Page 26 of The Reaper

Jack reached for a glass of water, glugged the pills down in one gulp. Roper was watching closely.

“Well, maybe we have finished our questions after all then,” Roper said. Morris drew her eyebrows together.

“Be seeing you, Jack. Hannah.” Roper nodded at her before turning and leaving the room, Morris followed, a light puzzled crease on her brow.

Jack got into bed, kicking the wet towel to the floor.

“Jack I-”

“Hannah, listen, this is important-”

“I’m sorry-”

“Shhh, it’s okay, there isn’t much time. The medicine, it’s going to knock me out cold for a bit…”

She looked at him, his pupils were dilated already, his face pale and slack. Now she really didn’t understand. Why had he just taken the tablets from Roper?

“Why did you take those drugs? Roper shouldn’t have-”

“I know, I had to, it was a test, I couldn’t speak out because then he would know… Anyway, listen, tomorrow, it’s all going to blow up.”

“What?”

“Tomorrow, don’t come…” he said, but his eyes were closing. Now was the time to drop the games. Now was the time for action.

“Why did you take the pills? You could have said-”

“Hannah, sometimes saying nothing is better than telling the truth, isn’t it?” He said, fighting sleep and looking right at her.

Oh he knew, he remembered it all. Was he telling her not to bother coming? Because he knew she wasn’t really his girlfriend, because he knew she’d lied? Because he didn’t care about her? She felt those tears coming again.

“Tomorrow, this is very important, tomorrow-” he repeated, but he was sinking back in the bed, eyes closing now.

“What about tomorrow? Of course I’m coming tomorrow, what’s going on? Jack, I’m sorry-”

“Hannah, I don’t want you to come... it’ll be dangerous, shit’s going to hit the fan tomorrow, they want me out of it so I won’t fight it… tomorrow.” And then he was out cold.

“Fight what? Who wants you out of it? Jack?” She tried to shake him a little bit. “What do you mean?” She hissed with frustration.

What was it Roper had slipped him? That wasn’t legal, was it, a police officer drugging a prisoner? None of that should have happened. She squeezed her eyes shut. Then opened them, and took one last look at Jack, now out cold in the bed.

It was over.

In whatever form of make believe, it was all over.

He knew. He knew they weren’t really together. He had just made up all that stuff about meeting at Raphi. To save her. To protect her. To buy her some time. He knew. And he’d gone along with it. Why?

Roper had drugged him and now he was telling her not to come. Was it because he didn’t want her anymore? No, he said something about it all going down tomorrow. He didn’t want her there, because she’d get in the way? Because she’d get hurt? She didn’t know, there hadn’t been enough time!

She would end up in prison for the lies she had told. Oh God, her face burned red hot. She stood and welled up, silently, pressing her palm into her forehead as hot, silent tears freely fell. Big fat droplets that streamed off her face and left wet spots on the concrete floor. She would drive home, and she would get on with a normal evening. The police would be looking up CCTV, she had time to figure out her next move.

She realised she was thinking like a criminal now herself. What was the next move, the next lie? How would she be able to wriggle her way out of this tight spot? Her quiet little life of commuting to work in this sleepy little corner of North West England was over. Did she need to get some cash out, grab herpassport, go on the run? Where would she go? Did she need to say a final farewell to her family? It felt absurd. She was in too deep now, way over her head.

But then another thought came to her. Yes she was in deep water. But do you know what? She was a strong swimmer.

She wasn’t going anywhere.

She would come straight back tomorrow and face whatever the next challenge was going to be, at Jack’s side. The tears stopped. A sense of calm, warm, soothing and peaceful, took over her. She could do this. She would do this. Whatever this was, wherever the next steps took her. She would do it with Jack. She found herself smiling. Now she had decided on the course of action, things felt clearer. She would follow Jack to the end.

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