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Authors: Sophie McKenzie
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reassuring her that Jam and I were fine and explaining in vague terms that we were following the kidnapper’s instructions for the next attempt at a handover. But Annie didn’t
know about our two-hour deadline. Neither did Rick.
‘I don’t know where to start looking,’ I said, sinking into one of the sofas.
‘Well, I’m gonna try here.’ Jam opened the cupboard under the TV.
I glanced through the window to the small balcony which was the only outside space in the flat. Sam and Annie had bought the flat partly as an investment for me . . . somewhere for me to one day
inherit. I had a sudden flashback to being here with Madison last year. We’d chatted on that very balcony about how one day we would live here together – with me working and Madison
maybe at college in London.
My insides seemed to shrivel up. Up until Madison’s disappearance I had been so sure she’d be in my life forever. And now, here I was, facing a possible future without her.
‘This is hopeless,’ I said.
Across the room, Jam stood up. ‘Giving up so soon?’ He raised an eyebrow.
Was he sneering at me?
‘No, I’m not,’ I snapped. ‘You stay here. I’ll check out the bedrooms.’
I strode across the hallway and up the stairs. There were two bedrooms in the flat, each with their own bathroom. Annie and Sam used to sleep in one, with Madison in a fold-out bed by the
wardrobe. Shelby and I were supposed to share the other room, though in practice Shelby hadn’t visited the flat much in the short time Annie and Sam had owned it. When they came to visit, she
tended to stay behind with friends in the States. I headed for Annie and Sam’s room, opened the sliding door of the long, wooden wardrobe and pulled out an armful of shoeboxes.
My phone rang. I jumped, but it was only Mum. I let the call go to voice mail. I knew what the message would say without even listening to it: hope you are revising . . . call me . . . I
wrote a quick text back saying I would ring later.
As I pressed send, I heard a scuffing noise outside the room. I looked up. There it was again. The sound of a hand trailing along the wall up the stairs. Was that Jam, following me up here?
‘Jam?’ I called out.
No reply.
I froze, as whoever it was reached the top of the stairs. Footsteps sounded across the short landing. Then stopped.
I tensed, my pulse racing. I looked round, desperately, for something . . . anything . . . I could use as a weapon. An open shoebox lay at my feet. I grabbed the shoe inside – an elegant
stiletto of Annie’s – and clutched it in my hand.
‘Who’s there?’
Again, no reply.
I stood, arm raised, as the door creaked slowly open.
10
Revelations
The door opened fully. I held my breath, my heart pounding. Shelby stood in the doorway, her mouth in an ‘o’ shape of shock.
‘You?’ I stared at her, lowering the stiletto. ‘What are you doing here?’
Shelby glanced at the shoeboxes lying open at my feet. ‘Why are you going through Mom’s stuff?’ she demanded.
No way was I going to take that accusing tone from her.
‘Why did you call the police?’ I snapped back. ‘What were you thinking? Madison could have been killed.’
Shelby met my gaze. ‘Don’t lecture me about Madison. It’s your fault she was taken in the first place.’ She paused. ‘Anyway, you haven’t answered my
question. Why are you here?’
‘I’m looking for something,’ I said as icily as I could.
‘In Mom’s closet?’ Shelby raised her eyebrows.
I hesitated. Jam and I were up against a deadline here – so we could certainly use Shelby’s help – but how could I trust her after she’d gone to the police earlier?
‘I’m sorry, but it’s none of your business,’ I said.
‘It is so, you toxic cow.’
My mouth gaped. She was unbelievable .
Shelby put her hands on her hips. She was wearing cut-off jeans that did nothing for her rather short, stumpy legs. Her hair was unbrushed and pulled unattractively off
know about our two-hour deadline. Neither did Rick.
‘I don’t know where to start looking,’ I said, sinking into one of the sofas.
‘Well, I’m gonna try here.’ Jam opened the cupboard under the TV.
I glanced through the window to the small balcony which was the only outside space in the flat. Sam and Annie had bought the flat partly as an investment for me . . . somewhere for me to one day
inherit. I had a sudden flashback to being here with Madison last year. We’d chatted on that very balcony about how one day we would live here together – with me working and Madison
maybe at college in London.
My insides seemed to shrivel up. Up until Madison’s disappearance I had been so sure she’d be in my life forever. And now, here I was, facing a possible future without her.
‘This is hopeless,’ I said.
Across the room, Jam stood up. ‘Giving up so soon?’ He raised an eyebrow.
Was he sneering at me?
‘No, I’m not,’ I snapped. ‘You stay here. I’ll check out the bedrooms.’
I strode across the hallway and up the stairs. There were two bedrooms in the flat, each with their own bathroom. Annie and Sam used to sleep in one, with Madison in a fold-out bed by the
wardrobe. Shelby and I were supposed to share the other room, though in practice Shelby hadn’t visited the flat much in the short time Annie and Sam had owned it. When they came to visit, she
tended to stay behind with friends in the States. I headed for Annie and Sam’s room, opened the sliding door of the long, wooden wardrobe and pulled out an armful of shoeboxes.
My phone rang. I jumped, but it was only Mum. I let the call go to voice mail. I knew what the message would say without even listening to it: hope you are revising . . . call me . . . I
wrote a quick text back saying I would ring later.
As I pressed send, I heard a scuffing noise outside the room. I looked up. There it was again. The sound of a hand trailing along the wall up the stairs. Was that Jam, following me up here?
‘Jam?’ I called out.
No reply.
I froze, as whoever it was reached the top of the stairs. Footsteps sounded across the short landing. Then stopped.
I tensed, my pulse racing. I looked round, desperately, for something . . . anything . . . I could use as a weapon. An open shoebox lay at my feet. I grabbed the shoe inside – an elegant
stiletto of Annie’s – and clutched it in my hand.
‘Who’s there?’
Again, no reply.
I stood, arm raised, as the door creaked slowly open.
10
Revelations
The door opened fully. I held my breath, my heart pounding. Shelby stood in the doorway, her mouth in an ‘o’ shape of shock.
‘You?’ I stared at her, lowering the stiletto. ‘What are you doing here?’
Shelby glanced at the shoeboxes lying open at my feet. ‘Why are you going through Mom’s stuff?’ she demanded.
No way was I going to take that accusing tone from her.
‘Why did you call the police?’ I snapped back. ‘What were you thinking? Madison could have been killed.’
Shelby met my gaze. ‘Don’t lecture me about Madison. It’s your fault she was taken in the first place.’ She paused. ‘Anyway, you haven’t answered my
question. Why are you here?’
‘I’m looking for something,’ I said as icily as I could.
‘In Mom’s closet?’ Shelby raised her eyebrows.
I hesitated. Jam and I were up against a deadline here – so we could certainly use Shelby’s help – but how could I trust her after she’d gone to the police earlier?
‘I’m sorry, but it’s none of your business,’ I said.
‘It is so, you toxic cow.’
My mouth gaped. She was unbelievable .
Shelby put her hands on her hips. She was wearing cut-off jeans that did nothing for her rather short, stumpy legs. Her hair was unbrushed and pulled unattractively off
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