Hoax

Chapter seventy

Harry Styles 

"Okay, thank you...thank you..."

Richie scribbles on his note pad.

"Yes...I will...and if I'm ever in Boston, I will be sure to instruct you guys for all my building needs!"

I roll my eyes.

Xavier shoots me an equally unamused look.

Richie chuckles – "Okay, thanks...bye, bye..."

As soon as he hangs up, I ask – "So? Did we get it?"

Richie clears his throat and grabs the piece of paper off the countertop. He places in front of his eyeline and reads it like he's reading some sort of royal scroll.

"Mister Jessie Anthony Lowe – phone number, 617-445-918, residing at number twenty-one, Riverside apartments, Skirbeck, Boston-"

I feel relief swarm me like a tsunami.

"Though, the guy from the construction company did say that these are his details from 2017, so hopefully, they haven't changed..." Richie adds.

I can only hope and pray that Jessie Lowe, our only chance of hope at taking down Bart Stubbs, has not changed numbers or address in the past eighteen months or so.

"Shall I call him now?" I query.

Richie nods – "Yeah, do it-"

"Read out the number for me, please-" I state, as I pull my phone out from my back pocket.

Richie reads the number and I dial it into my phone.

I feel a little nervous as I hit the call button, and it starts to ring.

With each passing ring, my optimism starts to dwindle. 

"Pick up...pick up, pick uppp..." I mutter to myself, as I nervously start pacing the living room.

I glance over at Richie and Xavier, capturing their equally as nervous expressions.

It's not sounding good.

As the beeps prologue, all my hope seems to fade...

Until, a crack in the line ensues. 

"Uh- hello?"

Thank God.

"Hi-" I begin, looking over at Richie and Xavier with a hopeful gaze. "Is this Jessie Lowe?"

I practically cross my fingers as I await a response.

"Yes...yes, it is-"

I have to refrain from jumping up and down in delight.

"Who's speaking?" He asks, sounding tentative.

"It's Harry...I'm uh..."

How the fuck do I refer to myself?

Should I be completely honest or ease him slowly into this?

"Harry, who?" Jessie queries, sounding evidently sceptical.

"Uh- Harry..." I make eye contact with Xavier. "Sanders...Harry Sanders..."

I steal Xavier's last name and watch him mouth 'what!' at me from across the room.

Richie guffaws as I shrug and grimace.

I had to come up with a ploy name.

Even if we get Jessie on board with this plan, I can't risk telling him who I really am, as he might recognise my name.