Chapter 62
‘Show me,’ Issy said, snatching Kelly’s phone as Spencer appeared on the screen.
He stood blocking the doorway of a rundown industrial building.
Hugh was on his hands and knees. Meg stood between him and the phone, which was positioned on the ground, distorting the image, making Meg appear far taller than her slight frame. There was no sign of Georgie.
Kelly shook her head and went to do some crowd control. A siren sounded, quiet at first, then ear-splitting as it passed on the road outside. Voices in the crowd rose and fell.
Issy looked over to Chrissy again. She stood behind Robbie’s wheelchair, her expression confused rather than fearful, still unaware it was their daughter that police car was speeding towards. Issy willed them to reach the factory before Meg or Georgie was hurt.
Heather muttered something to Malcolm, who shook his head and looked around, irritated at the interruption to proceedings, no hint of concern for whatever disaster was unfolding outside.
As the siren faded, Issy looked up at the huge screen that hung above the stage. What if …? Her parents would never forgive her, but she realised she didn’t care. She’d spent her life trying to please them, but she never could. Nothing was enough for them. She was done with that.
She hurried down the steps to where the audio engineer stood at the side of the stage, watching his own phone with one of the roadies. She held out Kelly’s phone.
‘Play it on the big screen.’
‘You sure you wanna do that?’
She nodded. ‘Quick.’
‘Um … I don’t know …’
‘Do it,’ Issy hissed. ‘Now!’
‘If you say so,’ he said under his breath as he fiddled with some settings on a laptop.
After a moment, the image was projected onto the screen.
Hugh’s mouth moved, his face snarling and angry, but there was no sound.
Block text at the top of the image read, Live abduction of Georgie Baxter by Spencer Ashworth and Hugh Thorburn.
There was a cry, tortured and desperate, from Robbie Baxter. Chrissy crouched beside him, holding his hand, her face etched with anguish.
Issy turned back to the audio guy. ‘We need sound!’
‘I’m working on it.’
The silent film continued overhead. Hugh was looking up at Meg as she spoke.
‘Hurry up,’ Issy said.
The ear-splitting sound of feedback came through the speakers, then it levelled out and Meg’s fierce voice filled the space, reverberating off the high, stone walls.
‘You’re running out of time, Hugh! Admit the truth about the bribes or I’ll tell everyone your disgusting secret. You’re on camera. Thousands of people are watching this right now.’
Hugh’s head swung around as he looked for the camera.
The crowd watched on, enthralled. Issy glanced at her parents. Heather glared at her, shaking her head. Malcolm made a throat-cutting gesture. Issy felt like she might be sick.
‘You’ve got ten seconds!’ Meg yelled, fierce.
‘No!’
‘Nine.’
‘Please!’
‘Eight’
‘I can’t—’
‘Seven.’
‘It wasn’t me—’
‘Six.’
‘It was Spencer, he—’
‘What the hell?’ Spencer yelled, stepping forward.
‘Five.’
‘Okay!’
‘Four.’
Hugh looked up, panting, silent. He was about to crack. Issy could sense it.
‘Please? Please don’t—’
‘Three!’
‘Okay, we did it! We offered bribes to get the Hartwell Gaol development approved.’
Tony Skelton stood up. ‘How dare he—’ He looked towards the audio guy. ‘This needs to go off now!’
‘And?’ Meg yelled. ‘What about this factory? The houses on Barton Drive?’
Hugh’s hands were on his head. ‘We got Derek Palmer to change the state government advice for the land usage to—’
‘Shut up, Hugh!’ Spencer yelled.
Derek Palmer stood up now, red-faced, gesturing desperately at the audio engineer. Another siren passed by outside.
On the screen, Spencer took another step towards Meg and Hugh.
Meg put a hand up to stop him. ‘Now might be a good time to tell you, Hugh’s been sleeping with your daughter, Daisy.’
‘You bitch!’ Hugh cried. ‘You said if I admitted to the bribes you wouldn’t—’
‘I lied,’ Meg said.
Spencer glared at her, grappling with this new information about his eighteen-year-old daughter and his lifelong friend. Hugh got to his feet and walked towards him, his hands raised in a gesture of surrender.
‘Mate,’ Hugh said, pleading, ‘I can explain—’
Meg ran towards the building as Spencer’s fist connected with Hugh’s jaw. Hugh flew backwards at the force of the blow. The crowd inhaled as one. Time seemed to slow down, his body suspended in midair, then his head hit the concrete with a harrowing crack.