The Return Of Ruby

TWELVE

"Nathan!" His mother untangles herself from Nicole and gets up to embrace him.

"Mum. I missed you."

"Me more. And this must be Jasmine, right?" She flashes ne a bright smile,showcasing a perfect set of teeth and a dimple on her left cheek. Why did she marry such a selfish, grumpy dork?

"That's right. It's a pleasure to meet you once again, Mrs Smith." I stretch out my arm but she pulls me into a hug instead. How can someone be so jovial? The first time we met was very brief and unpleasant, so I'm thanking my stars that it's a whole different scenario today.

"The pleasure is all mine. Have a seat please," she offers and hands a glass of wine to Nate and I.  I sit on the couch across from her,and Nate sits on the arm of the couch. "Nickie and I were just talking about Phil's disappearance."

"And dad's refusal to help me," Nicole murmurs. It's the first time she's spoken since we got here. She hasn't moved an inch.

"And your father's refusal to help," Mrs Smith repeats. I strongly fight the urge to ask Nate if her sister is okay. God knows my mouth has lead me into a lot of shit before.

"We're going to find him,wherever he is."

"I just can't understand who would take away a toddler from his mum,and why," Mrs Smith says. A toddler? Are we talking about the same kid here? Last time I checked, Phil was five. Well,according to Nicole. A toddler?

"Excuse me sir,ma'am,dinner is served," the butler announces out of nowhere.

"Thank you,Wilson. Shall we?" Grumpy gets up and leads the way to where I presume is the dining room. He sits at the head of the table after pulling out his wife's seat and sitting her down.

I mutter a 'thank you' as Nate does the same then sits beside me, with Nicole pushing her seat towards her mum. Ten minutes into a pleasant mountain of chicken and I'm wishing I'd have stayed back at the apartment instead.

"I don't understand what it is that you have against me,sir," I say the last word through gritted teeth. "Care to enlighten me?"

"Now I'd tell you my little scheme, but that would be dumb," he replies coolly.

"Psychopath," Nicole spits,placing her fork angrily on the table.

"I'm a psychopath making a difference in the world. What of her? Undressing for men and selling her body-"

"Robert!!" Mrs Smith reprimands,her voice ringing.

"Oh cut it out,Wendy." Did the temperature just rise in here?  Where's the good old butler? I'd appreciate if he made away with my coat right now. "You want me,a psycho,to help you catch another psycho? That's senseless now don't you think?" He nods at his daughter.

Nate's hand finds my balled one under the table and I bite my tongue praying fervently for patience.

"I need to use the bathroom," I say taughtly.

"I lost my appetite," Nicole walks away.

"I'll come with," Nate offers.

"No,I need a minute."

"Use my room. Second floor, last room on your left." I nod and get up,plucking my now wrinkled napkin from my laps and throwing it on the table. This was a bad idea. Coming here was a stinking, rotten idea.

His opinion doesn't matter. And I'm never setting foot into this traphole of a house ever again. Not if my life depends on it. I grip the edges of the sink, breathing in and out to calm myself.

"Get your hands off me."

I stop in my tracks.

"So now you're all grown up and can talk to your old man whichever way you find fit?"

I take a step back and peer in through the small space on the slightly open door.

"Get your fucking hands off me, I won't say it again."  Something about Nicole's voice ticks me off and causes a shiver to run down my spine.

Her dad laughs lowly,his hand seemingly tightening around her arm as he pulls her to his chest. He goes to touch her face but she pins him on the couch in the study, her hand constricting his throat and her knee digging into his chest painfully.

She is a detective; she must know basic self defence tactics and the whole ball of wax. Nothing to worry about, right?

"You can kill me, but you'll never forget me,Nicole," his voice drips with spite and disgust. You'll never forget what I did,what I instilled into your head. What did I teach you,Nicole? "

He's obviously struggling to speak and breathe. His grip on Nicole's wrist doesn't deter her from slowly choking the life out of him.

"What...what did I teach you?"

My curiosity will be the death of me, I swear. After Nate, of course.

"Nicole!!" I burge in and pull her off her dad before she earns herself a sentence for murder. She stumbles for a second as Mr Smith coughs vehemently. I badly want to know what he taught her. I'm so curious, it almost hurts.

"What happened?" She asks in confusion. Her eyes travel to her dad, who's now up and fixing his outfit, still coughing. Then without a word,she strides off like it's a sin to be alone in the same room with him.

"Wait! What did he teach you?!!" I scream inwardly before following her out. This night was not supposed to go like this.

***
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