Blissfully Numb. (Book 4)

Chapter 10

Emily

As the day moved slowly, Colin sat by the window watching for Theo to come by. What exactly did he mean he wanted Theo and how was he going to use me to get Theo to come with him? I didn't like the sound of this at all, I want him to let me go but I don't want him to hurt Theo in the process!

I saw him suddenly jump up at the window where he is sitting, hands against the glass he's leaning slightly as if trying to see round a corner. His breath is steaming up the window because he's got his face so close to it. He must think he has seen Theo and I feel awful as part of me hopes that he has, I don't want to be in this alone anymore. I want my dad's.

"He's here, I can see him!" He spat excitedly.

Opposite this block of flats is a small Lebanese restaurant that I know Alfie and Theo love because they've bought it a few times when I've been over for dinner. There is also a mall a block away but despite what Colin thinks from here I think it would be hard to be sure it was Theo going into the mall. So I know it's the restaurant Colin has been relying on and if he is right and Theo has been sticking to routine like clockwork then he'll be here to collect dinner on purpose.

"What are you going to do to him?"

"Don't you worry yourself about that, just do as I tell you and no one needs to get hurt. Like I said I'm not out to hurt anyone I just want to speak to Theo, I NEED to speak to Theo!"

He walked into his room and from where I was sat I could see him grab something from his bedside cabinet, shove it in his pocket and pull a hat onto his head. Then he came back out to me and pulled me up from the floor roughly, grabbing my arm and pinching me a bit. I winced aloud but if he heard me he ignored me and dragged me from the room towards the hall.

At the front of the building he crossed the street quickly and pulled me down the alley alongside the restaurant. He pulled me against the wall near the trash cans and we waited for Theo. "I will see him walk past from here, he parked his car further along." He spoke almost to himself. He wasn't looking at me and I didn't look at him because he was really scaring me. He was nervous I could tell, he kept fiddling with his hat and whatever he had in his pocket. He looked like a madman, muttering to himself and twitching so much I found myself begging God to make Theo hurry up and find me.

It felt like forever, but eventually he stopped twitching and stood facing the sidewalk from the alley. It was beginning to get dark now so when Theo walked past I couldn't see him properly he looked almost like a silhouette against the road. Colin stepped out dramatically and grabbed me shoving me in front of him. The movement caught Theo's eye and as he turned to see what it was I screamed his name and received a hard smack across the head. "QUIET! Keep quiet Emily, let me do the talking and everything will be OK." He snarled.

I watch as Theo raced towards me, the blow to my head and the fear for my uncle made the tears stream down my face and I was finding it very hard to quell them. Colin changed hands and grabbed me on the other arm while something hard was pushed into my side and I gasped as I realised what it was.

"Colin don't you dare hurt a hair on that girls head, she has nothing to do with any of this." Theo yelled as he approached us. He stopped short when he saw the gun and shook his head, panic in his eyes.

"I won't hurt her as long as you do what I say Theo."

"Theo please help me..."

"I said be quiet!" He hit me again and Theo jumped forward but Colin aimed the gun at him instead. Theo held up his hands as I sobbed, I couldn't help it I just said it without thinking. Colin hadn't hurt me until now but I could feel his survival instincts, it was like electricity in the air and I knew at this point he was capable of anything. Even if he did say he wouldn't hurt anyone, if this didn't go his way I knew that Theo and I would be dead by nightfall.

.................................................................................

Theo

Seeing Colin with a...a gun against Emily. A gun. It made my blood freeze! She was terrified, tears streaming down her face. My heart was breaking here and when she begged me to help her and he hit her across the head, I almost begged him back. I jumped forward to help her but he aimed the gun at my head and I put my hands up, signalling I was acquiescent.

"What do you want from us Colin?!" I spat.

"I want you to go back over there and pick up your bag of food, as you do look at the apartment block across the street. Go back to your car, acting normal, do not tip anyone off that may be following you...."

"No one is following me! I made sure of it."

"Go back to your car Theo drive into the buildings car park, the code is 9852 and then come up to the top floor apartment 318. Do not tell anyone, not Alfie, not Domingo or Charlie, not anyone got it. Emily here is coming with me, we'll see you up there."

I did what he said, but not before trying my best to give Emily a comforting smile and telling her it would all be OK. She nodded but I am not sure she believed me. I picked up the bag of food that I had dropped racing to get Emily and I walked back out of the building, hoping that despite my words, no one had followed me. Walking into an alley and back out again on my own would look just a little suspicious.

I went back to my car as quickly and inconspicuously as possible, drove it across the street and entered the underground parking lot. I didn't look back I didn't want to see him drag off Emily, I just wanted to be back with her as soon as I could. I had to get this done quickly or Alfie would realise something was wrong. I punched the number in quick and parked up, then I sprinted to the stairs and fast as I could climbed to the top floor.

I passed someone as I searched for the apartment he gave me and I tried to wipe the worry from my face and greeted him with a good evening. Then I rushed along and rammed on the door when I reached it, they were already inside and he ushered me in. He was still holding on tightly to Emily's arm so when he asked me to sit in the chair, I did what I was told. He sat Emily at the other side of the room opposite me and he paced back and forwards in between us with the gun firmly in his hands.

Colin was different, he hadn't aged well. He was still tall and thin but his face was pockmarked and his hair already completely grey. He seemed twitchy and nervous and that just made me even more nervous as he had that gun and he was shaking it about and he muttered to himself. It was if he was trying to decide what to say, on how to approach whatever lie or excuse for his behaviour he had concocted.

"What do you want Colin?! You're scaring the child, is this what you did to our parents before you killed them?!" I couldn't help myself, I was infuriated and the anger surged back like a tidal wave. "You're scum Colin, you'll do anything to have your own way. Kidnap a child instead of just approaching me like you have today!"

I knew Emily wouldn't be happy that I kept referring to her as a child but I needed to make Colin see he couldn't get away with this. She wasn't an adult, no matter what she thought and she was in great danger. If Colin could murder his own parents what would stop him murdering a young woman he's never met!

He was pacing faster, shaking his head back and forth muttering no, no. Emily was beginning to panic, I realised too late that my shouting at Colin had made her more nervous. I tried to tell her to calm down, that it would be all OK but before I could even get the words out of my mouth Colin stopped, faced me, and cocked the gun.