Get Cartwright by Tom Graham

Author:Tom Graham [Graham, Tom]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2013-06-05T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: DEAD TONE

It was the sound of crying that drew Sam’s attention to her. Annie was standing under the smothering orange glow of a sodium street lamp with her face buried in her hands, standing out sharply against the deep darkness of the Manchester night.

Sam rushed up to her – and stopped short. His instinct was to put his arms around her, tell her over and over that it was all right, that he understood, but she was volatile tonight, wound up and wired. He feared she would react badly.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I was angry with Ray. That’s what made me say what I said.’

Without looking at him, Annie snivelled, ‘You knew all along, didn’t you.’

‘Yes. But I didn’t want to say because … I wanted you to find out for yourself, in your own way, in your own time.’

‘I think I knew from the start, deep down. I think I always knew he were me dad.’

Annie turned and looked at him with bloodshot eyes, her face streaked with tears.

‘Is anything real?’ she asked, her voice cracked and clogged with emotion.

Sam nodded.

With a big, snotty sniff, she said, ‘And you? Are you real, Sam? Because I don’t … I just don’t know anymore!’

Sam hesitated no longer. He flung his arms around her like he meant to crush her to a pulp. And in return, she held on to him, like she was clinging to floating wreckage.

Her voice muffled against Sam’s jacket, she said gently: ‘Ray. Is he ...?’

‘Shocked more than hurt,’ Sam assured her.

‘I glassed him, Sam.’

‘He asked for it. Perhaps it was a little over the top, Annie, but he most definitely asked for it.’

‘I suppose the Guv’ll fire me.’

‘I’ll straighten everything out with him, I promise.’

‘Don’t. I’m not going back. I’m finished with all that.’

Sam kissed the top of her head: ‘You’re just upset. You’ll feel differently about it later.’

‘No, I won’t. Because …’

Sam waited, but Annie said nothing for a long time.

‘We can’t stand here in the street forever,’ he said eventually. ‘Why don’t you let me take you to my place. It’s not far.’

‘I won’t go back because I see there’s no point now,’ Annie said, carrying on like there had been no pause. ‘There’s no point in me being a copper anymore.’

‘There’s every point in you being a copper, Annie. And me too. It’s what we’re here for.’

But Annie shook her head, and very quietly she said, ‘We’re dead, Sam.’

‘Not as dead as you think,’ Sam replied, gently rubbing her back to soothe her.

‘Then what the hell are we? I don’t understand. What are we?’

‘Difficult question, Annie. This place is all difficult questions. But it’s not so bad here, is it? Not much different from being alive? Better, I reckon.’

‘Is this heaven or hell?’

‘Neither. I don’t think it works like that.’

‘Is my dad here somewhere?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t think so.’

‘Why are we here?’

‘I think it’s to clear up unfinished business from our other lives. But don’t ask me to explain much more that that because, believe me Annie, I don’t know.

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