Guns and Roses

Thirty Six ~ Rya

I stare at my phone for a little while. The chair I'm sitting on squeaks I spin it back and forth. It's been my office for around thirteen years but I still think of it as Dads chair.

I put my phone down and turn back to my laptop. A group of girls have went missing from Torstone and the surrounding towns. Mostly prostitutes and homeless women but Kira is with them. I'm sure of it.

Of course, as the only one with a rich family, Kira is the only name they mention. The rest are just ages. I stare at her school photo that's now on the front page of every newspaper.

Over night so much could have happened. She might not even be in the country anymore. This is exactly what happened to mum and look how that turned out.

Someone's trafficking. It could be Sean Ackley's group back again. It could be another gang entirely. I know that the Italians are taking our girls but I'm worried that if we push them to stop, they'll start a war of the territory and push us from the country.

I grab my phone as a sudden burst of confidence hits me. I open the number that Dad used and type a quick message.

Me: Pier. Three hours.

I drop the phone likes it's on fire and turn back to the laptop. The text doesn't bounce back so I know the number's still active. I scroll through articles to try and find any clues as to who took Kira.

My email pings and I open it to see the police report of Kira's disappearance. An elderly woman saw her walk past the nursing home at around 16:15 and that's the last known sighting of her. Her bag was found two miles away at the side of the road with her phone still inside.

Dread starts to set in as I realise that finding her is nearly an impossibility. By the weekend she'll either be dead or will have been sold off. After that happens, she's gone. Mum was lucky in that she never left the country but most of the buyers are from overseas.

Quinn and Reggie still have hope that she'll be found unharmed in the basement of some pervert in the area. I know better than them and I dont have a clue how to break it to them.

I hope shes dead. At least then she wont suffer.

I close the laptop with shaking hands. I liked Kira. She didn't deserve this.

****

I sit on a bench facing out to sea. If he shows, maybe he'll explain to me that it was all a massive misunderstanding. I check my phone again to see if I've missed a response. He's read the message but hasn't replied.

I missed school today to come here. I couldn't face Reggie and Quinn today. I heard that Reggie is printing off missing person posters to stick up around the neighbouring towns. Its killing me to see them try so hard when its hopeless.

My phone buzzes but it's just Artie calling. I slide my thumb across the screen to answer and look around quickly for Dad before holding the phone to my ear.

"Hey Artie" I say.

"Hey jagadka. It's Lisa, Artie let me borrow his phone" Her voice is rough and I can tell she's been crying again "I just heard about your friend. I'm so sorry. Where are you? I'm making chicken nuggets for dinner because you like them so much but I can make something else if you would prefer. You've had such a hard few weeks, you can have whatever you like"

I laugh "Chicken nuggets sound great Lisa. I'm just out for a bit but I'll be back in a few hours. It's a real shame about Kira, I'll miss her"

Shes right, I have had a hard few weeks and I havent had a chance to process any of it. I usually push emotions to the side until I have the time to deal with them but everything's piling up. I really hope I dont snap. That would be pretty shit.

"Okay sweetheart. Call me when you're on your way back so I know when to start making dinner..." she trails off at the end and I know that shes not telling me something. "The Petrovs are back" she says quickly as if she has read my mind. "I don't think they're leaving any time soon either"

I close my eyes and run my hands through my hair. "Whatever. I dont have the energy to fight them right now. Just as long as they stay the fuck out of my way I dont really give a shit what they do"

Lisa laughs softly "See you when you get home"

I hang up on her and slip my phone back into my pocket. I wait for well over an hour but theres still no sign of him.

I feel my eyes start to burn unexpectedly. I squeeze them shut and rest my head in my hands for a minute. I take a deep breath and then hear someone sit down beside me. "I thought I told you to wait in the car" I say and my voice sounds strained.

Quinn laughs and wraps an arm around my shoulder "Yeah, well it was getting sad seeing you sit here alone. You looked like you'd been stood up for a date"

I lift my head up and he pulls it onto his shoulder. Its strangely comforting and I dont immediately want to pull away. "Are you hugging me or putting me in a headlock Prescott? Just wondering whether or not I need to hit you"

He chuckles again and removes his arm from around my neck. I curse myself as I miss the heat I was getting off of him. I sit up straight and sit back. "I dont know why I thought he would come"

"Because hes your dad and you love him" Quinn says wistfully. He looks out to sea and the wind blows his red curls away from his face. "No matter what he does, you'll always look for the good in him. For the person that looked after you when you were sick and picked you up when you fell"

I gulp "But he didn't. Not that I remember anyway. All my childhood memories with my parents are of rooms with a glass pane separating us. They're memories of my parents with murderers, rapists and armed robbers. It's the memory that my parents were always the worst in the room"

He smiles at me "It doesn't matter. They loved you and you loved them. That's what your heart remembers"

I dont want to talk about this anymore. "Keep your sentimental bullshit. I thought he would come because I didn't realise what a pussy he is. Now hurry the fuck up before I leave you here" I snap at him and the look on his face makes me hate myself.