Chapter 13
Larwm - Alarm
Lucy
‘So you’re absolutely fucking positive that staying in Cardiff’s the right choice?’ Felicity asks for the third time this call.
It was lovely to get a surprise call from her this evening.
It’s been a long day sorting out the fallout from yesterday’s press conference and Jasper’s article.
I wasn’t going to answer, when her name flashed up on my phone.
I was too tired, too desperate to get home and into bed. I’m very glad I did.
‘I’ve made my mind up. And I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of me leaving. It’s what he wants. Also, I like working for Cai and Gethin. It would be a dream job if Rhys wasn’t around.’
‘Hmmm. I’ll allow it. For now. But the next time he so much as looks at you the wrong way, I’m driving up there to sort him out.’
I’d pay good money to see Felicity fight Rhys. She’d win; she’s scrappy. For the first few years we knew each other, I was adamant she hated me. That she only talked to me because we shared a dormitory. But it was only her face.
‘I’d love that,’ I tell her. ‘I’ll let you know if he even narrows his eyes in my direction. Promise.’
‘Fucking better. You’re heading out on tour soon, aren’t you?’
‘In a few weeks. I’ve got your tickets for the last night at the O2. I’ll email them to you.’
‘Yes! And that’s why I love you. Okay, I’ll save all my anger for Rhys and give him a piece of my mind when you get to London. Don’t tell him. I want it to be a surprise.’
‘Deal. Gives you enough time for your bad feelings towards him to really bl—’
The room plunges into darkness.
‘To really, what, Luce?’ she digs.
I get to my feet, ears pricked for any strange noises. Not that there would be, but everything is louder in the dark.
‘The lights in my office have gone off.’ The glow from my laptop is enough for me to pick my way across my office to the door. I push it open. ‘The whole house is dark.’
‘Weird. Are they on a timer or something?’
‘No. At least, I don’t think so.’
‘Maybe a switch tripped? I’ll let you go so you can sort it out. Text me when you get home, okay?’
We hang up and I frown down the dark corridor. I don’t know where the fuse box is. It’s not in the handbook because it’s not anything I should be dealing with. The house is old, it could be hidden anywhere. I scroll through my phone book to bring up Gethin’s number.
The security alarm blares through the house. I drop my mobile to clamp my hands over my ears, shrinking into the doorframe. It doesn’t stop the ringing from rattling my brain.
I’m the only one here. Everyone else went home hours ago. Cai’s away with Bethan. I’ve not even set the alarm yet. An animal must have gnawed on a wire. Or perhaps someone left their computer on and it tripped something. The wiring must be old, too.
I assess the corridor, searching for monsters hiding in the shadows then stop myself. Grow up, Lucille. It’s a false alarm. It’s safe for me to creep along the corridor. Nothing’s going to happen to me.
At least I know where the console is.
I walk tall, but my eyes dart left and right.
Every shadow, each dark portrait hides a threat waiting only for me.
The moon shines through the stained glass port hole above the door, casting the hallway in royal navys and midnight blues, deep sinister colours.
But the console is there, the plastic casing shining white in the darkness.
The LED screen lights as I approach it. I hammer in the code.
The ringing stops immediately and silence takes the place of it, although the lights don’t turn on. I frown at the box. Check my pockets. My phone is on the floor outside my office. I take a step away from the console, but like a demanding pop star, it wails as soon as it doesn’t have my attention.
‘What is your problem,’ I ask it, determined to try the code again and shut it up for good.
A hand clamps my shoulder. I spin around. I never learned to punch, but I swing my arm out, ready to protect myself from my attacker.
But they catch it before I can land the first hit.
‘Bloody hell, Lucy,’ Rhys shouts at me. ‘No need to thump me one when I’m here to fix it.’
I never thought I’d be glad to see him. ‘I’ve already tried,’ I force my voice louder so he can hear me over the din. ‘The code worked, but then the alarm started again.’
‘Must have typed it in wrong.’ He steps around me, pounds in the code – the same one I used – and the alarm stops. ‘See. It’s two-four-seven-eight, not seven-nine.’
Silence yawns between us. The house takes a breath before the alarm strikes up again. I bite back my smirk. I was doing it right. There was no need for him to condescend me. But it’s not the right time for us to fight.
‘What’s going on?’ I shout.
‘Dunno. Code should have worked. Go to your office. Don’t come out until I tell you it’s okay.’
‘Absolutely not.’
I don’t need a hero. Also, if I follow him, I can learn how to sort the alarm out myself. Saves having to rely on him for anything else.
‘All right. Fine. But stay close.’
He leads us down the hallway. The trek takes forever, but he guides me into his office, where his laptop screen is the only light. He sits me on his sofa and settles at his desk. Taps away. A few clicks. A frown. He paws for his phone and dials.
‘Aled? You got the notification… Good.’ He puts the phone on speaker.
‘Yeah, not sure who’s done it, butt, but looks like you’ve been hacked,’ the voice, Aled, tells him. ‘What you need to do is access the home page, click on the security check and reset the entire thing. Might take a moment but—’
The alarm stops and the lights flash on, blinding me.
‘Cheers, mate,’ Rhys says. They chat for a bit longer, discussing malware, encryption and man-in-the-middle attacks – which sounds more like a football term. A plan’s made for tomorrow, then he hangs up and swings his chair around to look at me.
‘Hacked?’ I ask.
He shrugs. ‘Dunno. Tech’s not my strong point, which is why my mate manages it for me. He’s gonna deal with it his end, but someone needs to talk to the police. Aled says we’re safe here, and I can’t see anyone on the cameras.’
‘I thought you’d gone home?’
He shrugs. ‘Was getting some stuff done for the tour. Was coming to see if you wanted to order takeaway.’
I hadn’t thought about dinner but now my stomach grumbles. ‘I was finishing today’s press statements when my friend called. I should order a taxi, do the last of my work at home, but—’ I’m not sure I want to leave without finding out what’s happened.
‘Go, if you want. It’s late. I can handle whatever this is. The police will already be on their way. It’s automatic when the alarm goes off.’
Even though I don’t owe him anything, especially after yesterday, I shake my head. Whatever’s happened, I want to help. The police might want to talk to me, anyway.
‘I can stay.’
The house eases in its foundations, but neither of us can relax. Now the ringing has faded from my ears, the house is way too quiet.
Before the silence can wrap around us and make things too awkward, he scratches his beard.
‘The damn thing going off scared the shit outta me. Must have been dozing at my desk. It’s been a day.
I’m gonna order that food and get us a drink.
Want one? Reckon Cai owes us some of his fancy stuff. Stay there.’
It takes him barely five minutes to return to his office with the scotch and two glasses.
‘Food's on its way. Wasn’t sure what you liked so I ordered a mix. I'll have whatever's left tomorrow.’
‘Thanks. I eat everything.’
‘Girl after my own heart.’ He sits next to me, pours a generous shot then passes me a glass. I take it with a yawn. ‘You tired?’
Yeah. What you said yesterday kept playing on repeat and I barely slept. Now I have to deal with this after fighting with the press all day and it’s almost my bedtime.
Instead I swallow it with a burning mouthful of scotch and say, ‘It’s been a day.’
‘Ah, the Jasper shit.’
‘Yeah, and putting out the million fires his stupid story started.’
‘I could fucking murder Richie.’ He takes a gulp and I’m not sure if the grimace is from the drink or his distaste of his ex teammate.
‘I know he complained about his job, but did he give any indication he was that unhappy?’
Rhys rubs at the back of his neck. ‘Nothing. We were mates. Always have been, and I tried to listen to what he needed.’
‘You know,’ I start. I’m not sure if it’s the come-down from the scare earlier, or if I’m exhausted from being in this fight-or-flight situation with him, but since we’ve got a wait ahead of us, we might as well talk about what happened.
I take another sip of the scotch, and it gives me the courage to continue, to finally speak my mind with him.
‘I considered quitting yesterday. But for how awfully you treated me, I would never betray Cai like Richie did. No amount of money is worth any of this. Cai doesn’t deserve it. ’
The tips of his ears turn pink. ‘I thought you said you—’
‘I did. But it doesn't mean that the idea hasn’t crossed my mind.’
He stares at his now-empty glass then checks his phone. He mumbles, ‘I don’t want you to go.’
‘What was that?’ I’m not sure I heard him properly, since yesterday he was all but signing my P45.
He pours himself another half-glass of scotch.
Swallows it in one gulp. ‘You challenge me. I thought it was annoying, but maybe it’s a sign I’ve had it too easy.
Finding ways around the city to avoid traffic – shit I should really know – scheduling stuff in a smart way.
I need to up my game to stay on top of things.
And I’m sorry. So sorry, Lucy. The last thing I wanted was to hurt you. I wish I could take every word back.’