Chapter Ten
The Brothers
Jonah
“Jonah!” His name was hollered along the hall, the sound growing louder until Carly, his new girlfriend, appeared in the doorway. “For God’s sake, Jonah. Can’t you take your damn phone with you when you go back to bed?” She thrust the device in his direction, its insistent ringtone splintering any remaining chance of sleep. “It keeps bloody ringing!”
Rousing from his nap, Jonah pulled himself upright. Back to bed? He’d only closed his eyes for a few moments and hadn’t intended to sleep. He must have been more exhausted than he realized.
“Sorry.” He turned to the woman who’d been putting a smile on his face since his exams had finished. Going back to bed was always more fun with her. “Who is it?”
“It’s your brother again.” She rolled her eyes as she threw the phone into his waiting hands. “And I’m not your secretary.” She winked at him, wriggling her sexy little ass as she wandered away.
“Got it!” he called after her, glancing down to confirm she was right—Seth’s name was lighting up on the screen.
“Seth?” Answering the call, he held the phone between his shoulder and ear as he climbed out of bed. It had been years since he’d spoken to his elder brother, but since Seth had got out of jail and got his hands on a phone, he’d managed to call Jonah more than once that day. “What’s up?”
“Thanks for the money you sent over.” Seth’s sudden gratitude might have been out of character, but it was owed. When Seth’s bank accounts had been unfrozen, Jonah had wired him what little cash he could afford. They hadn’t always seen eye-to-eye, but Seth was his brother, and he’d do whatever he could to help his transition back to liberty. “That’ll get me started.”
“You’re welcome. I know you couldn’t get a hold of Mum, and she wouldn’t want to see you starve.”
“Yeah, about that…” The sound of cars passing by in the background suggested Seth was somewhere outside. “Is there any news from Mum?”
Mum. Anxiety rippled in his chest at the thought of her.
Something hadn’t been right when he’d spoken to Kyle earlier, but he hadn’t been able to put his finger on the reason why. He’d tried to push the idea from his mind, but Seth’s question had reignited the old apprehension.
“I called the guy she’s living with.”
Jonah hadn’t known Seth so fixated with their mum for a long time. He’d barely seemed to want anything to do with her while he was inside, yet back out on the streets, she seemed to be the first person he wanted.
“The one who got you off those charges?” Seth’s tone was knowing.
How the fuck did Seth know about that? The tension in his body tightened. Maybe their mum had told him, but then, as far as Jonah knew, Seth and Amy hadn’t interacted much since she’d met Kyle.
“Yeah, that’s the one… William Kyle.”
“And?” Seth prompted.
“And he said she was sleeping.” Jonah frowned. “Though that is a bit weird because Mum never—”
“Naps,” Seth interrupted, finishing the sentence for him.
“Right.”
Silence stretched out as both young men contemplated what that meant. The man their mum was living with might have lied about her whereabouts, but why would he do that?
“Do you like this Kyle guy?” Seth broke the strained hush. “Do you trust him?”
“Well, he helped me.” Jonah shrugged, although his brother wasn’t there to witness the gesture. “He’s rich, and he’s generous, but I wouldn’t say I trusted him…”
“And?” Seth repeated. “I can tell there’s more you want to say.”
Jonah had no idea how incarceration had changed Seth, but the guy on the other end of the line was precisely the way he recalled his brother being—bold, brash, and unconcerned about the consequences of his words or actions.
He’d almost missed him.
“I always thought the whole set-up was weird.” He closed his eyes, remembering the immensity of Brock Hall. “I mean, Kyle lives in this fucking huge house in the middle of nowhere on his own, and when Mum moved in, it was clear there was something going on between them.”
“Why is that weird?” The noise of a siren rushing past Seth’s location temporarily drowned out his voice. “They’re both adults, aren’t they?”
“Sure,” Jonah answered, trying not to sound too defensive. “But you know, she was still telling me she worked for him at that point, and they were clearly into one another. I just found it all a little… odd.”
“Do you think Kyle was lying about Mum when you called?” Seth’s trademark directness manifested fresh trepidation in Jonah’s head.
Why would Kyle lie, and if he was lying, what was their mum really doing when he called?
Is she okay?
“I’m not sure, Seth, and that’s the truth, but…” he paused, unsure why he was hesitating. “I mean, I’m sure she’s fine.”
“Are you?” Seth pressed. “Because you don’t sound sure.”
Don’t I? Jonah’s brows knitted.
“Why would he do so much to look after her—and me—then do something to hurt her now?” Jonah tried to sound nonchalant, but even to his ears, the attempt was hollow. He was worried. It wasn’t like their mum to be too busy to speak to him, and even if she was, she would have called him back.
Maybe something was wrong?
“Because people are assholes.” Seth tutted as though his younger brother was an idiot. “And sometimes, men can be particular jerks. I should know, mate. I’ve just been stuck in a cell with a variety of those assholes for the last few years.”
“Yeah.” Seth’s apparent concern was doing nothing to make Jonah feel better. He didn’t think Kyle was an asshole—the guy had always been good to him—but then, what did Jonah really know about him? “Do you think I should call her back?”
“How about you give me the address where she’s staying?” Seth’s voice was clearer suddenly, as though he’d stepped inside a building and the noise of the traffic had been eradicated. “I reckon I’ll pop in, introduce myself to this bloke, and see how she is.”
“You’re going to go there?” Jonah’s heart raced, though he wasn’t immediately sure what had provoked his anxiety.
Why shouldn’t his brother go there and see their mother? It had been months since he’d allowed her to visit him in prison, and no doubt she would adore having Seth around, but what would Kyle think? He’d already had to deal with one of her wayward sons—how would her wealthy suitor contend with Seth?
“Why not?” Seth laughed. “Don’t you think I’ll get a warm welcome?”
“Mum will be ecstatic,” Jonah replied. “But Kyle can be a little difficult.”
“I’ll cope.” Seth was characteristically sure of himself. “I’ve met bigger baddies than Kyle, believe me.”
Jonah did believe him. He had no clue how Seth had survived jail time, but he thanked his lucky stars each day that he hadn’t had to go there himself.
“So.” Seth sighed, his exasperation showing. “What’s the address?”
“Do you have a pen and paper there?” Jonah took the phone in his hands and scanned through the device, looking for the address of Brock Hall.
“Yeah, sure, Jo.” Seth sniggered. “I’m just sitting here in the library with my books and pencils just waiting for you to give me the details.”
“Oh, fuck you.” There was the Seth that Jonah remembered—mouthy and never lacking balls. “Do you want the address or not?”
“I want it.” Seth’s voice was emphatic. “I’m ready to see, Mum.”
***
Seth
He was more fortunate than most. Many of the guys he’d known had no one waiting for them on the outside of prison. The Kendal family had little in the way of titles and properties, but they’d never been short of love, and even though his dad had died, his mum and brother had always been there for him.
“Even when I fucked up.” He mumbled the words at the ATM as the last of the money Jonah had sent him slid out of the hole in the wall.
He and his little brother hadn’t always had the greatest relationship, but since Graham’s death, they’d grown closer—or, at least, they might have done had he not gone and got himself into trouble with the law.
As for their mum, she’d made the trip to visit him in prison regularly before he moved to a more local facility. After that, he’d written to ask her to stop. He couldn’t bear seeing her wearied expression month after month, couldn’t tolerate the fact that he was at least partially responsible for the new lines he saw etched onto her face every visit. He had the sense she was down on her luck, too, and even though she’d never admit so to him, the fact she hadn’t argued and insisted she visit validated his view—she was probably struggling to find the money to make the round trip.
Guilt knotted in his stomach at the thought of her efforts. Time in jail, witnessing the relentless rounds of addicted youths and hardened criminals, had helped give him perspective. He had a mother who loved him, and she deserved better than the shitty lot she’d been given. Liberated with a new sense of purpose, Seth’s first urge had been to find his mum and tell her he loved her.
It had been too long.
Shoving the cash into his pocket, he headed for the line of people waiting for taxis as he pulled out his phone. The basic model was all he could afford with the limited money he’d had on his person the day he’d been incarcerated, but it had been enough to make the purchase and get in touch with his family. He’d tried his mum’s number first, of course, but when she hadn’t answered, he’d called Jonah.
Watching the queue of passengers move ahead of him, he flicked into the note he’d created to capture their mother’s new address.
Brock Hall.
Seth’s gaze widened. William Kyle must have some serious money to be able to call somewhere like that his home. Seth hoped he wasn’t the sort of rich dick who flashed his cash and expected everyone to fall into line. He despised those morons.
“So long as he looks after Mum,” he resolved, inching to the front of the line.
“Where to, mate?” The balding taxi driver stared him up and down from the front seat.
“Brock Hall in Houghton Brough, please.” Even saying the address out loud sounded pompous. Seth could only imagine what the place was actually like—Jonah’s information had been frustratingly sketchy.
“Brock Hall?” The driver sounded skeptical.
“That’s right.” Seth straightened, fed up with the judgment in the guy’s eyes. “Is that all right with you?”
“Sure.” The driver raised a hand in a conciliatory manner. “So long as you can pay, mate, you can jump in.”
“I have the cash,” he promised, walking to open the rear door.
“Then I’ll take you.” The driver eyed Seth as he settled on the back seat and closed the door. “A friend of yours lives at Brock Hall, do they?”
Just what I need . A chatty cabbie.
“My mum lives there.” Holding the guy’s stare, Seth waited for the driver’s gaze to flit back to the road before he slipped his phone back into his pocket.
“Are you staying with her?” The driver’s inquisition went on. “You don’t have much stuff.”
Seth glanced down at the small bag he’d left prison with. “Yeah, it’s kind of a spontaneous trip.”
Staring out of the window, his gaze fixed on the cityscape. The light was fading from the sky, and it wouldn’t be long before it was dark. He was glad to see the back of the urban jungle before night fell. Whoever William Kyle was, he could surely put Amy Kendal’s first son up for a night. After all, he seemed to have looked after her youngest son well enough.
“Nicer problems to have, eh?” the driver chuckled. “Staying at Brock Hall… I’ve heard that place is huge.”
“Yeah.” Jonah had said so, but it took more than a big house to impress Seth. A lot more. “Remember what they say, though, mate… size isn’t everything.”