I placed the phone down and almost screamed as it rang again.
“I want you to go to your uncles and wait with your daughter.”
“Ethan’s?”
“Yes.”
“And what do I do when I get there?”
“Await further instructions.”
I didn’t answer for a moment. This wasn’t about the money was it? If I paid them what they wanted they were just going to come back again for more and I didn’t have it. If I paid them what they demanded now I would be cleared out. The money wasn’t their goal. I realised that now, but what was?
“And if I don’t?”
I listened, waiting for his answer. The phone sounded muffled as if someone was holding it against fabric. I could hear voices in the background, but I couldn’t quite work them out.
“Vanessa.”
“Macey?” She was sobbing when she spoke. “Macey is that you?”
“Vanessa do what they say. Please.”
“Can they hear me?”
She paused for a second and then said “Yes.”
“Good. You listen here, who ever you are, you hurt her, and I’ll.”
“You’ll what Vanessa? What are you going to do?”
I heard a loud thwack like flesh being hit and Macey screamed. The sound came again only louder this time and she begged them to stop.
“Stop it please.”
“Your uncles. Now 16:00. Don’t be late.” The phone went dead again.
I stood up and slammed the phone into its cradle and that’s when I broke. I had no way out of this. They had me at almost every corner. I grabbed the phone with both my hands I pulled as hard as I could, yanking it out of the wall. Using all my anger, I pushed it through my body and slammed the phone down onto the table over and over again.
“Vanessa. Vanessa.” Shouted Mark trying to get my attention, but I ignored him. I didn’t want to talk I wanted to hunt them down and kill them.
I threw the phone as hard as I could against the wall, but I wasn’t done. I wanted to break everything. I wanted to scream so loud that until I couldn’t scream anymore.
I yelled and cried all at the same time. Focusing my anger on anything. I picked up the chair and hit it against the wall, grabbed an ornament and smashed it as hard as I could onto the floor. It wasn’t until Mark grabbed me, holding me in a vice grip to his body that I started to calm down.
I held on to him so tight as I cried into his chest, his hold on me remained firm as if he was scared that if he let go I would turn into a mad woman again, but there was probably nothing left to break.
“I have to go to Ethan’s.”
“Now? Shouldn’t we call Keller first?”
“No. I have to go now.”
“Alright, come on. I’ll drive.”
I don’t remember the drive to my uncles my head was spinning. A thousand images went through my head and I pictured what they could be doing to Macey. What they would do to Robin if I failed and they got hold of her.
Robin was at the window as we pulled up. She waved at me and I weakly waved back. I didn’t want her to see me like this. I had to get myself together. Mark got out of the car, walked round, and opened the door for me. I took his hand gladly. It was the one solid thing I could hold onto at the moment.
“Are you ok Mummy?” she said as she came down the stairs to greet me. “You look like you have been crying.”
“Just hay fever baby, Catrine had bought some flowers and you know how they set me off.”
She gave me a hug and then changed the subject in usual Robin style. “Guess what? Uncle Ethan said I can have his old computer for my bedroom.”
I looked up at Ethan who was coming out of the lounge. “That’s right squirt.” He said as he picked her up.
“Oh Ethan. It’s too much.”
“Don’t be silly. I’d only leave it to collect dust. She can use it for homework and stuff. Cant ya.”
“Yep. See Mummy. Can I have it?”
“If Uncle Ethan’s sure…”
“Yes I’m sure.”
Robin wriggled out of his arms and jumped up and down excitedly.
“Don’t think you can spend all hours playing your game young lady.” I said.
“I won’t.”
Robin ran back upstairs. I watched her and knew that I would do everything I could to protect her. No one was going to hurt her ever.
“Vanessa is everything ok?” asked Ethan.
“Huh?”
“Your eyes. Have you been crying?”
“No I er…”
“Don’t give me the hay fever crap Vanessa. I’m not a six year old girl.”
“Ethan I…”
“It’s nothing Ethan.” Said Mark, cutting in. “All sorted now. Isn’t it?”
Ethan frowned and studied my face; I just shrugged trying to make out that it was no big deal. I was no good at lying never had been, but there was nothing Ethan could do.
We followed him into the kitchen and I sat on the chair nearest the phone. It was quarter to four, they would be calling soon. My stomach was turning over and over inside, I wasn’t sure if I could wait any longer. I wanted this over. I wanted Macey back.
Mark sat next to me, holding my hand tightly in his. When I started fidgeting, he gently rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand letting me know he was there, but that wasn’t going to work for much longer. The closer it got too four the more my nerves went.
At five to the phone rang and I gave a yelp. I couldn’t help it, it came out automatically. Ethan looked at me as if I had lost it as he answered the phone.
“It’s for you.” He said passing it too me.”
“Oh your there.” I breathed a sigh of relief as I heard my grandfather’s voice. “I have been calling Marks, but you weren’t answering. Is everything alright Vanessa?”
“Yes grandpa its fine.” I said and glanced up at the clock. “Look I have to go. I’ll call you tonight.” If I am still alive, I thought. This was going to end today and I wouldn’t stop until it did.
“Vanessa?” my grandfather said.
“I’ll call you.” And I hung up before he had chance to say anything else. They would be calling soon and god knows what they would do if they got the engaged tone. I just hoped that my grandfather wouldn’t call back.
I stared at the phone waiting for it to ring again. I could feel Mark and Ethan watching me, their eyes trying to see through my skin at what was going on. I could hear my own blood pumping through my ears, drowning out the gentle hum of the washing machine as it ran through its spin cycle.
Ethan’s mobile rang from its stand on the counter and I jumped. My eyes finally leaving the house phone as I watched him answer his phone. I strained my ears to try and listen, but I couldn’t tell what they were talking about by just listening to Ethan’s side of the conversation.
I picked the receiver up from the landline before it even made it through its first ring. My hands shook as I lifted it to my head.
“Hello Vanessa.”
“Hello.”
“I see your finally learning to follow instructions. That’s good. We are finally making progress.”
I stayed silent.
“I want you to go to Lyddersdale Road. There is a phone box there. I want you in it waiting for my call by 17:00.”
I mentally pictured Lyddersdale Road in my head. It was the main road in the town centre. There were hundreds of phone boxes.
“Which one.”
“You’ll have to figure that part out for your self.”
“How will I manage that?”
“You’ll find a way. If you get it wrong and miss the call, Macey dies and we come for Robin.”
I spun round on my chair and faced Mark who was watching me, waiting eagerly for me to tell him what they had said, but I couldn’t, my thoughts were lost. Mentally scanning the road for the correct phone box. How would I know which one it was?
“Vanessa?”
“I...I have to get Robin. I have to go.” I stuttered.
“Vanessa.” He said again cautiously. “Vanessa, what's wrong.”
I looked up at him, but I wasn’t seeing him. I had to go.
Ethan came back into the kitchen and shoved his mobile phone back in its holder.
“Everything alright? Who was on the phone?”
Mark shook his head telling him not to ask.
Ethan ignored him and came over to me. His hands went round my arms holding me still in front of him. “Vanessa” he called his voice slightly raised as he tried to make me come out of my trance like state. “Vanessa.”
I tried to move away from him, but his grip on my arms tightened, his fingers digging into my flesh almost hurting. “Let me go.”
“Not until you tell me what's going on. You know my dad called yesterday. He’s worried about you.”
“Well he shouldn’t be, I can look after my self.”
“He’s your grandfather Vanessa, worrying is his job.”
“I have to go to the phone box.”
“Phone box? Vanessa there’s a phone right here. Use mine.”
“I can’t. I have to use the phone box for Macey and Robin.”
“You’re not making any sense. Use my phone.”
“I have to go.” I said and my voice didn’t feel or sound like my own.
“You’re not going anywhere, not until you tell me what's going on.”
“Robin is dying let me go.”
“Robin? She’s not dying. What the hell are you talking about Vanessa?”
He looked over to Mark hoping for some answers. Mark glanced from me to Ethan not sure what to do.
“Mark?” said Ethan.
“Nooo.” I screamed as Mark began telling Ethan everything. If they knew that someone else had found out, they would kill Macey and Robin.
