Jane sat for a little longer on her own, finishing her beer and didn't look at the thing until she was safely back inside her car with the doors securely locked. She looked down at it and beamed. "Rondo you are a beautiful man!" She felt a surge of excitement flood her body and she turned the car around and began driving away from the Medical school and back home; she had to change.
Jane tore through her wardrobe like a woman possessed, she felt revitalised like someone had given her life again, had reinstated her purpose for living and she was raring to go. Finally she found what she was looking for; a dowdy dress her Ma insisted on buying her and making her wear at horrible social occasions, usually when there was a sleazy bachelor involved. Jane shuddered at the thought of the last one, Giovanni, an old childhood…acquaintance, to say friend would have been a stretch too far, ever since he hit puberty all her memories of him involved an unusual take on kiss chase where he would always try to lick her face. Jane shook the disturbing memory off and put on the awful dress before reviewing her look in the mirror. "Ugh." It was all she could muster at the dreadful sight of herself, she had never been vain or really cared too much about her appearance, practicality had always been her thing, much to her Ma's displeasure, but even she could admit that this did not look good. She beamed; it was perfect. She raked her fingers through her unruly curls and wound them up into a bun and fastened it behind her head. She narrowed her eyes at the figure looking back at her, it would have to do, she didn't have the time or the resources she normally had to hand for going undercover. She packed a bag and headed back out to her car, Here's hoping I don't bump into anyone who will recognise me.
Angela emptied all of her groceries out of her various bags and began arranging them in her kitchen. She tutted and fussed around, seeming to come across the photograph at every turn, no matter where she put it, it always seemed to be in front of her. Once she had finished she huffed and picked it up again. "All right then, you have my attention…what are you trying to tell me?" she studied the face closely but came up short. "Janie is the clever one, she could tell a million things about you just by looking at this, and then a whole other set of things if she met you." Her mind started racing, maybe Janie already did know something, or think she knew something, what if this woman was part of a case? Her mind raced back to her daughter enrobed in one of those silver foil wraps. Her eyes were hollow and empty, encased by dark circles and bruises the colours of which Angela had never seen before. Angela had looked after her kids after more than their fair share of scrapes, Janie especially, she was never one to be outdone by anyone, especially boys, especially boys bigger than her. But she always came back swinging even when they beat her…but this time, this time was so different. Angela wiped away the tears that kept on falling regardless of her actions. She was so stubborn and yet she had never been the same since, Jane never came out of that basement, in a way he had always won. Angela knew that she could never let it lie but she also knew it would destroy her, even if she got him, she would have nothing left to fight for, nothing left to chase. Angela didn't know what was worse.
Jane climbed out of her car warily, This was his old hunting ground…this is where he became who he is. That thought left a sour taste in her mouth and a cold shiver down her spine. The building was intimidating, not through any grandeur but through the sheer amount of windows, like thousands of spiders staring at her, waiting for her to move, analysing her. She felt strangely vulnerable and she wrapped her arms around her like she had an invisible cloak of protection. What sun there was bounced off the windows and blinded her, she felt unnerved; anyone could be stood behind those windows watching her and she would have no idea. He could be here. The thought was completely irrational, after the things he had done here he wouldn't be welcomed back with open arms, despite building up the power and reputation he had in the years following, and yet she couldn't shake the feeling that he was here, watching her. Everything about the place reeked of him somehow and she felt her scars flare up. She felt her legs wanting to give in and take her as far away as they could but she ground her teeth and with what felt like concrete blocks for her feet she made her way toward the service entrance that Rondo had told her about, making sure the plastic ID tag he had supplied her with was securely fastened on her dress.
Jane stood awkwardly as the security guard scrutinised her ID tag, she twirled a loose curl by her cheek around her finger and chewed her lip nervously, it was out of character for her to be so shy and nervous but there were several factors playing on her mind; she had no back up. No one knew she was here. She could get arrested or worse, actually she didn't know which was worse, having to go into the station and see old colleagues, people who had always wanted to see her mess up. She also didn't want her usual air of quiet arrogance to come through, the security guard needed to look at her but not see her, never to pick her face out of a crowd, otherwise her whole plan would fall apart. After what felt an age he slid the card back to her and nodded toward one of the doors down a dim corridor, she managed a small smile before shuffling off in the direction he had nodded to.
"Well I can't just sit here." Angela announced into the air around her. She had been sat for what felt like hours doing nothing, her mind swarming with thoughts and yet not a single clear one. She got up determined and clutched the photograph in her hand. "Whoever you are, however you are involved with Janie, I need to know. I need to know she's ok." The not quite truth lay on her tongue like a bitter taste and she did her best to swallow it but it simply summoned butterflies in her stomach and doubt sat in the passenger seat of her car as she drove down the street near Carlo's and kept her eyes peeled for the church he had mentioned.
Find me on social media - jdroxburgh or J. D. Roxburgh.
My debut novel 'Feral' is out now, available on Kindle, iTunes, Kobo, NOOK and more! Check out my website for all links.
Sorry its been so delayed, another chapter is in progress as this goes out :)
