Charade

Benji

"What do you mean she's gone?" I asked, barely keeping up with Vic as he stormed out of the rickety old house.

"I walked into Lily's room, and she was gone. Eddie must have come for her in the night, injected her with something to knock her out and then he snuck her out of the house." He said, jogging down the steps and shrugging his jacket on.

"Holy shit," I swore, jumping the porch steps. "Wait, where are we going?"

"Petrol station. Eddie swiped his card three hours ago."

Vic jumped behind the wheel and turned the key in the ignition. I followed, barefoot, dirt and stones digging into my flesh. Vic hauled the car down the off road and then sped down the highway, leaving what little sanity remained blowing in the red dust behind us.

***

"Vic – Vic stop! Slow down!" I screamed.

Vic had his foot flat against the acceleration. I was pinned against my seat, heart pounding in my ears, as the car reached lightning speed and sweat dripped down Vic's unshaven cheek. His hard eyes were laser-focused to the road as he ripped the steering wheel around, dodging cars left, right, and centre. People outside were shouting and honking their horns, flipping us off and telling us to get off the road. I gripped the car seat, balling clumps of it into my fists, eyes wide and terrified. He was going to kill us.

I spotted Marley's Truck Stop up ahead. Vic swerved into the car park so fast I thought two wheels had come off the ground. I gasped, yelled something at Vic. In one swift motion, he slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the car. I paused, frozen in my seat, heart in my throat. I looked up. Vic was already through the door.

I leapt out of the car and chased him inside. He was at the counter, muscles tense, leaning over the young cashier. He looked insane.

"Vic!" I exclaimed, grabbing his shoulder. "Vic, calm down."

I looked at the cashier – a young boy in his early twenties – and the unsure look on his face.

"There was a man here this morning. He would've looked about thirty with red hair and freckles. He might've had a girl with him who was about thirteen."

"Uh," he murmured, looking to me. "Who are you guys? Cops?" He asked.

"No, not exactly – "

Vic leapt forward, grabbing the guy by the shirt and yanking him across the counter.

"Did you or did you not see a man fitting that description?" He asked, tone low and menacing.

"Vic, what the fuck?!" I screamed, trying to rip him off the cashier.

"I-I don't know, man!"

Vic ripped out a pocket knife and pressed it against the guy's neck.

"Vic!"

"Okay, okay!" The cashier screamed. "Just put the knife down!"

Vic, cold and maniacal, gently lowered the knife.

"There was a man in here. He had an Irish accent.  I think he had red hair when he was younger, but it was mostly grey. He had a walking stick."

"Did he have a girl with him?"

"No, I swear. It was just him."

"Where did he go?"

"I don't know – I swear I don't know! He ordered breakfast, sat and ate, and then he left. I was out the back. I didn't see him leave."

"He sat and ate?" Vic echoed, confused. "And there was no girl?"

"No – he was alone."

Vic, in his confusion, had calmed down a degree. I saw my chance.

"Vic," I said softly, reaching for the knife. "Just give me the knife, Vic. Come on. Before you get into serious trouble."

Vic looked at me, eyes big and tortured.

"It's not Eddie," he whispered. "It... It can't be."

"I know," I said again. "It's okay. Just... come outside. We'll go back to Artie's place and we'll figure it out."

Vic looked at the boy he'd slung over the counter and slowly released him.

"I-I don't – I'm sorry," he said to the boy.

Vic flicked the blade back into the handle and tucked it into his pocket. He turned and disappeared out the front door. I looked up. Half a dozen pairs of eyes were on us. Two people were on the phone, talking to triple zero. I met each set of eyes.

"I'm sorry," I stammered, and disappeared out the door.

I ran to the car, leapt into the passenger's side, and buckled my seatbelt. I looked to Vic, frozen, knuckles white on the wheel. He face was drained of its colour and his eyes were still big and confused.

"Vic, drive. The cops will be here soon."

He didn't move.

"Did I really just do that?" He asked.

"It doesn't matter. Just go. We can figure it out later."

"Did you see the fear in his eyes when I put that blade to his neck?" Vic asked, dazed and dream-like. "How could I do that?"

"Vic, the police are coming to arrest you and if they arrest you, we will never find Lily. We need to go."

He looked at me when I said her name, the same way the ears of a dog prickle at the sound of food being poured into their bowl. He looked... desperate. Slowly, he nodded and started the engine. The car roared to life and he reversed out of the car park. The car sped down the road, only ten k's over the speed limit. For the first time, I felt like I could breathe.

© A.G. Travers 2015