Reach Out: A Young Adult Thriller by Jacob Hunter

Author:Jacob Hunter [Hunter, Jacob]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2021-07-31T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty Four

It was mid-afternoon when Jake finally got home, jacket and new shoes in hand. He’d been cautious as he bought the items at the shopping centre, aware that Hugo could turn up at any point and snatch him away. But, a nice black jacket and green trainers later, Jake was in one piece on the bus back home.

His mum opened the door and let him inside. The business consultancy hadn’t let her back, saying she needed to rest a little before returning to work. Jake’s mum was grateful for the extra time off, if a little restless from being pent up at home.

“Oh, by the way,” she said when Jake walked into the kitchen to eat lunch. “I’m going on a date today.”

“With Hugo?”

His mum gave a confused look. “Who else?”

Jake debated whether to tell his mum the truth. On the one hand, it would get her out of the danger that surrounded Hugo, that surrounded anyone close to him.

But would she believe him? No, so Jake decided to keep quiet and plaster a smile on his face every time his mum mentioned the man.

“Did you like your new trainers?” his mum asked.

Puzzlement phased through Jake. His mum never asked about him, or what he liked, or how he felt. Not for years, in any case.

“They’re nice,” Jake said. “But there were some others I liked as well. Maybe for a birthday present.” Jake hadn’t received a present in years. His mum just threw money at him to go and buy himself something every time December seventh came around. Maybe this year would be something different.

“I’m sorry about that,” his mum said, leaning forward. “I’ll get you something nice this year.”

Jake’s birthday wasn’t for a month. He grinned. “Thanks.”

They spoke for another fifteen minutes, about the weather and work and school. The cracks between them were slowly being bridged, but tension permeated the air. Jake never ventured close to his victimhood at the hands of Danny and Bruce, and his mum never asked. Does she still think I’m some delinquent? Jake thought. It was possible, considering she hadn’t heard anything else for a few years from Liston High.

Yin’s call from the alleyway resurfaced in Jake’s mind. “I need to go,” he said. “I need to talk to someone.”

“That new friend of yours?” his mum asked. “What was his name? Leon?”

“Someone else at the club, actually,” Jake said. And he left it at that, since his mum was dating Hugo, which meant she couldn’t be trusted with info. If she let something loose, the investigation would go haywire. And Hugo would retaliate with action. Deadly action.

Jake washed his bowl and went upstairs. He shut the door and closed the windows, even closing the curtains halfway. He listened for a few minutes at the door. His mum shuffled downstairs. The clinking of plates and glasses told Jake his mum had settled with a coffee in the living room after finishing eating. The TV started playing some program, which meant Jake had time alone to talk to Yin.

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