‘Fine. Good.’ It’s been nearly a month since the attack and it’s healed nicely. I stare at the floor, building up the courage to ask him.
‘What’s wrong?’ asks Jack.
I take a breath. ‘Did you lock me in here?’
He frowns. ‘What?’
‘The key you left doesn’t work.’
‘There’s a spare in the hallway drawer.’
I move past him and out into the hallway. Jack follows. He watches as I pull open the drawer and there, in the corner, poking out from beneath loose papers, is a brass key. ‘That wasn’t there before.’
‘Did you look properly, or did you panic and just riffle through manically?’
I mean, I wasn’t exactly calm when I looked. I stare at the key, feeling like a total idiot.
He laughs. ‘You thought I’d resorted to imprisonment?’
Yes, I think. ‘No,’ I say.
He raises an eyebrow.
‘I thought maybe … you were worried I’d leave.’
‘I know you wouldn’t leave. You’re not selfish. You wouldn’t accept my help, agree to stay here, only to stab me in the back when it gets rough. Not after everything I’ve done for you.’
I feel a pang of guilt because if he hadn’t come back when he did, I’d have done exactly that.
He scoops up the bags by the door and carries them into the kitchen. ‘You know a storm is coming?’
‘No?’
He unpacks the food shop. ‘Didn’t you see it on the news?’
‘No. The TVs aren’t working, I thought maybe …’
‘What?’
I shrug, awkward.
‘You thought I interfered with the TVs too?’
‘No,’ I say too quickly.
There’s a beat of silence. ‘Why would I do that?’
‘In case I saw my family on the news and wanted to go home. I mean, you did have me abducted, Jack. Can you blame me for wondering?’
‘I did that for you. I’m risking everything for you.’ His anger hacks out like a cough; I feel guilty for even asking because he’s right. Then his irritation gives way to hurt. ‘Don’t you trust me?’
‘Of course I do.’
‘Good.’ He kisses my forehead and I’m forgiven. ‘Look, it’s probably just a fuse. I’ll fix it.’
‘Thanks.’
Jack finishes unpacking the food and pours us both a drink. He smiles at me and I smile back. It’s a relief to have him here. To feel less alone. To know he’s the one person who’ll always be there for me. Do anything for me.
I clear my throat. ‘How’re my family?’
‘Fine. Nothing to report.’
I nod.
‘Look, you’ve been gone a month, your story is gaining notoriety, that’s the important thing. I think my appeal will help push it over the edge and divert any suspicion. I’m sure when you reunite with your family, they’ll realise how much they missed you. Let’s just hold off a couple more days until my appeal is filmed and aired?’
Even after hearing my parents are more comfortable with it being me who was abducted, I can’t help but miss them; I wish they missed me too. And I do want to go home. ‘When will that be?’
‘Few days. I’ll stay until after the storm, go back to Crosshaven, do the appeal, then you can go.’
He looks at me imploringly. I don’t want the police or anyone else to suspect he had something to do with my disappearance. I don’t want him to resent me if I leave now. ‘Fine,’ I say. ‘A few more days.’
Jack picks me up and spins me. ‘I promise this is for the best.’
Later, we curl up on the sofa and binge watch Jack’s pick: The Ted Bundy Tapes.
‘He’s the most terrifying serial killer,’ I say as the credits roll.
‘Why?’
‘Because he’s attractive, charismatic, educated. Girls turned up to his trial wearing “I love Bundy” T-shirts without even a smidgen of irony. Girls that would’ve been his victims if he wasn’t already on trial.’
‘That makes him more terrifying?’
‘Completely. No one expects death to be wrapped in such a pretty bow.’ I shudder. ‘He was insane.’
‘Experts didn’t find anything wrong with him. He wasn’t mentally ill.’
‘So … he was a high-functioning crazy.’
‘Or he was perfectly rational.’
I stare at him. ‘He murdered people.’