Chapter 29
Ivan was working away; he’d found a secret folder on Kay’s computer with hundreds of names on.
The problem was that he didn’t know if they were members of the organisation or kidnapped children.
So he was researching each name. It was slow going, especially as his mind kept wandering back to seeing a beaten and bloody Jamie practically fall out of that alleyway.
“What if we’d arrived later?” he said out loud.
Olly spun his chair around. “Don’t what if. You got there in time, and thanks to Adrian, Jamie is all fixed up now.”
Ivan turned to look at Olly. “I should have realised his father would come looking for him, after last night’s late-night phone call.”
“Phone call?” Olly enquired.
Ivan told him about the call.
“Bad business. Now we need to know why Jamie’s dad needs them back so much.”
“Yeah, I’ll do some more research on these names for another hour or so and then look into Jamie’s parents.”
Just then, there was a knock at the open door. They both turned and saw Gavin standing there, laptop under his arm.
“Hey, little brother. You okay?” Ivan asked.
Gavin nodded and smiled before signing. “I thought you might need help.”
“And you would be right. Come on in, and I’ll send some work to you. I’ve uncovered a list of literally hundreds of names, but have no idea if they are kidnapped victims or members of the organisation. You can help me go through it all,” Ivan said.
Gavin nodded and walked to Mathis’ desk and sat down, before he fake scowled at Ivan and Olly.
“What’s with the scowl. You literally just offered to help,” Olly pointed out.
“That’s not why I’m scowling,” Gavin signed.
“Then why?” Ivan asked, looking confused.
“You went to an old abandoned mental asylum and didn’t take me.”
“I literally have no idea what you just signed. We didn’t do something? Tell you something?” Olly guessed.
Gavin nodded as Ivan burst out laughing. “It’s about the asylum, isn’t it?”
Gavin nodded.
“Sorry, I promise the next haunted location we visit, we’ll take you with us,” Ivan assured him.
Gavin smiled and signed his thanks.
“You might want to check with Raz that Thiago is alright. It seems he knew the demon that was messing with us. He looked sad at lunch yesterday,” Ivan told him.
Gavin nodded and pulled his phone out of his pocket, sending Raz a message. He really needed to get Thaigo’s mobile number. That done, he sent a quick one to Hunter and then looked at Ivan.
“I’ve just emailed half the list to you. Thanks, Gav.”
Gavin nodded and opened his laptop, ready to get to work.
Jamie found Karl, Kitty and Spencer having archery lessons. They each had their own target and a guard helping them. Looking at the targets, they all seemed to be doing well.
He stood back so as not to put them off and watched them shoot their next round. Karl and Kitty hit just outside the centre, while Spencer hit dead centre.
Jamie clapped. “Nice, Spencer.”
They all turned around, and Spencer grinned at him.
“Thanks, this is fun. Have you seen Jack? He should be having fun as well.”
“Jack is spending quality time with Seth and Gio. I’m sure he’ll be back out playing soon,” he said, not wanting to break Jack’s confidence. He looked at his brother and sister. “Having fun?”
“Yeah, you should try,” Karl said, holding his bow out to him.
Jamie shook his head. “I’ll be rubbish and probably hit someone.”
One of the guards stepped forward. “We can help you. I’m Rickon by the way.”
“Just try it, Jay,” Kitty pleaded.
“Okay, but don’t stand close. Rickon, teach me, oh wise master.”
Everyone laughed at that.
“Step over here.” Jamie walked over to him and stood in front of a spare target. Rickon bent next to a bag beside him and pulled something out. “This is an arm guard. Are you left or right-handed?”
“Right,” Jamie replied.
“Then this guard goes on your left arm,” Rickon handed it to Jamie. It looked like something that was used if you had injured your arm.
Jamie took the arm guard and slipped it on. “Somehow I wasn’t expecting the guard to be made of rubber.”
“We have leather ones, but when learning, these rubber ones are easier to get on and off,” Rickon explained.
“Why do I need an arm guard?”
“Sometimes firing an arrow can go wrong, and the string will catch your arm as it’s loosened, which in turn will badly bruise your arm.”
Jamie nodded in understanding. “Protecting arms is good.”
“It is,” Rickon agreed. He picked up a bow. “This is a basic practice bow; it has a front weight and sight. Don’t worry about the sight for now, we’ll do it with your own eyes.”
Jamie watched as Rickon bent the bow slightly and strung it before holding it out to him. “Take this in your left hand.”
Jamie did.
“Now you want to turn sideways, your left leg in front, feet shoulder length apart, like this.”
Jamie copied him.
“Good. Now, I’ll show you how to draw the string back.
I’ll show you first without using the finger guard and then with.
So, you want to hold your left arm out and with your right hand, using two fingers, pull the middle of the string towards you, put them on either side of those two black marks, and rest your thumb against the side of your mouth. ”
Jamie did as instructed.
“Good,” Rickon said with a nod. “Now make sure your left hand isn’t holding tight to the bow.
A loose hold will be fine, you’ll keep it straight and secure by the pulled string.
Then you’ll let go and shoot the arrow. Gently release the string now,” Rickon bent down and picked up an arrow.
“Again, this is a training arrow. If you find you like archery, we can find you your perfect bow and arrows.” He handed the arrow to Jamie, who took it.
“You’ll notice on the bow, there is a tiny ledge the arrow rests on there, the arrow notch goes between those two black marks.
Now hold the bow as before, and when you’re ready, draw the string back, close your right eye and focus on the middle of the target.
Breathe in and then let go of the string. ”
Jamie took his time, pulling his string back and closing his right eye, looking at the centre, then letting his string go. The arrow hit dead centre.
“I did it,” he exclaimed happily.
“Yay, Jay,” Karl and Kitty cheered.
“Nice, Jamie,” Spencer added.
“Well done, Jamie. Now try again,” Rickon said, holding out another arrow. “Try it with the finger guards. Use them like this.” He demonstrated and then handed them to Jamie.
Jamie grinned, took the arrow, put the finger guards on, centred himself and shot his second arrow. Again, it hit dead centre.
“I did it again. I’m liking archery.”
“We can set up regular sessions for you if you want,” Rickon offered.
“Yes, please, thank you,” Jamie said happily.
Kitty grinned. “We can all have them. This is fun.”
“It really is,” he agreed. Jamie looked at Rickon. “Thank you, Rickon.”
“Anytime, Jamie. We can set up something permanent for all of you.” He looked at the children. “Just make sure an adult is with you when you practice.”
“We will,” they promise.
“Now I need to go, have fun. Thanks, Rickon,” Jamie said, handing the bow back and taking off the arm and finger guards and handing them over.
“Anytime, Jamie.”
“Knock knock,” Jamie said, standing by the office door.
Ivan looked up and grinned. “Hey, sweetheart.”
“Hi. Hey Gavin, Olly,” he said, walking in and over to Ivan.
“What have you been up to?” Ivan asked.
Jamie leant on the edge of Ivan’s table. “I’ve just been having an archery lesson and have now found my new favourite sport.”
“Nice,” Olly said, before Ivan could.
“Karl and Kitty like it as well. Before that, Dave and I researched the parents. It turns out one side of my mum’s family came from money. It was written in my grandfather’s will that my mother would get five thousand a month for each child under eighteen living under his roof.”
Olly whistled.
“So that’s why he wants them back,” Ivan commented.
“I’ve emailed the solicitor’s office to make contact with whoever is looking after the payments.
I want them to stop paying my father, because I can guarantee my father won’t tell them that neither Karl nor Kitty lives with him anymore.
I’ve also asked why, when my parents were divorced, did they keep sending my dad money. ”
“That was good thinking,” Ivan says.
“So what are you guys up to?”
“Gavin and I are researching a long list of names I found.”
“And I’m going through the traffic cameras to see if I can find what Derrick did to your father,” Olly adds.
They heard Gavin knock on the desk, and they all looked at him as he signed. “You should delete any footage of Jamie coming in contact with his father or leaving the alley looking beaten up.”
“That’s good thinking,” Ivan agreed.
“What did Gavin say? Sorry, Gavin, I’m still on the basics.”
Gavin smiled at him.
“Gavin said, Olly should delete any footage of you having contact with your dad, or looking beaten up,” Ivan told him.
“Yeah, that would be good,” Jamie agreed.
Just then, a phone pings. Gavin smiled and picked his phone up, quickly sending a reply. Once done, he looked up and signed to them.
“Sorry, Gav, I got that we should go somewhere, but no idea where,” Olly said, looking confused.
“The Pig and Whistle,” Ivan says.
“How could you possibly know the signs for The Pig and Whistle?” Olly asked in surprise.
“I was here the last time Hunter invited Gav to the pub. I didn’t get it the first time, Gav had to write it down for me.”
Gavin nodded and grinned before signing. “You should all come.”
“We can do that. I’ll see who else wants to come. I take it Hunter and Taha are going?” Olly asks
Gavin nods.
“We should message AJ and see if he wants to join us,” Jamie suggested.
“And Adrian, he didn’t get to enjoy it last time,” Ivan said. “I’ll text the others.”
“Why not?” Jamie asked.
“He’d stopped to help a family who had a car accident. He stopped at the pub as he didn’t have the energy to drive home. He told me he stopped in for some water and rest, but we were all there drinking as Hunter’s friend owns the place.”
“Yeah, he needs to join us then.”