Fynn is already inside, so we follow him. When I enter, an unpleasant smell of a lack of usage hits my nostrils. I guess it shows on me, because Anderson immediately jumps to explain.
“Yeah, we definitely need to air the place a little,” he winks at me, and I chuckle. Maybe it won’t be so bad with him here.
Fynn walks out from the last room down the hallway. “Your room is that one.” He points. “Anderson and I are sleeping in the room next to yours.” I just nod. “The kitchen is to your left. You’ve got your basic utilities, but the coffee sucks. The machine has its own mind and will refuse to make you coffee occasionally. Apart from that, the toaster is working fine, and the microwave, too.”
“So, we’ll be cooking?” I wonder.
“We can’t quite order out here, princess,” he snorts at me.
“That’s not what I meant,” I reply.
“Cut her some slack, Fynn, will ya?” Anderson’s soft voice tingles in my right ear, where he also places his hand upon my shoulder. “The girl’s been through enough for one night.”
“She will be through more if we aren’t careful. Sven isn’t finished with her, you know this yourself, Anderson.”
“I know, but come on.”
“You can be all freakin’ lovey-dovey for all I care, but someone here needs to keep his head on his shoulders, if we’re all gonna get out of this alive.” With those words, he sighs, then shakes his head. “I’ll go outside to check the premises. You can help her settle in.”
“Fynn, I didn’t mean - “ Anderson starts, but Fynn is already out the door.
Now, it’s Anderson turn to sigh, as he gestures helplessly at me.
“He’s not really a bad guy.”
“Yeah, he just sounds and acts that way,” I furrow my brow.
“I know that’s how it looks to you, and I’m pretty sure that’s how it looks to most people. But, once you scratch that hard, edgy surface… trust me, there’s no one else I’d rather have by my side when shit hits the fan.”
“Like it did this time?”
“Well…” he scratches the back of his head, and gives me a mischievous, boyish look to die for.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” I chuckle. “So, you know this guy? This Sven?”
“Sort of,” Anderson nods, walking around a small coffee table and sitting on the sofa. “We got unofficial records saying he’s done everything under the sun, but we could ever only catch him on some minor stuff that would barely hold up in court. That, plus his lawyer is an unforgiving piranha, so we always need to do everything by the book, otherwise the evidence we get on him is deemed unacceptable in the court of law.”
“Tough.”
“Tell me about it,” he sighs again. “Every time something big happens and we manage to connect it to him, he’s nowhere to be seen. And, it’s been a while since he’s been active. Maybe even a few years. The fact that he’s out of hiding, sort of, and pulling a stunt like this, kidnapping you, tells us more’s at stake here. There are some big players involved, I’m sure of it.”
“Big players? You mean, like my dad?”
“Even bigger.”
“That’s really big then. But, I don’t understand, what does any of this have to do with my dad? And, what is it that Sven wanted? Why didn’t he ask for money, like any normal kidnapper would?”
Anderson allows me a moment or two, before replying. He gazes at me deeply, his eyes the color of ashes and smoke dispersing in the wind. I could sense that there is an intense truth he wants me to know, but he’s still not sure if he should tell me.
“Do you know where your father’s wealth comes from?” he suddenly asks me the question. I’ve never asked myself, but simply took it for granted that my father earned it. All of it. But now, faced with this dilemma, I realize how childish my convictions have been.
“From his business?” I shrug. “It’s been doing pretty well, I think.”
“Sure, pretty well, but millions of dollars’ worth well?”
“I don’t know,” I shrug again. “It’s none of my business. I mean, I don’t run it, he does. So, why would I know the inner workings?”
“I guess it’s not really something you’d like to share,” he says solemnly.
“Why?”
“This is not for me to tell you,” he suddenly pulls back.
“Tell me what?” I take a step closer to him. “You can’t throw this bomb on me, and then say oh no, can’t tell you, sorry.”
“Well, that’s what I’m saying, sorry. I shouldn’t have started this conversation. It’s not my place to tell you such a thing.”
“Well, can you tell me one thing then?”
“What?”
“Is my father the bad guy here?” My voice trembles as I ask this, the tears struggling to flood my face, but I’m not letting them.
Anderson takes my hand in his. It’s warm and soft.
“No, Maddie, your father isn’t a bad guy at all. In fact, he’s one of the nicest guys I’ve met. He just… made some mistakes that came back to haunt him, more than once.”
“Is this one of those times?”
“I’m afraid so.”
I slump down onto the sofa next to him, feeling an invisible burden pressing hard on my chest, not showing chances of letting go any time soon.
“Your father loves you very much.” His hand is still on mine, and I don’t know what to focus on, his words or his gentle touch. “And, everything he ever did was for you and your mother. Never forget that.”
“I won’t,” I smile, feeling the exhaustion of all the previous events finally catch up with me, threatening to shut me down completely.
“You just need a good night’s rest, or in this case, a good day’s rest. When you wake up, it’ll all seem a little less scary.”
“You’re probably right. I just don’t know how that will happen. It feels like nothing will ever be the same.”
“I know that’s how you feel, but that’s just it. A feeling. It’s not the way things really are. I read somewhere that we create our own reality. Sort of like, wishful thinking really is wishful thinking. You think positively, so you wish for it, and often, the Universe actually answers.”
“You read that somewhere, huh?” I smile curiously.
“Well, not that I have that much time to read lately, but yeah. It’s one of those things I read and it just stuck.”
“I know that feeling. Lately, life has gotten so busy that I barely have time to pick up a book let alone actually enjoy an evening with it.”
“Priorities.”
“Of course. Books aren’t priorities most of the time.”
“But, they should be.”
“Right?” I beam at him. “So, do we have any books around here?”