Page 104 of The Shadows Beyond
Cinn licked his lips, opening his mouth to respond.
The shrill screech of Darcy’s house phone sounded from the open kitchen window. Three crisps rings, then the faintest‘hello?’.
“I… don’t know what to say to this,” Cinn eventually whispered into the space between them. He buried his head in his hands.
Say that you’ll give me a chance. That you’ll let me try.
The back door flew open, and Darcy leaned out of the frame to shout, “Cinn, it’s for you.”
Jerking backwards as if electrocuted, Cinn spluttered, “What? Me?”
An uneasy feeling came over Julien, an inexplicable sense of dread.
“Your friend Tyler must have written down this number at some point, because now this guy Bradley is on the line.”
The feeling intensified.
“What does he want?” asked Cinn, jumping to his feet.
Julien was one step behind Cinn all the way to the living room.
He watched as Cinn picked up the red receiver from its rotary telephone base.
Then he paced up and down, the one sided snippets of conversation he overheard sending his brain spiralling.
“What did he do?”
“Fuck, they tookallof it?”
“Is he hurt? Is he in danger?”
Darcy grabbed Julien’s wrist as he passed her on his frantic path around her living room. “Julien, sit down,” she hissed. “What’s wrong with you?”
He stared at her, not understanding how she could be so calm.
Then Cinn’s phone call appeared to wrap up, with him promising, “I’ll be there as quickly as possible.”
What? Would he? Where? London?
And if he went there, would he come back?
When Cinn hung up the phone, face pale and ashen, Julien announced in a rush, “I’m coming.”
Cinn blinked, then shook his head slowly as Elliot and Darcy glanced at each other. He ignored them. They’d come. He needed them.
“Tyler’s fucked up. I don’t know all the details, but he somehow ended up owing Heino Richter money again. He was dealing for him again and then somehow lost a lot of product.” He sat back on the armchair and slammed his fist into the soft armrest. “Goddamnit!”
Darcy flew to his side even quicker than Julien. “Don’t worry,” she said. “We can send some more money.”
“No, I need to go there. ASAP. Apparently, he’s in a state, and asking for me. He’s hurt. Richter is out for blood this time. But it’s okay. I don’t expect you guys to come with me.” He looked between them and the slightest glimmer of hope in his eyes said otherwise.
“We’ll all come,” said Julien, putting force behind his words. There was no way Cinn was going to London alone to drag his ex out of danger. He’d like to finally meet Tyler face to face, anyway. The man taking centre stage in so many of his stories. The man that made Cinn constantly worry about him. The man he’d do anything for.
“Elliot?”
Elliot slowly nodded. “I’d miss a training session, then some work shifts,” he said. “But if it’s that important…”
“As much as I hate to miss out, I really think someone needs to stay here and keep looking for that…cat. Or at least be listening out for any news of… cat attacks.” Darcy grimaced, twitching back her living-room curtain as if the creature would be right outside, waiting to be let in. “I’m tempted to say we need to turn ourselves in, but we might have a lot of explaining to do.” She turned to Cinn. “Beside, I wouldn’t be terribly useful in London. Definitely take Elliot, though. I’d worry if you didn’t.”
