Читать книгу The Riviera - Karen Aldous - Страница 11

Chapter 2

Cal paced anxiously at the back of the boarding hall sipping yet another coffee. The flight to Boston had been long. What hadn’t gone through his head the last few hours? He was dizzy through lack of sleep but that hour he had dozed off had made him feel even worse. Now he’d been waiting another hour he swore he would lose his mind. He just wanted to see his son. Ensure he was safe. The frustration was his phone had lost power and needed charging. In his panic he’d taken it off charge and forgotten to recharge. Finally, the doors opened and he boarded the next flight to Nantucket. Jack would soon be home from school.

He let out a sigh of relief as the taxi turned into Main Street and pulled up outside Jack’s home. Kelly and Reuben owned a traditional New England, grey-shingled house fronted by the obligatory white picket fence and, although built only seven years, it blended well with the seventeenth-century properties lining Main Street. The driver edged to the kerb just missing one of numerous elm trees still naked of any buds.

‘Thanks,’ he said handing the driver a twenty dollar note.

Kelly pulled back the door just as he rang the bell. Immediately panic struck him. The girl he once loved was red-eyed and bare of her usual make-up. She heaved deeply before choking out the words.

‘Jack hasn’t come home, I don’t know where…’ Her voice broke away as she sobbed.

Any blood that was left in his cheeks was now sapped right out. Cal swallowed hard, blinking back tears. ‘Kelly, why didn’t you collect him last night?’

‘I was alone here with the kids. Reuben was still in New York. He’s on a flight home now. But, Jack often walks or cycles back on his own. It’s just along the road.’

‘Christ.’ Cal rubbed his forehead. ‘So where had he been? When was he last seen and where? Have you searched the house, the garage, the garden?’

‘Hell, yeah,’ Kelly snapped rubbing her eyes and nose, then standing back she ushered him in. He followed blindly, waiting for her response. His instinct was to run through the house and rip up every piece of pristine furniture and every door and every wardrobe – anywhere he could to check she hadn’t missed something. ‘Have you checked the loft?’

‘Yeah, attic, summerhouse. Maria’s been here checking too,’ she said wiping a tissue under her nose. ‘Brett says they were at the harbour last night. He said they began walking back about ten. Brett went straight home. He was sure Jack wasn’t in any trouble. I’d waited, well, I thought, no wait until ten-thirty, but when he still wasn’t in, I rang Maria just after. She and Bob came up and from what I gather Bob has been out all night with some of the others. They took the boat out to scour the coast and beaches. No one has reported a boat missing, so it’s, well, who knows? I rang the police, they are looking.’

‘Fuck. I need to put my phone on charge. I need to check my messages and emails.’

Kelly raced to the kitchen and pulled a plug from a drawer. ‘Here.’ She plugged the USB lead into the power socket as Cal handed it over.

As soon as Cal powered it up, he checked every text message, every email and Whatsapp. ‘Nothing new, but read this and tell me anything you know,’ he said opening up his email and showing Kelly the message he’d received from Jack.

She leaned across the work surface and grabbed the phone. ‘Oh my God, I can’t imagine…’

‘Has he argued with you or Reuben?’

‘No.’

‘Any girls he’s got mixed up with?’

‘Not that I know of.’

‘Has he mentioned anyone bullying him at school?’

‘No. No, nothing.’

‘Homework, exams, sports?’

‘If I knew what was bothering him, I’d say. You know what he’s like, he…he does tend to put pressure on himself. I mean, we remind him how important the junior and sophomore years are to his future and,’ Kelly’s lips thinned as her eyes welled again, ‘I’ve confiscated his phone. I needed to reduce his time on social media and playing games instead of concentrating on his studies. Of course, he still has games on his desktop but, it has not gone down well. I suppose it’s possible he could be sulking about that, and be getting stressed over his exams.’

Cal shot his hand across to the phone now back on the surface of the worktop. ‘That is not a boy worried about his exams, Kelly. Something’s wrong.’ He dragged a hand from the back of his neck and kept his gaze momentarily up to the ceiling. ‘I’ll have a good look around here. I take it you’ve checked with the school?’

‘Yes.’ Kelly scrunched her hair and turned for her coat. ‘He’s not there.’

‘I’ll quickly ring Lizzie, let her know I’ve arrived OK.’ Cal could barely hit the keys on the phone his hands were trembling so much. It was reassuring though to hear Lizzie’s voice.

‘So glad you got there OK,’ she said. ‘How is Jack?’

He paused for a second. ‘Look I won’t go into it now, I’ve just arrived and I’m still at Jack’s. Is it OK if I give you a call later?’

‘Yes, of course. I’m missing you already.’

‘Miss and love you too.’ He placed the phone back down leaving it to charge and dashed for the lower ground floor. Of course he missed her already and wanted nothing more than for her to be with him. He still couldn’t believe he’d captured her heart and he was part of her world. Thierry’s too. He didn’t like himself for not telling Lizzie the reality about Jack missing but he didn’t want her worrying too. With any luck they’d find Jack soon anyway. Oh, God, Jack. This was a small island for God’s sake. Please, please be safe. I feel I’ve only just got to know you. Cal searched behind and under sofas and chairs, in cupboards, storage chests, anything he thought a sixteen-year-old could squeeze into. Each floor, including the attic rooms and the eaves, was minutely inspected before he raced for the garden scratching his arms on the bushes, leaving nothing or nowhere to chance.

‘Jack, I’m here,’ he called as he continued into the summerhouse, under it and then into the garage, scrutinising every inch of the garage loft where storage boxes and tools resided. ‘Jack, please come out. I’m here to help,’ he said, wishing this nightmare would end. If there was one thing in his life he could do to ease years of guilt, this would be it. He would be here in his son’s hour of need and prove to him he cared, let him know he’d always cared. Shifting box after box until he was sure he’d scrutinised every corner, a small photo-frame shot out and hit a rafter. Cal reached out and turned it over. His heart lurched as his finger circled the familiar face. The young Jack flashing a full-on milk-teeth smile. His first school photo Cal recalled with fondness but then saddled it with anger at why it was here. His own copy was securely placed in an album he kept close. In fact it was at Lizzie’s apartment whilst his belongings were in storage. Obviously, Kelly had more children and priorities where décor was concerned.

‘Cal,’ Kelly called from the garden. ‘Bob, Brett’s father, is here. Where are you?’

Racing down the steps and jumping the last few, he almost crashed into Kelly entering the open garage door.

‘Ah…here, has he discovered anything?’ Cal urged.

‘No. And he won’t go home and get any sleep. He’s going back to the harbour now while I get Harry and Bea. Do you want to go?’ Kelly led Cal back into the house. Bob closed the cloakroom door and came down the hall towards them into the kitchen.

‘Hi, Bob. Thanks for all your help,’ Cal said taking Bob’s large hand. He recognised the tall stature with receding brown-grey hair. ‘I really appreciate…’

‘Oh man, I can’t imagine what you guys are suffering right now, but I’ve run out of ideas if I’m honest.’ He shrugged, wiping his brow. ‘I think I’ve been around the island twice covering every road, and stopping at every diner or bar. I’ve shown this picture here to half the population and asked them to call the police if they see him. The police are on it too. They have a team out knocking on doors. They questioned Brett this morning. Apart from suggesting we look down the harbour, he’s not saying a thing. I’m not convinced. Boys talk. I’ll try again but I’ve sent him to school.’

‘Really good of you. I’ll stay here in case.’

With a heavy heart, Cal returned to the garage. Time was getting on and fear was gripping his stomach and throat. He covered his face with his hands then rubbed his eyes in both tiredness and despair. He returned to the roof space in the garage and began climbing the steps. Something made him stop. He peered back at the summerhouse. He observed the pitched roof for a moment, noticing a porthole window to the front. He ran to the summerhouse door and inside, in the centre of the ceiling was a small-framed door hatch. His eyes scanned the room for a hook. There was nothing visible. He grabbed a chair and climbed up, pushing in the hatch which released and swung open.

‘Jack. Are you there, Jack?’ He pulled the narrow folded steps down and unfastened the clasp allowing the length of the steps to fall to the floor. He peered up, dust particles flitted through the beam of daylight from the tiny window. He then climbed up. ‘Jack.’