claire held her breath. “Well it can’t be Robert…”
There was a silence for a moment and then Jacalyn said, “Look, I have to go. I’m at the circus and I am on in a minute. I’ll ring you as soon asI find out anything. And Claire, forget about Robert okay? He’s dead.”
Claire wished now she hadn’t asked Jacalyn to find out about the Paris house. But she had to swap the casket for Matthew tomorrow. There wasn’t time for Jacalyn to find out anything; to put two and two together and realise Robert was alive and behind Matthew’s kidnap. But there was something else that Claire hadn’t considered before. Supposing Robert wasn’t acting alone. He had last time, but then he hadn’t needed anyone to look after a small child. To look after Matthew.
This could change everything
, she thought.
If there is someone else, they could be there on Thursday for the handover. And that would ruin everything
.
While Micky and her dad were out, Claire had been up in the loft and got the casket and taken it into her bedroom. Her mum was lying on the sofa, the TV screen flickering aimlessly. Claire had forgotten how light the casket felt. How it floated in her hands.
She had tried using her ring again to see if it would open; she couldn’t help herself. It didn’t, but she’d got that weird swishing feeling insideher head, as if something were trying to break out. And her fingers had tingled and lights had swirled like an aurora in front of her eyes. It had made her feel so sick she’d had to lie down flat on the bed. But the casket hadn’t opened.
Now it lay on the bed beside her, within reach, waiting. She watched it while she made the call to Joe. “Hi. It’s me. Please don’t hang up! Yes I know I am… and I know you’re cross, Joe. But can we meet up? Please. I’ve been a complete idiot and I’ve decided I’m going back to school. You were right, I can’t mess up my exams. Can we talk? Tomorrow? Twelve o’clock. In the park, at the café? I’ve missed you.”
She felt really bad about using him like this. She really had missed him though, so that bit at least was true. And after tomorrow, if things went wrong, maybe she wouldn’t ever see him again. She started to cry.
She heard Joe make a cross ‘don’t blackmail me with tears’ huffing noise. But then he said, “Okay,” and mumbled, “I’ve missed you too,” and hung up.
That night Claire couldn’t sleep. It was ironic that she had three sleeping tablets in her backpack and couldn’t take one. She would have to be alertand awake up until the very last minute. After that, well she could only put her trust in fate.
She spent some of the time writing a letter to her mum and dad. Telling them everything and saying that she loved them. She printed it off and she folded it and wrote their names on the outside and left it on her desk… not so prominent that they’d find it before everything kicked off, not so well hidden that they’d never find it. Then she sent an email to Jacalyn from her computer, putting a delay on it. Jacalyn wouldn’t get it until after midday tomorrow. In it Claire explained what she’d done and why. If the plan worked, then she’d tell all later. And if it didn’t, then… well she didn’t want to think about that.
Just before four o’clock in the morning she fell asleep. She was still asleep three hours later when her dad came in to wake her, saying she’d be late for school. He’d made her a coffee, but it was clear he thought her tight hug and fervent, “Love you, Dad,” a bit excessive.
“It’s only coffee,” he said, muzzing her hair and dropping a kiss on the top of her head. She pretended she was rubbing away the sleep sohe wouldn’t see
“Then
Madame la Concierge
suddenly clammed up like she thought she’d said too much. Maybe she thought I was an undercover tax inspector or something. But it would be interesting to know who it is paying the bills and I’m going to find out.”
Claire held her breath. “Well it can’t be Robert…”
There was a silence for a moment and then Jacalyn said, “Look, I have to go. I’m at the circus and I am on in a minute. I’ll ring you as soon asI find out anything. And Claire, forget about Robert okay? He’s dead.”
Claire wished now she hadn’t asked Jacalyn to find out about the Paris house. But she had to swap the casket for Matthew tomorrow. There wasn’t time for Jacalyn to find out anything; to put two and two together and realise Robert was alive and behind Matthew’s kidnap. But there was something else that Claire hadn’t considered before. Supposing Robert wasn’t acting alone. He had last time, but then he hadn’t needed anyone to look after a small child. To look after Matthew.
This could change everything
, she thought.
If there is someone else, they could be there on Thursday for the handover. And that would ruin everything
.
While Micky and her dad were out, Claire had been up in the loft and got the casket and taken it into her bedroom. Her mum was lying on the sofa, the TV screen flickering aimlessly. Claire had forgotten how light the casket felt. How it floated in her hands.
She had tried using her ring again to see if it would open; she couldn’t help herself. It didn’t, but she’d got that weird swishing feeling insideher head, as if something were trying to break out. And her fingers had tingled and lights had swirled like an aurora in front of her eyes. It had made her feel so sick she’d had to lie down flat on the bed. But the casket hadn’t opened.
Now it lay on the bed beside her, within reach, waiting. She watched it while she made the call to Joe. “Hi. It’s me. Please don’t hang up! Yes I know I am… and I know you’re cross, Joe. But can we meet up? Please. I’ve been a complete idiot and I’ve decided I’m going back to school. You were right, I can’t mess up my exams. Can we talk? Tomorrow? Twelve o’clock. In the park, at the café? I’ve missed you.”
She felt really bad about using him like this. She really had missed him though, so that bit at least was true. And after tomorrow, if things went wrong, maybe she wouldn’t ever see him again. She started to cry.
She heard Joe make a cross ‘don’t blackmail me with tears’ huffing noise. But then he said, “Okay,” and mumbled, “I’ve missed you too,” and hung up.
That night Claire couldn’t sleep. It was ironic that she had three sleeping tablets in her backpack and couldn’t take one. She would have to be alertand awake up until the very last minute. After that, well she could only put her trust in fate.
She spent some of the time writing a letter to her mum and dad. Telling them everything and saying that she loved them. She printed it off and she folded it and wrote their names on the outside and left it on her desk… not so prominent that they’d find it before everything kicked off, not so well hidden that they’d never find it. Then she sent an email to Jacalyn from her computer, putting a delay on it. Jacalyn wouldn’t get it until after midday tomorrow. In it Claire explained what she’d done and why. If the plan worked, then she’d tell all later. And if it didn’t, then… well she didn’t want to think about that.
Just before four o’clock in the morning she fell asleep. She was still asleep three hours later when her dad came in to wake her, saying she’d be late for school. He’d made her a coffee, but it was clear he thought her tight hug and fervent, “Love you, Dad,” a bit excessive.
“It’s only coffee,” he said, muzzing her hair and dropping a kiss on the top of her head. She pretended she was rubbing away the sleep sohe wouldn’t see
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