Page 116 of The Vanishing Place
Apparently, years ago, June had stolen Effie’s birth certificate from a metal box under the hut.Just in case. Which meant that Effie could get a black piece of card with her name and photo printed on it. A necessity, June said, although she didn’t explain why. Some government nonsense. And June had a cousin in Scotland who kept being mentioned. Katy or Kate or something.
All the talking was tiring, and Effie’s thoughts were bruised and foggy. Even at night, behind the darkness of her eyelids, she pictured Asher. His eyes. The gurgle from his lips. The stillness of his chest. Certain details of his face were harder to cling to. Some things were already rubbing out. Effie just wanted to escape. To get far enough away that Asher’s dead face couldn’t follow her.
The rise in Lewis’s voice stole Effie from her thoughts, and she looked up from the table. He was pacing the room in his uniform, and June was watching him. There was some legal issue that they were fighting about, some complication that Lewis had brought up before. But Effie tried not to listen. She didn’t know why she should care about pissing off a few cops in Christchurch.
“We would be party to kidnapping, June. He’s still her legal guardian,” said Lewis. “You get that, right? She’s only fifteen, meaning her consent is immaterial.”
June shrugged. “Who would find out anyway? The police?” She winked at him. “Are you planning on telling on us?”
“No.” Lewis scowled. “Of course not.”
“And it’s in the girl’s interests. Juries look favorably on those things.”
“Juries, yes. But…”
“But what?”
Lewis shook his head. “Nothing.”
“Lewis?”
He avoided June’s eyes. “The police tend to come down hard on their own.”
The expression on June’s face changed—like someone had died—and she looked from Effie to Lewis. Something was happening between them, something that Effie didn’t understand. Words that didn’t make sense.
June paused. “I wasn’t thinking. You’re right. It’s too risky.”
“No. That’s not what I’m saying. I just…” Lewis hesitated, looking sad rather than angry, which didn’t make sense either.
“If you think it’s the right thing,” he said, “then I’m happy to take the risk. I just want you to be sure. For her. Not me.”
June touched his hand, patting him slightly.
Lewis looked hurt.
And Effie felt like a child.
—
“I’m leaving tomorrow,” whispered Effie.
She sat on her bed and picked at her thumb.
“Yes.” Lewis gave a small smile.
Idiot.Of course he knew she was leaving. Lewis had booked the bloody ticket. It had been all they’d talked and not talked about for three weeks.
“Will you miss me?” she asked.
Lewis walked over from his spot in the corner and sat on the bed next to her. He put his hand on her knee, and Effie moved closer. Then he reached his arm out and pulled her into his chest. Effie leaned into the warmth of him, his heart beating in her ear, and closed her eyes. Lewis rested his chin on her head, their bodies curled together.
For a couple of minutes, neither of them spoke, and Effie wanted the moment to last forever. But it couldn’t. All the clothes that June had collected were already washed and packed for the flight, and Effie was in nothing but an oversized T-shirt and a pair of boy’s shorts.
Lewis touched his hand to her waist, his fingers finding skin, and her body tensed. Gently, he placed his other hand on her thigh, and the tingling sensation moved through her body.
“Lewis…” Effie inhaled, and he looked away.
“Can’t you stay?” he asked. “I promise I’ll never let him hurt you.”
