Before I can whip out my card, Fenrir leans over with a wad of cash and hands it to Kevin, who counts it and then stuffs it into the drawer.
After handing the change to Fenrir, Kevin nods and bids us a good day.
“It was nice meeting you, and be sure to keep an eye on the weather,” he says as Fenrir pushes the trolley out the main door.
“Can you believe that?”I say as we head to the Jeep.
“What?”Fenrir is scanning the car park, his shoulders tense, his eyes like lasers.
“That he knew my mother.She used to chat to him.Have you known my mother to chat to anyone?”
Fenrir doesn’t answer, just starts to load the car up.
“I found a photo of the house once and asked her about it: where it was, why I’d never been,” I tell him as I pass him bags from the trolley.“She said she just didn’t like the house.But what I don’t understand is, if it was their holiday home, then why did they never come back here?”
Fenrir shrugs and then says, “You heard what Kevin said.She didn’t like the house.”
“Yeah, but my father must’ve liked it, and he’s never been one to take someone else’s feelings on board, so why have I never been here until now?Why have my mother and father never come back to this house?”
Fenrir continues to load the car, but I swear he bristles as if a cold gust of wind has just rushed over the back of his neck.
We pack up the car in silence as I mull this over.
Why has my mother not returned to Belial House?Did something happen there that she can’t face?
There’s only one way to find out.
THIRTY
FENRIR
PRESENT
We drive backto the house in silence.Hayami’s probably lost in thought about what Kevin told her.She has that quizzical look on her face when she’s trying to work something out.
This outing was supposed to help clear my head, put a bit of perspective on things.Instead, it’s only fuelled my anxiety.
I don’t like the fact that he knows we’re here.Although Devall ordered supplies, he wouldn’t have told Kevin who was staying at the house.When other people know your location, it can lead to trouble.Anyone could approach Kevin and force answers from him; in fact, you wouldn’t even need to get the thumb screws out.He’s a chatterbox and would unwittingly divulge anything to anyone.
It amazes me how some people are so unaware of basic safety, about not sharing personal information or asking too many questions.Then I remember that this is how most people live their lives, and I’m the exception because of the people I work for, the job I do, and what became of my family.
What he told us of Junko’s stay at Belial House is new information to Hayami.I, of course, know about her one-time visit, but so far, I haven’t come across anyone by the name of Kevin.
There’s a temptation, as we make our way along the winding road that surrounds the large forest to the right, to drive in the completely opposite direction, to take this car full of supplies and head out somewhere no one would ever find us.Would she come willingly?She admitted to me that she’d thought about running away when she dropped Willa off at the airport, but the thought of Devall hunting down Willa and me and killing us in revenge stopped her.
What’s to stop us now?What’s to stop me from turning this car around and getting us both the hell out of here?Because even when this ends, when it’s time to return her to reality, what awaits her?
“You’re wondering about it, aren’t you?”Hayami says, splintering my thoughts.
“What?”I keep my eyes on the road.
“About not going back to the house and driving off somewhere else instead.”
I straighten in my seat, wondering how she knew.
“It’s okay.I was thinking about it too.How easy it’d be just to drive to someplace else and forget about everything and everyone.”
There’s a strange feeling in my gut, and before I can think it through, I say, “Then why don’t we?”
