Chapter 26 #2
“The S.K.A.M. piece you saw... I bought it... for you.” He hung his head. “But now, it’s the last thing I want you to have in your home. I feel like burning the bloody thing.”
“That piece cost thousands. What were you... Why did you... What the...”
“Oh my word,” Ethel gasped as I struggled to form coherent sentences, putting her hand on her chest in shock.
“It was a well-meant gift that’s gone a bit... wrong.” Alex took the card out of my hand and put it into the inside pocket of his jacket. “I’ll deal with it. Please don’t give it a second thought.”
“You bought it for me,” I stated quietly, shock and wonder at such a touching, thoughtful, and frankly extravagant gift overclouding the realisation that it was a gift with his name on it.
“Of course I did. I wanted you to have it. You loved that piece so much. It was my way of saying thank you for spending time with me that evening. You made the whole event quite...” He paused to find the right word. “...memorable.”
“Wow,” Ethel gasped again, and I suddenly became aware that we were standing on her doorstep, having this whole intimate encounter in her presence.
“It was a beautiful evening. But you don’t have to buy me expensive gifts to say thank you.” I turned to face Ethel, who now had stars in her eyes as she watched us. “And thank you for sorting out the deliveries for me. You’re one in a million, Ethel.”
She blushed at that, adding, “I’m just being a good neighbour, dear.” And then she muttered to herself, “This is better than a Hallmark movie. Please don’t stop on my account. It’s the most entertainment I’ve had since the eighties.”
Alex was visibly suppressing his smile as I nodded in thanks. “You’re the best, Ethel. Really you are. And I just wondered... Did you see anyone else come to my house while I was away? Did anyone pop in at all?”
She frowned.
“Not that I know, love. Is everything okay?”
Alex went to speak, but I cut him off. I didn’t want him saying too much.
“It’s fine. I was expecting a visitor, and I felt bad for missing them, what with me being away.” I turned to look up at Alex and give him a knowing look as if to say, ‘Keep quiet. Don’t scare her. She’s too old to deal with the shit we’re dealing with’.
“Out of interest,” Alex piped up. “Do you have Emma’s spare key to hand? We need to borrow it if that’s okay?”
Ethel beamed back at him.
“Of course. It’s not my key.” Then looking at me, she added, “It’s yours.”
We stayed on the step as she disappeared inside, then came back down her hallway, clutching my key in her hand.
“There you go,” she said, as Alex put his hand out to take it.
“Has anyone ever used it?” he asked, and Ethel stared at him in confusion.
“No. It’s been in a drawer in my living room for the last few years. Ever since you gave it to me, Emma. I’ve never needed to use it.”
“And no one else has had access to that drawer?” Alex pushed, and Ethel scoffed, clearly thinking he was being ridiculous.
“Do you think I hand out people’s keys to strangers? I’m not senile, you know.”
“We know that,” I said, glaring at Alex. “And we’re sorry. Thanks for everything, Ethel. I appreciate all you do for me. We’ll leave you in peace now.”
She mumbled to herself, gave Alex a sharp look, then smiled back at me.
“Come round for a cuppa, anytime you’re free, love. I miss our little chats.”
“Will do,” I replied, and she nodded then closed the door.
“He stole the key off her,” Alex hissed as we walked back to my house.
“Maybe. Or maybe he’s fucking Houdini.” I opened the door, recoiling when I saw those painted words again, screaming back at me.
“Houdini was an escape artist,” Alex said, closing the front door behind us. “This guy is a...”
“Fucked-up killer artist,” I replied, finishing his sentence.
Alex’s nostrils flared as he stood still, staring at me like a predator about to pounce.
“He’s a dead man, is what he is. I’ve supported him for years, but not anymore. I don’t fuck with anyone who terrorises a woman like this, especially not when it’s you.” He paused, and then, as if he was talking to himself, he uttered, “He’s lost his fucking mind.”
“You know who he is,” I stated, desperate to rip the truth from his brain and put an end to all this myself. “You could expose him. Show the world who he really is. Who is he, Alex?”
But he wouldn’t budge, telling me, “I’ll deal with this personally. Exposing him wouldn’t do any good. But I know how to get to him. I know how to shut this whole thing down.”
I appreciated him doing that, but I needed more.
“Why won’t you tell me who he is?” I urged, stepping into Alex’s space and stopping short of grabbing his jacket to plead with him.
“I can’t,” he replied, gritting his teeth as he glanced around the room, then he fixed his stare on the words painted on my wall, and he let out what sounded like a growl.
“I want to, but I can’t. And I know that sounds fucked-up, after everything, but it’s the truth.
It’s better his identity stays buried. After today, I want to bury him, too.
But trust me when I say, no good can come from exposing who he is.
It’ll only make things worse. That’s a pandora’s box we don’t want to open. ”
I didn’t know how to respond to that. I wanted to keep arguing and get a name, but I also knew he wouldn’t fold.
Alex Kingston was clearly a man of his word.
So, all I could do was nod and then tell him, “I guess I’ll have to trust that you know best.” And hope that he’d keep that word and stop this whole shitshow.
“I thought I knew who he was,” he said with a hint of sadness, staring off into space in a melancholy way like he was picturing happier times.
“But now, I know everything was a lie.” And his face twisted into a furious glare.
“I’ll deal with this in the only way he’ll understand.
I know what I’m doing.” He stared down at me, his eyes ablaze with fury.
“Pack a bag, Emma. You’re not staying here. ”
I didn’t want to stay here. I didn’t feel safe.
But Grace wasn’t answering her phone, and I couldn’t afford a hotel.
Reality hit me, and I felt a little ashamed.
I was a grown woman, and yet the only people I could call on to help me were my friend Grace, and this man standing in my living room who I barely knew.
“I’ll stop at Grace’s,” I said, even though I wasn’t sure where the hell she was. But I hoped she’d be at her apartment.