Nana Guza finished her little glass of brandy, got up and washed it then put it in the drying rack next to the sink. She said goodnight to everyone, patted Teddy on the shoulder, saying, "You find that girl, OK?" then shuffled away to get ready for bed.
Not long after that, Jello's father Tonio said goodnight to the boys and then said a few things to Uncle Joe before leaving the kitchen. Tereza got up to make a pot of coffee. It was nearly 11:00 and the boys and Uncle Joe weren't going to bed anytime soon.
Teddy had been talking for a long time, recounting everything he could about Darwin, Kodi, Bryn and any other detail that might be remotely relevant. Uncle Joe had been taking notes in a spiral-bound notebook the entire time, filling its pages with blue-ink handwriting. He kept returning to one page that had a sort of mind mapâwords inside different-sized ovals connected with a dense web of lines and arrows and all surrounding the largest oval in the centre containing the word "Darwin".
This was one of the most miserable and exhausting days Teddy could ever remember. He felt like his mind really was that page in Joe's notebook, a jumble of meandering lines all centring on where Darwin was supposed to be, but that place was just empty space. Darwin wasn't there. He was grateful for everyone's help, but the day was almost over and he was no closer to finding her.
His phone rang and it made everyone jump. Was it Darwin calling?
"It's my mom," Teddy said, putting the phone to his ear.
"Teddy!" said Neea, sounding panicked. "What's going on? Where's Darwin? I just got a phone call. It said it was Peter's phone but it wasn't Peter, it was another man. A young man. He said they had Darwin and they wanted the money! I'm so worried Ted! What money? What's happening?"
"Oh god," said Teddy. "It's true, Mom. I'm so sorry..."
"What's true? What's happened?"
"I'm pretty sure it's Kodi. They kidnapped Darwin... but wait, he actually called you?"
"What?" whispered Byron loudly. Teddy nodded and Uncle Joe madly wrote in his notebook.
"Yes, he called. Oh my god! Darwin! This is horrible!" Neea began to cry.
"OK, Mom, calm down. We're going to find her, but back up a second. You said he called on Peter's phone?"
"What?" Byron whispered even louder.
"Well, it came up as a call from Peter, so I don't know how else that could happen. I said 'Hi Peter' and the man on the phoneâKodi, I guess it wasâhe just laughed and said he wasn't Peter."
"You're a hundred-percent sure it said the call was coming from Peter?"
"Who's Peter?" whispered Uncle Joe. Byron leaned over to quietly explain.
"Yes, definitely," Neea said. "God, Ted, do the police know? Did you call them?"
"Yeah they know, Mom. They're working on it. So what else did the guy say?"
"He just said that I shouldn't try anything stupid, whatever that meant, and I should just give them the money and everything would be fine. I don't know what money he's talking about, do you?"
"Yeah," said Teddy. "It's a ransom, I guess."
"Tell her we're going to find Darwin," said Uncle Joe. "No one's paying any ransom."
"Who's there?" asked Neea.
"It's Uncle Joe. I'm over at Jello's. The guys and Uncle Joe are helping me. Don't cry! We're gonna find her, Mom. Uncle Joe knows what to do. We'll find Darwin, I promise."
After calming Neea down and hanging up Teddy put his phone on the table and stared at it for a while, then said "So... it must have been Kodi and his friends who jumped Peter Cavil when he was drunk the other night. That's how they got his phone."
"What the fuck?" said Byron, then looked up at Jello's mother. "Sorry, Mama T."
Jello came in while they were in deep conversation. "So, they somehow know that the guy they beat up is Neea's boss? How'd they figure that out?" Uncle Joe asked.
"Maybe they already knew," said Teddy. "They've been spying on us, so maybe they followed my mom to work one day and then, I don't know, saw Peter come out? Or maybe just saw his name on the sign outside the door?"
"Um..." said Jello.
"But why would they beat up Peter?" said Byron, ignoring Jello. "Why bring him into it at all? How does that make sense?"
"I don't know," said Uncle Joe. "Maybe they figure a lawyer like him can afford to help her pay the ransom?"
"Um..." said Jello again, louder.
"No," said Byron. "I think it's just a coincidence they robbed Peter. He was just some drunk guy they jumped. Then when they looked at his phone they saw Teddy's mom's name on it and made the connection!"
"No way," said Uncle Joe. "Most times, coincidences aren't really coincidences. There usually turns out to be a reason."
"Hey!" said Jello loudly. "Anyone wanna tell me what's going on?"
"Darwin," said Teddy.
"Kidnapped," said Uncle Joe.
"Kodi," said Byron.
Jello frowned. "Darwin kidnapped Kodi?"
"No, fool! Sit down," said Byron impatiently, then turned to Uncle Joe. "But sometimes a coincidence is just a coincidence. Victoria's not that big. Peter was drunk off his ass and drove his car downtown like an idiot and made himself an easy target for Kodi and his buddies."
"Wait, so Kodi kidnapped Darwin? And Peter?" said Jello, grabbing a chair and trying to catch up to the conversation.
"No, just Darwin," said Teddy.
"Seriously? Kidnapped?"
"And they want fifty-thousand," said Byron.
"Yeah," said Teddy. "And Kodi and his friends are also the ones who jumped Peter that night after Shane's thing. Or at least, they probably did cuz they ended up with Peter's phone. They used it to call my mom in Finland."
Jello shook his head, still obviously confused. "Why'd they call your mom?"
"They want her to pay the ransom," said Byron. "That's how kidnapping works."
"Well, did you call the police?"
"I went to the station," said Teddy, "but they didn't take it very seriously."
"Oh man," said Jello, putting his hands to his temples as if to hold in his exploding brain. "What the hell is happening? What are we gonna do?"
"We're gonna find her," said Uncle Joe. "Cops say they're looking but we need to do more. We need to print up photos of Darwin. Teddy, you have a recent one?"
"Um... maybe?" Teddy said. He couldn't remember taking a single picture of Darwin. Think! Not even one? At Shane's exhibition? No... But wait, his mom did. She'd have pics on her phone. He texted Neea and she texted him a photo within a minute.
Teddy stared at the photo. It was taken in a restaurant somewhere. Darwin had that sort of fake smile she always had when she was still getting over the meth. Her eyes were looking down and to the right, probably not at anything in particular, just not at the camera. She obviously didn't want to have her picture taken. She thought she looked ugly then, Teddy remembered. She didn't though. She looked beautiful, he thought, even though it took him a long time to realize it. He wanted her eyes to turn and look at him. Tell me where you are, Darwin. Tell me you're OK...
"Perfect," said Uncle Joe. "Let's print a bunch." He looked at his watch. "I guess it's too late to knock on Peter's door, but we'll need to talk to him first thing in the morning. You know where he lives, Ted?"
"Yup," said Teddy.
⢠⢠⢠â¢
He wouldn't do it.
Bryn was acting completely insane trying to convince Jewels to rape me, but he wouldn't do it. They gave me the muffin and water, but I forced myself to hardly drink any of the water. That's how they're getting me to take more of the drug, whatever it is. Jewels actually said he was sorry when he gave it to me.
"It has K or some shit," he said as he put the water bottle to my mouth, but I already figured that out. I ate all the muffin though, kind of choking it down. I need food if I'm going to have the energy to get out of here.
Kodi warned Jewels about taking my side. Said he better not do anything to fuck up their plans. Then he called Bryn out for being so demented. "Why you gotta be such an evil bitch?" he said.
It almost seems like Bryn's running this little show. Kodi's always in charge, but it's like she's been the one escalating things and he's been okay to go along with it, so far. Maybe now he's starting to have a few doubts?
"Cuz you love me when I'm evil," said Bryn.
Even with energy though, how am I gonna get out of this? I tried pulling at the ropes around my wrists and ankles to loosen them, tried stretching them, tried feeling around me for some kind of edge that I could rub the ropes on and maybe wear through them, tried working one of my hands free, tried twisting my hands to maybe get my fingers in a position where they could untie the knots... For hours I tried everything I could think of. If I could just get one hand free I could untie myself and get off this stupid boat, but I can't. So I'm stuck here to face whatever the hell it is that Kodi and Bryn have planned for me.
They didn't say much when they left. Jewels said "bye" and then Bryn was laughing at him because of how pitiful that sounded and because he wouldn't stoop to her level of evilness and rape me. Jewels was so freaked out seeing me in here, like he couldn't believe Kodi and Bryn were capable of doing this, like it was more crazy and depraved than he thought they could ever be. Maybe that was a reality-check for them too, seeing it through someone else's eyes? I really don't think they're this bad. They're just egging each other on, acting out some demented fantasy.
If Jewels comes back I think I can work on him to maybe let me out, or at least give me some water that doesn't have fucking drugs in it.
Now I wait. I'll try to sleep but it's really cold. There's a breeze outside that's making ropes tap against masts with a soft metallic sound. I'll try concentrating on that sound to forget the thirst, the cold, everything...
⢠⢠⢠â¢
They tired out the Muscats' old printer making twenty copies of the photo of Darwin. While the printing was going on, Teddy phoned Victoria General and Royal Jubilee Hospital. No one named Darwin Lilley or fitting her description had come in. With the photos in hand Teddy, Byron, Jello and Uncle Joe all got into Joe's car.
First stop was police headquarters. Teddy and Uncle Joe went in while the others waited in the car. Constable Mackie was still there and he gave her the photo of Darwin. She said she'd scan it and get it out to all her people.
"Every cop on duty will see it," she assured him. "If they spot her, I'll let you know. Promise."
As they were leaving the police station Joe stopped suddenly. "Hey, we should have told them about the phone call, right?"
Teddy thought about it a second, then shrugged. "They're just gonna say it was a wrong number," he said. "I know they won't believe me."
Uncle Joe paused for a minute, not sure what to do, then shoved his hands in his jacket pocket and started toward the door.
"Yeah," he said. "I think we can figure this thing out ourselves."
It was just after midnight when they headed downtown. Uncle Joe parked the car on Store Street. It was cold enough that Teddy could see his breathe in the light of a nearby streetlight. He wondered if Darwin was cold wherever she was. Were they keeping her outside? In some building? He looked around. He'd been in a few of the buildings nearby for one reason or another, but most were a mystery to him. Did Kodi and his friends know how to get into one of these buildings when no one was around? If they were keeping Darwin somewhere indefinitely then wouldn't it have to be a vacant building? The police might have lists of vacant buildings, but they weren't too likely to give him that info.
"Joe, you know of any vacant buildings downtown," he said.
"Good thinking," Joe said, looking around. "I guess we can see if any look empty. Let's start down on Wharf Street."
They walked together, hands in jacket pockets, keeping an eye out for empty-looking buildings, anything that might tip them off to Darwin's location, or anyone who might have seen her.
"Hey, should we ask those guys?" Jello said. There were three guys coming toward them up a side street.
"They just look like three dude-bros who came out of a bar," said Byron.
"Never hurts to ask," said Uncle Joe. He and Jello crossed the street to talk to the guys. They came back almost immediately.
"Dude-bros?" asked Byron.
"Oh yeah," said Jello.
Over the next half hour they spoke to three other people. The first was an old homeless man who took one look at the picture and was positive that he went to high school with Darwin in East Vancouver in the late sixties.
"Templeton," he said. "Sat right next to her in History. She always had them candiesâwhaddaya call 'em?âRed Raspberries? Can you still get those?"
The next one was a cook at a Chinese restaurant who was just getting off work. He thought they wanted to sell him drugs and he didn't want to talk. When they eventually persuaded him to look at the picture, he said he'd never seen her before and went impatiently on his way.
The last one was a younger guy who was quite nervous and seemed to think they were cops. He eventually relaxed and said that he just got to Victoria on a bus the day before. He said he didn't know anybody in town, and definitely not the girl in the photo.
"I wish I did though," he added. "She's pretty hot."
Uncle Joe gave him his cell number and said to call if he saw any sign of her. "What do you guys think?" said Uncle Joe after the guy went on his way. "Wrap it up for the night and then pick up again first thing? We could all probably use some sleep."
Byron and Jello didn't answer but just looked at Teddy. Teddy looked from Jello to Byron to Uncle Joe. They were cold and tired. Maybe it would be best to catch five or six hours sleep. They weren't getting anywhere out here.
But...
"I think I'll keep going," Teddy said. "It's cool if you guys go home. Really."
"Nah, I'll stay," said Byron.
"Yup, me too," said Jello. "But you go home, Joe. We'll wake you up bright and early."
Joe thought for a few seconds. "No, you know what? Let's keep going."
For hours the four of them combed every block of downtown Victoria and went up every alley. They looked into windows and talked to anyone they met on the street. They checked out a construction site where a new apartment building was going up and even managed to sneak into an old, empty building by prying apart a couple sections of plywood. There was no one inside.
"There used to be rows and rows of sewing machines in here," said Uncle Joe as they looked around. "Used to make military uniforms and stuff like that. Now it all comes from overseas."
As they walked along Chatham Street, Teddy's phone rang. It was Neea checking in. She was desperate for news of Darwin and wanted to help any way she could.
"I don't think there's much you can do from there, Mom," Teddy said. "We're gonna talk to Peter soon. Like, after seven. Yeah... Does he still have a home phone? Could you call him on it and let him know we're coming? OK. Thanks. Yeah, I'll call you after we talk to him, OK? Love you too. Bye."
As the eastern horizon was starting to glow orange, more people appeared on the streets, walking, driving, heading into buildings downtown. More buses were moving now too, each with more passengers on board.
"Who goes to work at five a.m.?" said Jello.
"Lots of people," said Uncle Joe. "Bakers..."
"That's it?" said Jello. "Bakers? Seems like a lot of bakers around here."
"No, not just bakers. Some city workers, maybe some restaurant people. Even some office workers."
"Crazy people," Jello muttered.
⢠⢠⢠â¢
I don't know how long I was sleeping. It seems like morning, but pretty early. I can hear the gulls again and the sound of a few cars up on the streets but I haven't heard a floatplane leave the harbour yet.
So thirsty. My mouth and throat are parched and painful and my head is pounding. Jaw hurts cuz I guess I was clenching my teeth while I slept. Or maybe Bryn punched me there.
I can't believe what's happening to me. Do Kodi and Bryn really think they'll get ransom money? It's so crazy. No one's gonna pay money to get me back. You kidnap some rich kid, not a street kid no one cares about.
So what happens if they don't get the money? Will they kill me? That's how it's supposed to work, right? Pay up or else? God, I just can't see Kodi doing that. Bryn, though, is on some kind of rampage. Who knows what she might do?
Trying to work my hands free again. The ropes are that plastic kind and whoever tied them did it so tight I can hardly feel my hands. Probably Kodi. I pull so hard the rope digs into my skin. Are the ropes stretching a bit? Maybe. I twist my wrist, levering the side of one hand against the palm of the other to try and get some slack in the rope. I pull even harder against the ropes. They have to come loose! I'm pulling with all my strength. I feel the ropes cut into my skin, but I don't care. Fuck!
It's no good. They aren't stretching. The only thing giving way is me. My eyes are wet with tears from anger and frustration, and I want to scream, but now I hear that metal gate again and then footsteps on the dock. Just one person this time. They pass right by the boat. A security guard making the rounds? Or maybe a cop looking for me? Now I do scream, or at least try. I scream as loud as I possibly can, but with the tape over my mouth I know I'm hardly making any noise at all. The footsteps pass by.
A few minutes later they come back. Now I start grunting like an idiot and trying to kick with my feet to make as much noise as possible. I'm flopping around like a fish but again the person doesn't stop, their footsteps fade away until I hear the sound of the metal gate squeak open then shut again with a clank.
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â D.B.