Alex Kava Bundle - Alex Kava [124]
“Under the sea.” He tried his voice. It shook a bit from the anticipation. Yeah, that was it, anticipation, not fear. He wouldn’t think about being afraid. “Under the sea…Darling it’s better, down where it’s wetter.” He pulled on the chain again. Still no movement. It surprised him how many of the words he remembered. He tried out his Jamaican accent. “Under the sea.”
It moved. The metal was giving. Or was it his imagination? He strained, pulling as hard as he could. Yes, the slit between the two links grew little by little. Just a little more, and he could slip it through.
The footsteps outside the door sent his heart plunging. No, just a few more seconds. He pulled with all his might as the locks clanked and screeched open.
CHAPTER 76
Christine tried to remember the last time she had eaten. How long had Timmy been gone? Too long. Whatever it was, it was too long. She pulled herself up off the old couch where Lucy had left her, somewhere in a back office used to store files.
The couch smelled of stale cigarettes, though it looked clean. At least, there appeared to be no hideous stains. The rough-textured fabric left an imprint on her cheek. She could feel it tattooed into her skin.
Her eyes burned. Her hair was a tangled mess. She couldn’t remember when she had combed it. Or brushed her teeth, though she was certain she had done all those things before her morning interview. God, that felt like days ago.
The door opened, its squeak startling her. Her father came in carrying more water. If she drank one more glass, she would vomit. She smiled and took it from him, taking only a sip.
“Feeling better?”
“Yes, thanks. I don’t think I’ve eaten today. I’m sure that’s why I got so light-headed.”
“Yep. That’ll do it.”
Without the glass he seemed uncertain what to do with his hands and shoved them into his pockets, a trait Christine recognized in Nick.
“Why don’t I order you up some soup,” he said. “Maybe a sandwich.”
“No, thanks. I really don’t think I could eat.”
“I called your mother. She’s trying to catch a flight later this evening. Hopefully, she’ll be here by morning.”
“Thanks. It’ll be nice to have her here,” Christine lied. Her mother panicked at the mention of a crisis. How would she ever handle this? She wondered what her father had told her mother. How much had he watered down?
“Now, don’t get upset, pumpkin, but I also called Bruce.”
“Bruce?”
“He has a right to know. Timmy is his son.”
“Yes, of course, and Nick and I have been trying to contact him. You know where he is?”
“No, but I have a phone number for emergencies.”
“So you’ve known all along how to contact him?”
Her father looked stunned. How dare she direct such shrill anger toward him.
“And you knew that I’ve been trying to find him to make him pay child support for over eight months. Here, all this time, you’ve had his phone number?”
“For emergencies, Christine.”
“Seeing that his son has food on the table isn’t an emergency? How could you?”
“You’re exaggerating, Christine. Your mom and I would never let you and Timmy struggle. Besides, Bruce said he left you with plenty in savings.”
“That’s what he said?” She laughed, and she didn’t care that it sounded on the verge of hysteria.
“He left us with exactly 164.21 in our savings account and over five thousand dollars of credit card bills.”
She knew her father hated confrontation.