She was right. Nathan knew it and so did Elle. It was in his nature to help, it was what he was good at. He had missed being part of the police force, the label it held and position he had reached. But the thing that played on both their minds was the result of the last offer from Jack. The days they spent in hospital, the months of nightmares they both endured and the time they spent apart. Nathan had promised her that he would stay put and that he would never offer or agree to help Jack in any way. They both knew that when the time came, he would crumble and the urge would fill him once more.
‘I noticed Jack didn’t stay long!’
‘No, he knew you would be coming home, I think he preferred that you two didn’t meet face to face!’ they both laughed, giggles to begin with which then erupted into body jerking and tears.
‘Oh I can believe that……he knows I would have told him to piss off!’ Nathan kissed her ear, moving her hair away with his chin.
‘I love you’ he whispered softly
‘I love you too babe’.
The picture was out of focus, it remained that way for several seconds. Nathan could make out blurred figures in the centre of the screen. One shorter than the other, he strained his eyes and could see that the shorter of the two was seated. He froze the movie and headed for the kitchen to get a beer. Elle had decided to go to bed and he was happy with the idea, he needed to give Jack an answer soon, so he needed to study the information given in the envelope. Once his wife had left the room he had ripped open the sticky seal and emptied the contents onto the couch. Three Polaroid photos had fallen free and scattered over the cream leather cushions, the DVD glistened under the light that hung from the ceiling. He had removed the sheet of A4 paper from the envelope and placed it down. The DVD was placed in the machine and he had kept the viewing till last. The cool bottle numbed his palm as he read the letter.
Nathan,
Look over this evidence, tell me what you think. The video is disturbing and I suggest you watch it alone! I know you left for a reason and I hate to ask you for help, but, to be honest……we need it, I need it!
Jack
He collected the photos and stacked them on top of one and other, tapping the sides to align them. They were numbered one to three. He re-arranged them into numerical order. The first was of a young girl bound to a chair. She was staring at the camera, her face displayed fear, her eyes wide and worried. At the base of the picture were the words. My, what big ears you have! He placed it down to his side. The second was similar to the first, the girl bound and fear stricken. On the bottom read. My, what big eyes you have! He looked at the next, this time the girl was bleeding from her cheek. The blood seemed to cover the entire right side of her mouth and neck. He noticed the tears that had started to snake from her eyes. My, what big teeth you have! Though the images were unsettling he was eager to move onto the DVD. He grabbed the remote and pressed play, the volume was lowered as the howl filled the room.
Jack Dawson awoke suddenly. The vibrating from his phone had caused the lamp to wobble as it sat upon bedside table. He reached around in the dark to find the lamp switch. The click illuminated the bulb and blinded him temporarily. He sat up and grabbed the mobile phone.
‘Dawson’ he answered, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
‘Jack it’s me’
‘Nathan, to be honest I didn’t think you would call’
‘Jack, let’s cut the bull shit…………..I’ll do it’
‘Great, I’ll……’
‘Look, no press conferences, no interviews, no reporters. I need to be a fucking ghost Jack!’
‘Done, don’t worry. We leave tomorrow, seven thirty. Meet me in the airport for five. I already got you a ticket’.
‘Ok’.
‘Oh and Nathan…..’ the tone told him that Nathan had gone. He placed the phone down and extinguished the light. Once again, he was in total darkness, this time he went to sleep wearing a smile.
***
The sun fired a warm light through the small window. Nathan waved his hand slowly through the rays allowing his fingers to break the beam. He could already smell the other passengers as they climbed aboard the plane. He hated flying, although he was unsure why. There were no previous bad experiences or stories to aid in his hatred. It was just a feeling that lay in his gut. Like a resting beast that despised an awakening. He remembered the last time he boarded a plane, it was with Elle. They were leaving London after his last attempt to help Jack on a case. Though last time he donned several bandages and his right arm was balanced in a sling, not a good memory.
‘Still no fan of flying Nathan?’
‘No Jack, we disagree with each other’ the bong sound from above his head ordered him to fasten his seat belt. It had been applied the moment he sat down. Way ahead of you. He shuffled his feet to find a new zone of comfort, grateful that Jack had bought Business Class tickets due to his scaffolding pole type legs.
‘Hey, if you’re feeling a bit anxious or nervous, just think of something else, something………important and distracting! That sometimes helps.’
He accepted his friend’s advice and closed his eyes. The sun warmed his cheek and he drifted to a happy place, to his house, sitting on the warm white sand. Elle wrapped up in his arms, her heart beating methodically with his as if synchronised. He felt himself smiling as he floated through the image. The waves crashing softly and the thudding of two hearts filled his ears…….until the Air Hostess began to speak.
His eyes opened to find a young woman with enough make-up on her face to supply the rest of the female passengers. She smiled, doll-like as her arms motioned to the location of the Emergency Oxygen Masks and Exit doors. The large tin can shook as it reversed from its parked position. Nathan gripped the arm rests with both hands and squeezed, his skin turned pale. Happy place………Happy place…. He yearned to go home. He longed to be with his wife, he needed a Gin and Tonic. The plane came to a steady halt and he prepared mentally for the take-off, he awaited the ‘left my stomach on the tarmac’ effect as the engines moaned louder. His head was forced back as he endured the painful lift off, his eyes firmly shut and squeezing the life out of the plastic arm rests. The plane bounced and dipped as it ascended higher, the clouds rushed past, his eyes peered open for seconds at a time and the view from his window caused him to close them again. His feet tapped, his fingers drummed, his mind exploded with numerous thoughts. I can’t wait to land!
***
He watched from behind the dark glass, his warm breath created circles of mist as he exhaled slowly. He observed the house, the bedroom and the new girl……..his new girl. The rain snaked down the observation window of the van, he traced the droplets with his finger from top to bottom, his eyes fixated on her room. The light bounced off the pink walls, an ornament hanging from the ceiling twinkled as it spun steadily in a clockwise motion. Abby sat behind the desk, the pencil protruding from her small hand as she drew. He studied her movements, the way her tongue began to slide from her mouth when focusing too hard. The way her brown hair shone as her delicate fingers ran through it. Her head was cocked slightly to the right in concentration. He copied her posture, feeling as though he were one with her. The drumming of rain on the van’s roof repeated in his head, like a military band playing just for him, playing his own special song. He began clicking the tip of his tongue against the roof of his mouth, keeping in time with the tune that echoed through his vehicle. His eyes scanned the ground, the rain made small holes in the snow as it landed. It was as if invisible fingers were piercing the white blanket. The binoculars were raised back to the girl, his eyes followed closely behind.