My knee bounced under the circular table, reminding me of the one from the mess hall at Dolor as Oscar took a seat across from me, getting himself as comfortable as he could with chains around his ankles. “What have you done?” I tried to say, but it came out more like a cry for help. My chest heaved harshly to the point it hurt to breathe.
“You’re going to have to be a tad more specific,” Oscar chuckled and dropped his gaze to his arrested hands in his lap, “I’ve done a lot of things, including your precious Mia.”
Oscar and Mia had sex, which had screwed with my head for a while. But I’d learned to look past it. He couldn’t use that as a weapon any longer. “Where is she?” My voice raised, and I stopped and looked around to see correctional officers eyeing our exchange. I lowered my tone, “If I find her—when I find her—if one bloody hair is harmed on her body, I’ll fucking kill you.”
“Dolor did a number on you, yeah?” Oscar raised a brow and moved his chained hands over the table to lean in. “Do you hear yourself? Look at me,”—he dropped his eyes to the chains— “What could I possibly do?”
“Who have you been in contact with?”
“Oliver, you sound like you’ve gone mad. I think you need help.”
I shook my head, my heart pounding out of my chest. “This isn’t funny. We both know you took her and why. Tell me where she is.”
“We’re still talking about Mia, right?”
“For fuck’s sake, yes. Mia.” These games grew old fast, and he was already getting inside my head, using my desperation as entertainment. I should’ve known better.
“You know what I want. Give me what’s mine, and I’ll release her,” Oscar said in a low tone. His fingers managed to scratch the back of his other hand, a habit he had his entire life. His brow raised, waiting for a response. But with that single scratch, he’d already told me what I needed to know. He didn’t have her. “What’s it going to be?”
If Oscar didn’t have Mia, it only confirmed Ethan Scott’s involvement, and Oscar couldn’t help me. It was true, I’d do just about anything to get Mia back, including asking for my brother’s assistance, but Oscar would be of no use to me. I needed someone on the outside—a person who had connections and more access than a phone call and an eight-day wait for visitation.
I stood and pushed in the chair as Oscar straightened in his when he noticed this conversation was over. “I’m not coming back, O. I hope this place changes you, I do. And for your health, I hope to God you had nothing to do with Mia’s disappearance because if I find out it was you,” I leaned in, leaving only a challenging space between us, “You’ll never step foot outside of High Down. Don’t underestimate me. You have no idea how far I’m willing to go.”
Fury swallowed his smile as he stood to match my height. “Are you threatening me?”
“Come on,” I laughed, “You know me. I don’t make threats.” I tousled his greasy hair with a smirk. “Don’t bend over, big brother.”
“You stole from me, you bloody bastard!” His cuffs bounced off the table, and his shouts faded as I walked away. Guards rushed past me, and I swallowed the smile wanting to merge with my lips.
The mobile sitting on the dresser blew up, ring after ring, every call either Travis or Laurie, my contact with the publishing house. For days, I’d ignored everyone, and today was no different. My greedy eyes remained on the digital clock over the nightstand back at the hotel room, awaiting the proper time to ring Bruce, Mia’s dad.
Pennsylvania was only five hours behind me, and it was a tad past noon. Not a day went by I didn’t make that call, eight in the morning his time, to see if Mia showed. Today would be no different.
And for thirty more minutes, my fist clenched as I sat at the edge of the made-up bed, staring at the green letters until they blurred into an unrecognizable shape.
At exactly 1:00 pm my time, my alarm went off, and I swiped the mobile off the nightstand.
“Nothing,” Bruce greeted me through a weary sigh. “You know you don’t have to call every day. I’ll call you if she shows up.”
I appreciate it, Bruce, but I’m still calling. “Did you file a missing person’s report yet?”
The hesitation in the silence lingered for a moment, and I already had my answer.
“Oli—
“No, don’t. I don’t want to hear it.”
“I’m sure she’s fine.”
“I want to believe that, but I know different.”
“I’ll call you if she shows.”
“I’ll ring you tomorrow.”
And that’s how the conversation had usually gone. Mia had always said her relationship with her dad had been estranged from the moment her mum died. My faith in humanity was slowly dissolving with each passing day. It had always been Mia against the world, but now it was the two of us against them. She had me, and I hoped it would be enough to save her.
My resources were limited, coming straight from a reformatory school without many friends. Jinx swiped Ethan’s address from Lynch’s office out of the goodness of his heart, but I still wired his mother funds to keep food in the fridge. He said it wasn’t necessary, but I couldn’t let his family go hungry either. Jinx was a good man. He worked hard and stayed away from trouble for the most part. But like every other bloke, his biggest weakness was girls. And Jinx liked to drink from a tall, white glass of milk. His words, not mine.
A few days ago, I’d driven past Ethan’s house to find no one home. I’d even peeked through the windows and challenged every lock, but nothing. Only a nosy neighbor who wanted to know what I was doing loitering around Ethan’s cookie-cutter home. After striking a conversation, the polished older lady had mentioned she hadn’t seen him or his car in a week, which wasn’t unusual for him. He’d always leave for weeks at a time. I’d also tried his mobile, but the number was disconnected.
During my last visit with Lynch, he’d informed me that Ethan resigned by email, and he’d taken off on release day, which also wasn’t unusual. Lynch only had him in contract until that day. None of it made sense. It was all too easy—too clean.
The rap at the door grabbed my attention.
“It’s Travis. Your mate. Remember me? Pretty blond hair. Irresistible blue eyes.” I made no movements to get up, but then … Another knock. “C’mon, mate. It’s cold out here, and I need to talk to you.”
I stood and walked to the door to unlock it. Travis sauntered in and plopped over a navy armchair, making himself comfortable. Regarding my shirtless chest and joggers, he raised a brow. “You can’t go to Thurrock like that.” I paused and narrowed my eyes, waiting for him to drop a laugh or a line to indicate he was joking. For two and a half seconds, we had a stare-off. “I’m serious,” he added.
“No, no, no, no …” I shook my head and dropped over the edge of the mattress with my head in my hands. My chin fastened between my fingers, and I peered up at him. “I left that place two years ago, Trav. I’m never going back.” My main focus was on finding Mia. There was no reason good enough to go back to that shit-hole. None.