Chapter 17 (Flash back)

The Retribution

Chapter 17

It was the following morning since Michael Ashen had gone missing that previous evening - and his parents hadn't been to bed at all, but they had managed to get his siblings to bed, though quite late. The boy's mother paced the front living room anxiously. She looked at the clock hanging on the wall - it was dead on 6.

Michael's dad walked into the room and asked, "Shouldn't we try and get some rest?"

She just looked at him blankly for a moment, before asking him weakly, "Why would he run away, Vic?" She then became tearful and sat down on the leather sofa putting her hands over her face.

"He wouldn't," he replied soothingly. "When are we gonna tell the rest of the family?"

"We ain't telling your brother!" she hissed defensively.

"He's Michael's uncle for god sake."

"Vic, I can't cope with him stinkin' of liquor and upsetting the kids."

"But I want him here! I need him around...Please, Nat!" he cried persuasively, becoming tearful.

.

The dim morning sunshine overlooked a patch of woodland where a piece of torn, red material poked out of some leaves and soil on the ground beside a tree.

.

At 20 past 9 there was a knock at the door of the Ashen home. Natalie, the missing boy's mother had already got into her night clothes and was in bed - but Victor was still in the living room, so he got up from the sofa, walked over to the door and answered it. It was Marvin Hacking.

"What d'you want?!" snapped Victor. "Our boy's probably dead by now."

"I err...I wanted to ask how Mrs Ashen is...?"

"Yeah, she's fine - and so am I - thanks for asking."

"Sorry, I just..." There was a long pause, as Marvin hesitated, before eventually asking, "I was wondering if you have anyone to stay with...a relative or anybody supportive?"

"My brother's a drunk and Natalie's parents won't have anything to do with us."

"Oh", Marvin replied awkwardly. "Well I'm truly sorry about your boy..."

"He ain't dead!"

"We'll get the b*****d. He'll be swinging by his nut-sack when we get hold of him."

"Him?" Victor asked, sounding unsure and as though he knew the culprit could just as well have been female.

"Sorry?" Marvin asked curiously.

"I might have known!" Victor hissed angrily. "It's that b***h."

"Who?"

"Mary Shaw."

"What...? No. She wouldn't have."

"She had it in for Michael ever since he shouted out during her act."

"Mr Ashen, if I have reason to believe you pose a threat to anyone - I can take legal action. And if anything happens to Mary Shaw, I'll be looking in you're direction."

"You're just a school boy playin' dress-up. Trying to be professional and like you've got authority..."

"I'll get back to you if we find anything new," Marvin said to break up the moment, as he began walking away.