STOP PRETENDING

Chapter five

Art?
The silence filled up around the room. Mum gently place her hands on top of mine. Her hands felt warm against my cold, shaking hands.
I knew it! All along, I knew it would be Art. And after thinking it through over and over again, it suddenly occurred to me about Arts weird behaviour that happened nearly 24 hours ago...no. For nearly fifteen years.
He lied to me.
He lied to all of us.
And most of all, to our marriage.
I slowly freed my hand from mum and placed it on my lap. I was still staring at mum.
Mum was about to speak when suddenly, my phone buzzed. I looked at the screen, not touching the sight of it. And I knew who it was from. It was from 'code X'.
Dad picked up the phone and read the text. He showed it to mum, then me. It read:
'Be there in 30mins! DO NOT contact the police or I will kill Harry!"
I took the phone from dads hand and re-read the text. My body felt numb. I quickly checked the time of the wall in front of me and dad: 13:45pm. At least we had enough time I thought to myself.

Even at 14:45pm, the ravine at Sandcove Chine was cool and shady. The heat of the day, still felt fierce, but out of the sun there was a chilly breeze. As I walked shivering, I hugged my jacket around my chest - cursing myself to have brought a warmer jacket. Ahead of me, the Japanese pond glinted in the autumn sunlight. A few elderly people were strolling past in the distance. Others sat on benches opposite the water.
I reached the pond. Feeling nervous, I glanced up the ravine to where I knew dad was hiding. Carefully watching me with great eyesight. Even at his age, he was great at doing everything back to when he was a specialist officer before retiring soon after Harry was born.
Anyway, we swapped numbers earlier, which meant I could call him if I saw anything suspicious. My fingers hovered over his number, just in case he sent a text himself.
'I can c u sweat heart. Any trouble, I'll b there in less than a minute. Dad x'
Slightly reassured, I leaned against the tree. The ground all around me was hard and dry. It hadn't rained for days. My buzzed again. It was from him...again.
'Path left of pond. 30 metres. Broken bench. Look underneath."
I glanced ahead, into the shadowy path that lead away from the pond. At least this 'code X' person hadn't seen my dad yet. That was a good sign at least.
The first bench was missing the two slats at the back. I jogged over. There was no sign of anyone lP yet, though I knew dad was still watching over me up the ravine - and no sound other than the wind in e trees and the distant sound of the sea sucking at the shore.
My fingers trembled as I felt along the rough wooden material underneath the bench until I came across a padded envelope that was taped against the wood underneath the bench. I ripped it off and for it open. Inside was a phone - much different than mine - as I picked it up. It beaded suddenly showing a video message.
Heart in my mouth, I watched the screen as someone I already recognised sat there filling the screen. It was my son. Harry.
"Mum?" He said in a shaky voice. His lips was pressed together - like he was trying not to cry. His big blue eyes were full over fear as he was desperately looking at me. "This is a message for you."
A lump rose in my throat. How could these people do is to him? He's too vulnerable. My own son. Shaking like a leaf. I couldn't bear to see him so frightened and upset.
Harry turned his head, clearly looking towards someone in the corner of the room off camera. A second later, he picked up a piece of paper from his lap and gave a sniff. Again, in a shaky voice, he read out loud.
"The people who has me hostage knows us because of you, mum. They...he wants the money from great granddads will."
I blinked. My granddads money? What was all this about?
Harry carried on speaking. "You have to have the five grand life insurance..." My heart seemed to tear a little as Harry spoke and looked anxiously over to the corner of the room again. "...ready in cash by tomorrow morning..."
My grip tightened on the phone. I knew a little about my granddads life insurance...only that he arranged that if he dies grandma would be entitled to a huge lump sum, and that she finally received the money after my older brother, Johnny was born.
On the screen, tears were now streaming down his face. "I don't know where I am mum, if you're there, but I'm really scared. The man... I haven't seen his face...he's American...he won't let me go...please...save me from this hell-hole...I know who this right-arm bloke is. He's—"
At that point, the screen drizzled into silenced. I stared at it, panic clutching at my throat. This man must be Art. I'm sure if it. All that stuff knowing about him knowing us because of me. Plus, this un-named man was clearly from the states. And one thing I definitely knew for sure was that Art was born in the states, before he moved to London. Before he me.
And why else would he be hiding his face if he wasn't scared of his own son? That Harry would easily recognise him?
A twig cracked behind me. I jumped and spun round. "Who's there? I said. "...dad?"
"No." And then the last person I expected to see stepped out of the shadows.