Girl, Missing (19 page)

I blinked at him.
But . . . but . . .

Questions were flooding my head.

‘How did you even get here?' I stammered.

‘Two days ago Mum cancelled my phone. Said the bills were too expensive. It was kind of the last straw.' Jam shrugged. ‘I bought the plane tickets using her online account. Then I nicked some money out of her purse, after she'd seen some clients that pay cash. I've saved most of it, though. The bus down from Boston was really cheap.' His face flushed. ‘I know it was wrong, but I'll pay her back when I can.'

‘Why didn't you call me?' I wound my arms round him. The sweetest feeling was sweeping through me. He had done all that to be with me.

Jam grinned – his cutest look. My heart skipped a beat.

‘Thought I'd surprise you,' he said. Then his smile faded. ‘This is what you want isn't it?'

I stared at him. ‘Is
what
what I want?'

Footsteps creaked on the landing upstairs. I rushed to the kitchen door and peered round towards the stairs, motioning Jam to keep quiet.

We listened hard for a few moments. Then a toilet flushed and footsteps padded back across the landing.

Jam crept over to me. ‘If we go now, we'll be miles away before anyone realises,' he whispered.

I blinked at him. A vortex of fear and excitement whirled up through my head.

‘Jam,' I said, nervously. ‘Tell me exactly what you want us to do.'

Jam frowned. ‘Run away together, of course. Run away.'

33

On the marina

‘But where will we go?' I said.

‘I've got it all sorted out.' Jam ran his fingers through his hair. ‘We'll head across towards the west coast. America's massive. We'll get lost in it. Find jobs. Rent an apartment.'

‘But we're too young,' I stammered. ‘And we don't have any money.'

Jam waved my objections away with a hand movement that reminded me forcibly of Carla. ‘People have done it before. We can make it work, Lauren. If we've got each other, we can.'

I turned away and started locking up the door again.

Jam came up behind me and put his arms round my waist.

‘You hate being here. And there's nothing for me at home. I mean, my dad isn't …' His voice cracked. ‘And … and Mum doesn't care about me. She's more interested in her bloody spirit-flame candles.' He pulled me round to face him. ‘If we leave tonight we can be miles away before anyone realises.'

My stomach churned. I wanted to go with him. But now was too soon. ‘Not tonight,' I said.

‘Why not?' I could hear the surprise, the suspicion in Jam's voice. ‘Don't you want to get out of here?'

‘Of course I do, but … but it'll be better if we have more money. I'm due my allowance tomorrow. Maybe I can ask for extra for something. Like an advance.'

Jam looked away. His eyes rested on the carton of milk I'd left by the fridge. ‘What about me?'

‘Come up to my room,' I said. ‘You can hide there. Eat something. Rest.'

He nodded.

I grabbed the carton of milk and a loaf of bread from the kitchen, then led Jam up the stairs.

I held my breath as we passed Shelby's room, then Annie and Sam's. But everyone appeared to be fast asleep.

We slid inside my room and shut the door. Jam looked round as he pulled off his jacket. ‘Kind of babyish, isn't it?' he whispered, stifling a yawn.

‘It was mine – when I was little, remember?'

He nodded, then tore a chunk off the loaf of bread I'd brought up and popped it whole into his mouth.

I went over to the closet and pulled down a spare blanket off the top shelf. ‘You'd better sleep in here. In case someone comes in in the morning.'

Jam swallowed his mouthful. ‘I'm not tired.' He grinned. ‘Hey. What about if I need to pee?'

I looked round. I grabbed a vase of fresh flowers Annie had put next to the board-books on the shelf. I pulled out the flowers and handed it to him. ‘Use this.'

He raised his eyes, took the vase and disappeared into the closet. ‘I'll be back in a sec.'

I paced up and down the room, my head spinning.

I wanted to be with Jam. I'd never wanted anything more in my life. Except … it felt wrong to leave Mum and Dad right now, while they must be so worried and scared about their court case. And for all that Annie annoyed me, was it really fair to put her through losing me again? And then there was Sam. And his parents. And, most of all, Madison.

After a while it occurred to me Jam hadn't reappeared from the closet. I wandered over. ‘Jam?' I whispered. ‘Jam?'

Silence. I peered round the door. Jam was sitting, slumped sideways on one of the cushions, his hand still clutching a chunk of bread.

I crouched down beside him and smoothed a strand of hair off his forehead. As I gently tugged him round onto the floor, his PSP slipped out of his trouser pocket. I picked it up and turned it over. Still six notches on the back.

How could his dad not want to see him?

For a second I filled up with how hurt Jam must feel. It made me sad. And angry.

I stroked his face again. Then I put a folded jumper under his head, covered him with a blanket and got into bed.

Madison often came in to see me in the mornings. Sometimes she'd bring me orange juice in a cup, sometimes a book to show me, sometimes a little bangle or earring that she'd made with one of her craft sets.

Today it was a picture she'd drawn. I could feel it, rustling against my hand as she shook me awake.

‘Lauren, Lauren,' she whispered. ‘Wake up.'

I opened my eyes.

Her face was centimetres away from mine. Her eyes like enormous buttons. ‘Lauren, there's a boy in your closet.'

I shot up and stared over at the closet. The door was open. I could see Jam's feet poking out from under the blanket.

‘I wasn't taking anything, just looking at your things,' Madison said, anxiously. ‘I think he's asleep. Should we get Mom and Dad?'

‘No,' I whispered. ‘It's OK. Jam's a friend of mine. He got here last night. I … I didn't want to wake everyone up.'

‘Is he your boyfriend?'

I looked down at the picture Madison had brought me. A crayon drawing of her and me standing next to each other in the bow of the
Josephine May
. ‘Kind of,' I said. ‘But he lives in England.' I looked up at her. ‘He and I were thinking of going away. So it's important you don't say anything to anyone about him being here.'

‘You won't go away for long, will you?' Madison's lip trembled. ‘It's my birthday just after Thanksgiving and Mom wants me to have this big party, but I just want to go to the movies with you.' She leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear. ‘You can choose what we see, if you like.'

I caught a whiff of her sweet, strawberry-jam breath. Fierce, protective love tugged at my heart. For a single, thrilling second I imagined Jam and me taking Madison with us. Then the image crumbled as I came face to face with its impossibility.

Which left me with one thought.

No way could I leave her.

‘It's OK,' I whispered to Madison. ‘We're just going down to the marina. You can come too.'

‘What?' I hadn't noticed Jam coming out of the closet. He was standing at the foot of my bed. Madison shifted closer to me as Jam frowned and brushed back his tousled hair. ‘What are you talking about?'

‘Jam, this is Madi,' I said. ‘She's my sister.'

Jam flashed her his big, cute grin. My heart flipped over. For a second I wavered. Was I mad even thinking about turning down the chance to run away with him for ever?

‘We can't talk here.' I pointed to the clock: 9 am. ‘There won't be many people down the marina. It's too cold. It's a good place to sort everything out.'

Jam's eyes lingered on my face, but he didn't say anything. He nodded. ‘OK.'

It was easy sneaking out of the house. Madison stood guard at the bottom of the stairs while I led Jam through the living area and out the front door. I could hear Annie in the kitchen as we passed.

‘An entire loaf of bread, Sam … You don't think she's bulimic?'

The marina was covered in frost. It crackled under our feet like a gigantic crisp packet. Jam and I walked without speaking.

As we reached the coffee stand, Madison skipped off by herself along the jetty. I watched her long black hair swaying behind her. There was hardly anyone about. A smart Evanporter walking a fluffy little Scottie dog. And a couple in the distance, both muffled up in hats and scarves. There was something vaguely familiar about the way the woman walked, but I was too preoccupied to give her a second thought.

The coffee stand was closed, but the iron tables and chairs, being nailed to the ground, were still in position. Jam and I sat at the same table where Glane and I had sat just the day before.

‘So what's going on, Lauren?' Jam stared at me, his eyes hard. ‘I went with you when you asked me. Why don't you want to come now?'

‘I do,' I said. ‘I want to be with you. I want that more than anything. It's just …'

My phone beeped. I ignored it.

‘What then?'

‘It's not that simple,' I said. ‘Mum and Dad might be sent to prison for something they didn't do. I have to stay near them.'

‘Why?' Jam frowned. ‘Back in London you never stopped complaining about them. They drove you mad.'

‘I know, but it's different now.' How could I explain?
I didn't know what it would be like to be taken away from them
. ‘It's not just that. There's Annie and Sam too. They lost me for eleven years. I can't walk out on them.'

‘But you kept saying how miserable you were here.' Jam turned away. The sun lit up a strand of hair over his forehead. He was so, so cute. And he wanted to be with me.

What was I doing?

My stomach twisted into a knot. ‘Let me think about it.' I reached out and held his hand. It felt cold. ‘Maybe
Annie and Sam will let you stay here. Once they know how we feel about each other.'

Jam pulled his hand away. ‘Oh, grow up, Lauren. They won't want me barging in on their happy little family.' He stood up, just as my phone started beeping again.

I glanced down at it.

‘Who's that? Your new boyfriend?' Jam snapped.

I didn't answer. I was barely even aware as he turned and walked away.

I was staring at the text on my cell.

Boat. Now. Or ur sister dies
.

34

Finding Madison

Was it Shelby? Was this her idea of a sick joke?

I glanced across the marina. As far as I could see, it was completely deserted. So where was Madison?

Jam was still walking away from me. He had almost reached the point where the marina ended and the row of stores began. A few early-morning shoppers were strolling along the sidewalk.

‘Jam,' I yelled after him. One of the shoppers stared at me. But Jam didn't look round. ‘Jam. Please.'

For a second I stood, torn.

Jam was disappearing behind the first store: Tackle and Splice. ‘JAM!' I yelled. ‘PLEASE.'

My heart sank. I couldn't run after him. I had to find Madison.

I turned and raced down the jetty towards the boat. I was sure Shelby had sent the text.
Stupid, stupid cow
.

I muttered under my breath as I ran, vowing that when I got home I would personally go into her stupid closet and trample all over her stupid clothes.

I skidded to a halt beside the boat. It was eerily quiet.

‘Madi?' I called out. ‘Are you here?'

Silence.

I stepped on board. There was obviously no one in the stern.
Crap
. I was in my spiky-heeled brown boots. Sam would kill me for walking on the deck in these. I tiptoed past the saloon, up to the bow. I couldn't see anything through the windows. My heart thudded. Did Sam usually leave the curtains closed like that?

No one in the bow.

I crept back to the stern and over to the saloon door. The wood was splintered where Sam usually put the padlock. Someone had broken in. Would Shelby have done that?

I hesitated. Maybe I should run. Get help. But then I pictured the sneer on Shelby's triumphant face when it turned out the whole thing was a big joke.

Gritting my teeth, I pulled the door open and looked down the steps now in front of me. Immediately below was the place where all the maps and navigating equipment were kept. To the left stood the little galley – with its stove, mini-refrigerator and cupboards. Beyond the galley was the saloon – the main living space on the boat, complete with rugs and a couch and a TV.

I couldn't see into its shadowy corners. Not wanting to
turn my back on the darkness, I climbed down the steps front first.

‘Shelby? Madi?'

My voice came out in a croaky whisper. There was no sound except for the water splashing gently against the hull and the creaking roll of the boat itself.

My mouth was dry. I crossed the galley and reached up for the light switch. I flicked it on. No light.

My heart pounded in my ears.

‘If this is your idea of a joke, Shelby, I'll kill you.'

I took a step into the living area. At least I could draw back the curtains. Let some light in that way.

A scuffling noise in the corner. I whipped round. Was that the tip of a shoe? I stared into the darkness.

A shape loomed out of the shadows. A man. His face clenched with determination.

I opened my mouth to scream, but his hand, leathergloved, was round my mouth and nose. He pulled me round, forcing my arm behind my back.

‘Quiet,' he ordered.

He pushed me back through the galley, past the steps to the saloon door and aft, to where the main sleeping areas were. I struggled, but he gripped me tighter, wrenching my arm up. It hurt. I gave a muffled cry.