Fangtooth

Chapter 22

“Duncan,” Bruce said as he entered the shop, “you haven’t seen my son, Jack, have you?”

Duncan looked up from where he sat behind the counter and shook his head. “I’m sorry about that scene in the bar.”

“I’m not worried about that. I need to find Jack.”

“He hasn’t been in here. Sorry.”

Bruce scratched his head and ground his teeth. “Someone’s gone and ransacked my house.”

“Good god. Have you called the police?” Bruce shook his head.

“I told him he should,” Erin said from the doorway where she stood holding Shazam on the lead.

“I don’t know what the world’s coming to,” Duncan said. “It wasn’t that long ago when people could leave their doors unlocked.”

Bruce pursed his lips. Where the hell was his son? Raw panic coursed through his veins. “I’ve got to find him.”

Duncan frowned. “What’s the big problem?”

“I think something might have happened to Jack. It’s too much of a coincidence after yesterday’s trouble in the bar.”

“Happened to him in what way?”

“I don’t know. I just feel… he isn’t answering his phone.”

“What kid ever does answer his phone to his parents?” Erin said.

“I know, I know, but… it’s just, I feel it. Something’s happened to him.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s call the police,” Duncan said.

“They’ll only tell me to wait twenty-four hours or whatever it is before reporting anything.”

“But at least you’ll have let them know; and with the break in, they might take it more seriously,” Erin said.

Bruce nodded and made the call. As he suspected, they said he’d have to wait twenty-four hours before they could do anything for Jack, but when he reported the break in, they said they would send someone around to investigate. He disconnected the call.

“Right then, let’s go find your son,” Duncan said, striding around from the counter.

“You’re going to help?” Bruce said.

“Of course. I know the area better than you do. Perhaps he’s just wandered off. I’m sure we’ll find him.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Duncan smiled to offer encouragement. “By the looks of the weather, I’ll be needing my coat.” He grabbed a seemingly damp jacket from the wall at the side of the counter, and then ushered them out of the shop. He turned the sign to ‘closed’, locked the door, and then turned to face them. “We should start down at the harbour. That’s where most kids like to hang out.”

Bruce looked across the road. Normally the harbour would be visible, but the fog was too thick to see anything. He could hear the faint clink of metal and the soft creak of wood from that direction.

“Shutting up early, Duncan?” said a stout girl with buck teeth who was standing in the doorway of the cafe. “Can’t say I blame you. Not much business in this weather. I’d shut up too, but you know mother, she wants me working here all hours no matter what.”

“Hi Samantha. No, we’re looking for someone. Bruce here, well his son’s gone missing.”

Samantha visibly blanched. “New boy, moved into the old Johnson place?”

Duncan nodded.

“I knew it,” she gushed. “I told him, said to him only the other day that place was bad news.”

“Have you seen him today?” Bruce asked.

The girl nodded. “He was in earlier. Warned him I did. Least I could do.”

“Do you know where he went?” Bruce asked.

Samantha shook her head.

“Well if you see him, get him to call his dad. Come on, let’s go,” Duncan said, striding away.

Bruce and Erin followed. When they reached the other side of the road, Bruce shouted Jack’s name, but as he’d feared, there was no reply.

“Let’s ask at the bar,” Duncan suggested, already striding away before Bruce could reply.

As Bruce was about to follow, Erin grabbed his hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll find him,” she said, squeezing gently.

He found her touch comforting. Any other time, he would want to maintain the contact for as long as possible, but with today’s events uppermost in his thoughts, he broke the contact, forced a feeble smile and said, “I hope so.”

Erin nodded and they started across the road after Duncan, who was already becoming indistinct in the fog.

Bruce and Erin caught up to Duncan outside the bar, where he was talking to a cute teenage girl with short blonde hair who stood with her arms folded across her chest to keep warm.

“So you haven’t seen him?” Duncan said.

The girl shook her head. She looked at Bruce and Erin, then down at Shazam.

“Didn’t I see you talking to Jack the other day, by the harbour?” Bruce asked.

The girl nodded. “Yeah, I was with my friends.” She stroked Shazam’s head.

“And have you seen him since?”

The girl shook her head again. “Sorry. No.”

Bruce let out a loud breath. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something in the way the girl looked at him suggested she was lying. “Well, if you do see him, please tell him to contact me. It’s urgent.”

“Why, what’s the matter?” she asked.

“I’m just worried something has happened to him. He’s gone missing.” Shazam whined as though in sympathy.

The girls left eye twitched slightly. “If I see him, I’ll be sure to let him know you’re looking for him. Anyway, I have to go.”

Bruce watched her walk quickly away, and any thought he had of following her was lost when she disappeared into the fog.

Jen looked over her shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw only shadows and fog at her rear. She had never been very good at lying. She hadn’t done anything wrong, but she couldn’t get the thought out of her head that perhaps Rocky had been involved, so the less she said, the better.

She knew she didn’t love Rocky, but she still didn’t want to see him get into trouble, especially if he wasn’t involved. It did seem a little bit too much of a coincidence that Jack had disappeared after arguing with her boyfriend. She knew Rocky was hot-headed, but she couldn’t believe he’d had anything to do with it. But what if he had? What if Jack was lying in a ditch somewhere? She would never forgive herself.

Unnerved by her thoughts, she headed towards Rocky’s house to have it out with him.

The house where Rocky lived was on the outskirts of the village. Rocky’s father used to be a trawler man, but his career had been cut short, even before the present problems with quotas and lack of fish, when he lost an arm during an accident at sea. Not long after that, he walked out on the family. Whether it was out of some misguided sense of loyalty or just dumb choice, Rocky wanted to become a trawler man too. Didn’t even seem bothered that rowing boats made him feel seasick.

Even though she could probably find her way around the village blindfolded, the fog was testing her to the limit. She almost walked into a lamppost, then stumbled into a dustbin, grazing her leg.

Cursing under her breath, she rubbed her injury to alleviate the pain, and then continued on her way.

When she reached Rocky’s house, she climbed the three steps, walked along the short path and rang the bell. The downstairs lights were on, creating indistinct blobs of luminescence in the haze.

She stamped her feet and blew into her cupped hands while she waited. The fog was freezing, and she knew the dampness must have made her hair look like rats’ tails. She didn’t like people seeing her at anything less than her best, but now she had no choice.

She rang the bell again, and knocked loudly. Moments later, she heard a voice shout, “I’m comin’,” and then Rocky opened the door. He stared at Jen for a moment as though he didn’t know who she was, then he nodded his head in greeting.

“Jen, what are you doin’ here?”

“Tell me you haven’t hurt him. Promise me, Rocky.”

Rocky held his hands up. “Hey, what are you on about?”

“Jack. That new guy in the village, he’s gone missing. Tell me you aren’t involved.”

Rocky looked down at the ground. He shrugged. “He’s a twat. It’s nothing to do with me.”

“Look at me,” she said.

Rocky looked up, shoulders hunched, and shoved his hands in his jeans’ pockets.

“Tell me the truth,” Jen said.

“I’m telling you the truth. Anyway, it should be me questioning you.”

Jen frowned.

“The other night. I saw the two of you. He was outside your house. It was obvious he fancied you, and by the sounds of it, you were leading him on.”

“Was not.”

“That’s what it sounded like to me. I should have had it out with the cunt then.”

“Had what out? We were only talking. It’s not a crime, you know.”

Rocky grunted in response. “Whatever.”

“Look, he came to see me. So what? Trouble is, now he’s gone missing.”

“Great. Serves the prick right.”

Jen bit her lip and scowled. “Just tell me you’re not involved.”

“I’ve already told you. But so what if I was? You’re my girlfriend, not his. You’re not supposed to worry about other guys.”

“That is so lame. I can be concerned about whoever I like. Now tell me, where is he?”

“I’ve told you, I don’t know.”

“But you do know something.”

“Yeah, and so do you.”

“What are you on about now?”

“You know, the drugs he stole from Zander. He told you about it, right?”

The revelation hit Jen like a brick. Zander. But Zander didn’t know Jack had stolen his drugs, not unless…

“My god, you didn’t tell him, did you?” she said.

Rocky shrugged. “So what if I did.”

“Zander’s a lunatic. He’d kill him.”

“Save someone else the job then.”

“Rocky, how could you?”

“It was only what he deserved.”

“You prick.”

“You can’t talk to me like that.”

“I just did. And as far as I’m concerned, we’re through.”

“Fine. I prefer a girl who’ll put out anyway, not a frigid bitch like you.”

Jen fought to control her temper. She had more important matters to deal with now. How could she tell Jack’s dad what she knew without getting Jack into more trouble? Talk about being stuck in a difficult situation.

Without another word to Rocky, she spun and started walking away.

“If Zander hasn’t finished the creep, you can bet I’ll do the job properly,” Rocky said before he slammed the door shut.

Jen shivered, and made her way quickly towards the harbour. She only hoped she wasn’t too late.