Chapter 26 Jacob #2
Jacob sighed. ‘It sounds like he was pretty selective with what he said. He was performing magic shows even before I knew him, and Colin—my stepdad—was totally behind his career. He was basically like James’s manager, and treated him like an employee, rather than a son.
And he used every penny he could get his hands on to fund James’s career.
Those magic props, getting around the country, advertising, promoting him, it wasn’t cheap.
My mother did the dutiful thing after they got married, and supported her new son, but that meant all her savings got pilfered away, and pretty soon stuff started going missing.
Colin sold everything he could to support James, but it was never enough. ’
‘He was just supporting his son, wasn’t he?’
‘My mother’s jewellery, some pretty valuable items my grandmother had left her, it all disappeared. He had a dubious car crash, claimed the insurance, bought a much cheaper car. And then there was the …’ He paused. It was never easy to talk about.
‘The what, Jacob?’
‘The fire.’
‘We used to live out between Willow River and Olive Hill, this big old house that my grandparents had owned.
‘I was off at university; James was doing some club tour that was barely making enough money to cover his costs. Mum and Colin were at home. One night Colin tried to do an insurance job on the house. The police report claimed it was deliberate arson; someone had poured paraffin across the bottom of the stairs.’
‘Oh my God.’
‘But he misjudged how quickly those old carpets would catch. Colin’s body was found, halfway up the stairs.
He didn’t even make it back to their bedroom to feign sleep.
My mother, however, was still asleep. She was woken up by the sirens.
It was summer; they’d had their bedroom window open, which was the only way she survived.
Jumping from the window broke her hip, and to this day she has difficulty breathing. ’
‘Wow.’
‘If you don’t believe me, it’s all in the police reports.’
‘I do believe you. You have no reason to lie.’
‘The evidence against Colin was circumstantial. My mother couldn’t incriminate him, and didn’t want to speak against him because despite everything, she still loved him.
I, however, didn’t have any such qualms. Jacob tried to sue, claiming my mother had started the fire.
Everything he got in his father’s will—which was everything; my mother didn’t get a penny—went into a witch hunt against my mother, claiming she had tried to murder her husband for some reason only he could believe.
On top of her injuries, her trauma, losing her family home, she got dragged through the courts. ’
‘What happened in the end?’
‘James’s case got dismissed. All the evidence pointed to Colin blundering an insurance job.
I did feel for James a little, as he’d lost his father, but he was ruthless.
Even after the case, he slandered us in whatever newspapers would listen, and I’m pretty sure it was the publicity that helped his career take off. ’
‘That’s nuts.’
‘It’s like his whole life is an illusion of his own creation. Afterwards, we tried to pick up the pieces. James left Brentwell to pursue his career, and I hoped I’d never hear from him again.’
‘And did you?’
‘Not directly. But every now and then something would happen to suggest that he was keeping tabs on us. We’d get random postcards from across the world, always blank.
Sometimes we’d get weird parcels. A pack of matches, a can of lighter fluid, a square of carpet.
Little things that were clearly to remind us of what had happened.
I intercepted everything where I could, just trying to save my mother’s sanity.
A couple of years after the fire, we were able to get her into an old council terrace, and with her new address the deliveries stopped.
I know they were from James, though. He just couldn’t let it go. ’
‘He sounds like a madman.’
‘Like I say, I try to have sympathy for him, but it’s hard. And I can’t think that there was any other reason for him to come back to Brentwell than to cause trouble for me and my mother.’
Kelly pulled into the kerb. ‘Right, we’re here.’
Jacob looked out through the window at the snowy cul-de-sac. ‘Ah, this isn’t my place … in fact, I don’t recall even telling you where I lived.’
Kelly smiled. She pointed out of the window. ‘That house right there, with the downstairs light on … that’s Charlotte’s.’
‘What … I can’t—’
‘You absolutely can. Go and knock on her door, then tell her everything you’ve just told me.
Come on, Jacob. Don’t screw this up.’ She sighed.
‘All right, in case you do, I’ll park at the end of the street, by that little children’s park we passed.
I’ll finish my coffee and play on my phone for a bit.
If you don’t show up after half an hour, I’m off. Good luck.’
‘Thanks.’
He climbed out of the car. Kelly gave him a thumbs up, then snapped at him to shut the door before the car filled up with snow.
As she drove off, he stood on the street outside Charlotte’s house, snow pattering around him.
A couple of doors down, an animated reindeer made out of wire and Christmas lights bobbed its head up and down, the tinkling of Jingle Bells just audible.
Jacob walked up to the bottom of Charlotte’s path and stood there for a long time, trying to drum up the courage to take a few more steps and knock on her door.
He waited. He was starting to get covered in snow. There was a little covered porch which looked far warmer than the street, yet still his legs wouldn’t move. He tried, but nothing would happen. His body felt frozen solid.
He was still standing there a couple of minutes later when he saw the lights of a car moving slowly up the street. He turned to stare as the driver’s side window was wound down, and Kelly leaned out, eyes wide with frustration.
‘Do I literally have to push you up to the front door? If you don’t get a move on, you’re going to get buried. Hurry up!’
Jacob took a deep breath. ‘All right.’
‘Go!’
Kelly wound the window up. Just as she pulled off, she beeped the horn loud enough to make Jacob jump. Feet crunching in the snow, he found himself inside Charlotte’s gate. Turning back, he saw Kelly’s car drive off up the street.
His feet had left deep impressions in snow that was now a couple of inches deep. If he just turned and walked away, it would look like someone had come here and waited, watching the house. It might freak Charlotte out. He … had … to move.
Walking in feet cast in lead—but possibly also affected by frostbite—he hauled himself the last few paces to the front door.
There was a bell, but he could pretend he didn’t see it, give a light knock, tell Kelly he’d tried.
She hadn’t answered, that was all. At least he’d made an effort.
She wouldn’t listen to him anyway; James’s lies would have spread like untamed weeds.
She would slam the door in his face, call the police.
Mark would show up and put the cuffs on him for real. He would—
A shadow appeared behind the frosted glass.
Jacob, one hand still raised as though he was ready to knock, held his breath as the door handle clicked and the door slowly opened.
Light flooded out, momentarily dazzling him.
Then he saw Charlotte standing there, wearing fluffy pyjamas and a thick woollen dressing gown.
‘Hello, Jacob,’ she said, giving him a soft smile.
He wanted to melt, but there was little chance of that with the weather being so cold. Even if he could defrost a little. He opened his mouth, sucked in a breath, and managed to say, ‘I haven’t knocked yet.’
‘I know. Kelly sent me a message to say you were standing outside my house, freezing to death.’
‘She … sent you a message?’
‘Of course. She’s my best friend. She wasn’t going to let someone knock on my door so late without warning me.’ She smiled. ‘I was watching you from the window upstairs. You’re completely covered in snow. Do you want to come in?’
‘Yes, please.’
She stepped back, letting him come into the porch. He closed the door, and immediately the heat of the room started to thaw him out. She helped him take off his coat, then with an amused smile she reached up and brushed snow off the top of his head.
‘I wasn’t sure how long you were going to stay out there,’ she said.
‘Probably forever. Or until death, whichever came first.’
Charlotte gave a little laugh, putting a hand over her mouth. Her eyes lit up, pretty lashes flickering. Life was perfect: if Jacob could have frozen this moment forever.
‘I have something to tell you,’ he said.
Charlotte nodded. ‘I know. You can give me the short version, though. Kelly had you on speakerphone while you were in the car.’
He could only gasp. ‘What … I … you mean…?’
‘I heard everything.’ Her eyes narrowed, and her cheeks dimpled. ‘I’ll be having a word with her tomorrow about her calling me an airhead, but otherwise I get it.’
‘I can’t believe….’
‘She wanted to make sure you told the truth, and you did.’
‘But….’
‘Jacob … she’s my best friend.’ She reached out a hand.
Her palm felt warm and soft. His were starting to thaw, his fingers bright red, blood rushing in, making the tendons ache.
‘Come on,’ she said. ‘I made hot chocolate. And you need to meet my dog. He’s a good judge of character.
He’ll either be your new best friend, or he’ll try to rip your face off. ’
Jacob could only nod. Very slowly, he allowed himself to smile.