‘You know who I am, Joe.’
There’s another pause.
‘Gideon?’
‘Oh, good, we’re using first names. Put your wife back on the phone.’
‘No.’
‘You don’t think I have Charlie. You think I’m bluffing. You told the police I was a coward, Joe. I tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to hang up and fuck your little girl and then I’ll call you back. In the meantime, I suggest you try to find her. Go on. Run along. Try Norton Lane, that’s where I found her.’
‘No! No! Don’t go!’
‘Put Julianne back on the phone.’
‘She’s too upset.’
‘Put her back on the phone or you’ll never see Charlie again.’
‘Listen to me, Gideon. I know why you’re doing this.’
‘Put your wife on the phone.’
‘She’s not capable of…’
‘I DON‘T GIVE A FUCK WHAT SHE‘S CAPABLE OF.’
‘OK, OK. Just give me a minute.’
He covers the phone again. He’s telling his wife to call the police on the fixed line. I pick up another mobile and punch in the number. The phone rings. Julianne picks up.
‘Hello, Mrs O’Loughlin.’
A sob catches in her throat.
‘If you let your husband take this phone from you your daughter will die.’
Her next sob is louder.
‘Stay with me, Mrs O’Loughlin.’
‘What do you want?’
‘I want you.’
She doesn’t answer.
‘May I call you Julianne?’
‘Yes.’
‘Let me tell you something, Julianne. If your husband takes this phone out of your hand, I will rape your daughter for a while. Then I’ll slice pieces off her body and hammer nails in her hands. And afterwards, I promise you this, I will cut out her pretty blue eyes and mail them to you in a box.’
‘No! No! I’ll talk to you.’
‘Only you can save Charlie.’
‘How?’
‘You remember when you were pregnant, how you kept those babies alive in your womb? Baby Emma and baby Charlie. Well, this phone is like an umbilical cord. You can keep Charlie alive only by staying on this line. Hang up and she dies. Let someone take the phone from you and she dies. Understand?’
‘Yes.’
She takes a deep breath, steeling herself. She’s strong this one. A challenge.
‘Is your husband there, Julianne? Is he whispering in your ear like I’m whispering in Charlie’s ear? What’s he saying? Tell me what he’s saying or I’ll have to bruise her skin.’
‘He says you don’t have her. He says you’re bluffing. He says Charlie is at her friend’s house.’
‘Has he tried to phone her?’
‘Her number is engaged.’
‘He should go and look for her.’
‘He’s gone.’
‘That’s good. He should look outside… in the village. He should go to Abbie’s house. What about your nanny?’
‘She’s looking too.’
‘Maybe they’ll find her. I could be bluffing. What do you think?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Do you have caller display on this phone, Julianne?’
‘Yes.’
‘Look at the number. Do you recognise it?’
Her answer is not so much spoken as groaned. The strangled affirmation is trapped in her throat, barely able to get out.
‘Whose number is it?’
‘My husband’s mobile.’
‘What is Charlie doing with Joe’s phone?’
‘They swapped.’
‘Now you believe me.’
‘Yes. Please don’t hurt her.’
‘I’m going to make her into a woman, Julianne. All mothers want their daughters to grow up and become women.’
‘She’s just a child.’
‘Now, yes, but not when I’m finished.’
‘No. No. Please don’t touch her. I’ll do anything you want.’
‘Anything?’
‘Yes.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes.’
‘Because if you don’t do it, Charlie will.’
‘I’ll do as you say!’
‘Take off your clothes, Julianne, your skirt and that pretty topthe one with the metallic thread through it. Yes, I know what you’re wearing. I know everything about you, Julianne. I’ve already taken off Charlie’s jeans. I’m sorry but I had to cut them. I was very careful. I’m very good with scissors and a razor. I could carve my initials into her stomach. She’d have a souvenir to remember me by. And every man who ever looks at her naked will know that I was there first… in every hole.’
‘No, don’t.’
‘Are you taking off your clothes?’
‘Yes.’
‘Show me.’
She hesitates.
‘Stand at the bedroom window, open the curtains- I’ll be able to see you.’
‘Will you let her go?’
‘That depends on you.’
‘I’ll do what you want.’
‘Charlie is nodding. It’s so cute. Yes, that’s right, Mummy’s on the phone. Do you want to say hello? I’m sorry. Mummy hasn’t done what I asked, so you can’t talk to her. Are you at the window, Julianne?’
‘Yes.’
‘Open the curtains so I can see you.’
‘And you won’t hurt Charlie?’
‘Just open the curtains.’
‘OK.’
‘You need make-up. On your dressing table; the vermilion lipstick, I want you to put it on and I want you to wear the malachite necklace in the velvet box.’
‘How do you-?’
‘I know all about you… all about Charlie… all about your husband.’
