His Silence - Chapter 87

‘I’m so sorry,’ I say to Callum, tears wetting my cheeks as I lean my head on his shoulder. It’s the first time I’ve spoken since Mary left. I’ve been unsure what to say, all I’ve been able to think of is what Mary told me about Oliver. He might be my dad. Why did he not say anything to me? Would I have believed him if he did? I slam my fist on the concrete floor. This is so fucked up.

Callum rubs my shoulder. ‘You know when I first started having sessions with Mary I thought . . . she made me feel like she was my mother. I . . . I’ve never had that Danielle before, I felt as though.’

I shift where I’m sitting, clasping my phone. For at least, the first half an hour after Mary left us on our own; I used the torch on my phone to light the room. I’d shut it down five minutes ago; I didn’t want to drain the battery.

‘Can you imagine how dependent on her Oliver must be? She’s been working on him for more than thirty years, on everyone here.’ I don’t know why I’m suddenly defending Oliver. Perhaps he was trying to get me to see who he was when we were doing those exercises. I think back to our dinner and how strange things were. Why didn’t he just tell me?

‘This whole place is a mess,’ Callum says. ‘D’you think she really will keep to her word if we agree to what she says?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t know what to do anymore.’

Something moves beyond the door and I sit up straight, my chest squeezing tight. It can’t be Mary coming back already; she said she wasn’t coming back for us until the morning. It was only two thirty when I last checked the time on my phone. I clutch Callum’s arm. There’s a rattle, then the door flings open. I hold my hand above my eye as torchlight floods the room. My mouth drops open. It’s Eve.

‘Come quickly,’ she hisses, glancing over her shoulder and then back to us.

We get up. I dive towards the door and we head straight down the utility room, brushing past the washing machine, and into the kitchen, my heart beating hard in my chest. I glance towards the window; there’s no light on in the annexe. Oliver must be asleep. 

‘Why are you doing this?’ I ask.

‘I knew something was wrong when I didn’t see Callum return to his room, and then I heard you and Oliver running to the back of the house a short while ago. I would’ve come sooner, but I had to be sure Mary was back in her room before I crept out.’

‘But wasn’t your door locked?’ I ask. Something’s not right. Eve’s been here far longer than I have, I can’t trust her.

‘Noah taught me how to unlock it,’ she says, half-smiling at me. ‘I never did follow his instructions until now.’

I say a silent prayer of thanks to Noah, remembering when he showed me how to pick the lock when he slipped into his room last week to give me Mum’s diary.

‘What do we do now?’ I ask, my eyes flickering around the dark kitchen. I think of everyone upstairs, oblivious to what’s happening, fast asleep. Or do they all know, are they all in on this?

‘You’re going to get out of here,’ she says.

I frown. ‘And you’re coming with us,’ I say.

She shakes her head. ‘No, I . . .’

‘Eve if you don’t come, Mary will know you’ve . . .’

‘What have I got out there?’ she says, gesturing towards the front door, the lines in her forehead deepening.

I take her hand, her skin hot against mine. ‘You’ve got us, we’ll look after you.’

She releases me from her grip. ‘We need Callum’s car keys, I think . . .’ she swallows. ‘I think Mary might have them.’

‘Wait, Eve,’ I say, biting my lip. ‘Before you do anything I think . . .'

Callum’s staring at me, wide eyed. ‘Danielle, what are you thinking?’

I shake my head. ‘Give me five minutes. Stay here.’

Before Callum or Eve reply, I dart towards the kitchen door and fling it open. Cold air tickles my cheeks as I race out, focusing on my breath. I head down the path, gritting my teeth as a stitch attacks my chest, and push the annexe door open and step into the hallway. I curl my fists. My whole life imploded this evening, how the hell can I speak to him? I take a deep breath, ignoring the pain in my chest. I need to do this. I push open Oliver’s door.