The Stand In

Chapter 14

"I don't know who you are, or where you are from. But Elle is important to us. If she is not here within the next hour, I will be contacting the police."

I frown "For what? I've not done anything wrong."

"It's for her own safety. Mia hasn't received any information from Elle's watch this morning..."

"Her watch?" What the hell is he on about?  "What are you on about? Information from her watch?"

"Like no pulse, heart rate, sleep. Nothing." He tells me.

"She wasn't wearing a watch when she was here."

"How convenient!" Mia barks in the background.

"Look, I wouldn't hurt Elle, okay? So  how about we rewind, why would Mia know all about Elle's heartbeat?"

"Don't tell him anything!" Mia yells before snatching the phone out of Henry's hand. "She's got an hour so use a phone to ring us otherwise I'm coming to find her and you!"

The phone cuts off, leaving me looking at the phone bewildered as to what has just happened.

"Some overprotective friends there." Bacon says having heard the conversation.

"You're telling me. Damn." But as hers has a passcode on, I have to use my home phone and try to get hold of my phone which she has...

It wasn't getting the phone back I was concerned about, it was the fact her friends were worried about here, which in turn, now worried me. What didn't I know?

A knock at the front door tells me that the production crew have arrived and all thoughts of Elle will have to wait until I've helped the team set up. With Bacon looking after Gracie in the garden, I put him on ringing Elle duty, in a hope that someone will get hold of her.

**

"Bro..." Bacon says making me look up from my seat in the theatre. He signals his phone. "Elle coming over in about 30. She's dropping it off in her lunch break."

I find myself fussing over my shirt and making sure I look okay, before answering him. "Okay, great."

"Who is Elle?" Aaron chirps having overheard the conversation.

"Elle?" Jay repeats.

"There's a woman on the scene? Since when?" Billy asks turning to face me. He has been in a bad mood all morning and the moment he arrived, I felt the dark cloud behind him. He was struggling with some bad energy at the moment, but for some reason, refused to cleanse.

I look at Bacon who shrugs his shoulder and disappears. "Since it's none of your businesses." I answer them.

"Oh he's defensive." Aaron points out.

"Must mean he likes her." Jay adds.

"Okay, stop acting like a bunch of college girls and come help me make lunch." I tell them, leaving the theatre and heading for the kitchen.

I can hear their jibes all through my home, but I ignore it, wanting to make food for when Elle arrives. If she is doing this in her lunch hour, the least I can do is have some food made for her.

The guys are as helpful as a chocolate fire guard, instead of helping, they all get themselves a drink and crash around the dining room table, checking their phones and talking.

Guess I'm cooking alone...

I make the guys tacos, along with a side salad. As expected, they all tuck in quickly, whilst I clean make a few more for myself and Elle.