Holding On To You (21 page)

Four sets of fingerprints have been found. One belonging to Adele Caldecot, the obese African American woman, responsible for the grainy mobile phone footage making its way, along with the woman herself, her new found few days of fame en-tow, from newspaper to news agency and back again. Another set belong to her husband, Walter Caldecot, a factory worker and social activist, known to the police through demonstration arrests and political rallies, a third set belong to Madeleine Parker, her fingerprints in the system from a random airport security check several years ago, while on her way back from a European holiday, and a fourth set, as yet unmatched in the system, which Garland hopes belong to the perpetrator.

Garland sighs, puts the information back in the envelope, and puts the envelope to the side for filing. It isn't a match, but it's better than nothing. At least they have a fingerprint now, they can hope to match up to a future arrest. Garland stares at the whiteboard, the map of the New Mexico desert, the list of clues and the lack of answers. It's a mess that isn't taking them anywhere useful, and what could quite likely be a bogus ransom demand, pressuring them into diverting much needed police attention away from where it's really needed, isn't helping at all.

He knows, above all else, that they'll need some kind of miracle if they want to have any chance of putting this one to bed, and bringing Madeleine back home.

Chapter 16

River is almost certain that the car pulling into the parking lot is the police. They've come for him silently he reckons, sirens turned off, just in case he's got a gun in his hand, and he's ready for a showdown. Cowards. What confuses him firstly however, is the lack of support they bring with them. Surely they would have sent more than just one car, if there was any chance, no matter how slim, of River fighting back? He also doesn't expect them to try and enter the motel room with a key, believing during the brief moment the key is in the lock, that perhaps they've sent the motel room owner in first, as some kind of human shield.

'You've got me', River shouts. 'I aint moving, so just get on with it.'

When he sees her standing there in the doorway, the light behind her making her look like more like an angel than he's ever seen, his heart skips a beat.

'Maddy', he says, more than surprised. 'What the hell are you doing back here?'

'I brought breakfast', Maddy says, holding up the bag of sugary treats, with a huge smile on her face, acting as though the situation she has found herself in - former captor turned hostage, now handcuffed to mattressless bed, while former hostage turned breakfast gatherer stands there in tight jeans, faded top and blonde waist length wig - is perfectly normal.

River can't help but laugh. 'Yes you did', he says.

Maddy closes the door and comes into the room. 'What happened to the mattress?' she says.

'I thought you'd gone', River says, rattling his cuffed hand against the bed frame for emphasis. 'I kind of panicked a bit.'

'I can see', Maddy says, sitting down on the bed frame. 'Are you hungry?'

Maddy tears open the bag to reveal the selection of goodies inside. She's also brought coffee, one of which she gives to River. River takes it and then just looks at her, shaking his head. It's been a hell of a strange morning already.

'I thought you'd given me up', River says. 'I thought you were the police coming to get me. Why the hell did you come back, Maddy?'

'I don't like eating alone', she jokes, indicating the huge selection of cakes they have in front of them. 'Besides which, I didn't ever go.'

'And the handcuffs? What's wrong with a note?' River says, jangling it again until his wrist hurts.

'I did that for a couple of reasons', she says. 'One, I had to make sure you wouldn't run away without me, and two, I thought it was only fair. I mean, you've spent a day in control, deciding what to do, and now it's my turn.'

'Your turn?' River says.

'Exactly', Maddy says, licking sugary icing off her lips.

'And what is it exactly that you want to do?' River says.

'You're not eating', Maddy quips. 'These are really good.'

'I'm a little tied up at the moment', River says, waving at her sarcastically, with his secured hand.

'I'll undo it when we've talked', Maddy says. 'I've been thinking.'

'Oh Jesus Maddy', River says.

'You know, I've eaten porridge for breakfast for the last ten years, and these things are amazing. I can't believe I've been missing out for so long.'

'You've been thinking about cakes?'

'Oh my god, and coffee', she says, taking a slurp of her cappuccino, on the top of which she's sprinkled cinnamon and chocolate.

'Maddy, where did you buy all of this stuff?'

'I took the car into town, and found an amazing French patisserie', Maddy says, the sugar making her excited.

'Did anyone see you?' River says.

'It was busy this morning, yeah', Maddy says.

'That's not what I meant', River says. 'Your face is all over the news at the moment. You know someone has put a ransom demand in for you?'

'No-one saw me', Maddy says. 'The woman in the cake shop thought I was her friends teacher, but she didn't figure out who I really was. I had the wig on and I was careful. I didn't draw any unnecessary attention to myself if that's what you mean.'

'Apart from buying ten cakes', River says.

'I've never had cakes before', Maddy says. 'You'd have bought ten as well if you'd never had them before.'

'We should eat this and leave', River says. 'Just in case.'

'Ok', Maddy says.

'Can you untie me now, I'm kind of hungry?' River says.

'There are things I want to do today', Maddy says.

'What kind of things?' River says, looking at her suspiciously.

'I had fun yesterday', Maddy says.

'I took you hostage. I put your life in danger. I made you change your clothes and do things that you didn't want to do. How is that fun?'

'The kidnapping wasn't necessarily the part I was referring to', Maddy says, delicately licking the seeped out jelly from around the outside of a donut. 'But even that, I have to admit, was a little exciting on reflection. And as for the rest, you woke me up from myself. I've been fussy uptight Madeleine for too long. I want to be fun exciting, who gives a fuck Maddy. I'm sick of following rules, trying to be perfect and never having any fun. I've been one way for so long I got to a point where I thought I'd never be able to change, but now I know I can, and I want to, and I have you to thank for that. Whatever I was doing before wasn't working. It isolated me from everyone else and only succeeded in making me miserable. Even my own parents thought I was a dick, and they were probably right. I don't want to be miserable anymore. Life's too short to be miserable. Life's too short not to eat cakes and dance.'

'You want to eat cakes and dance?' River says, trying to keep up with her.

'I want to have fun with you', Maddy says. 'I want to do the things I've never done before, and I want to do them with you.'

Maddy smiles. River shakes his head as though he can't quite believe what this girl is saying to him. It's like he went to sleep with one woman, and woke up with someone completely different. Except that they look the same. The same beautiful Maddy.

'Alright', River says.

'Alright?' Maddy says. 'Do you mean that?'

'You want to come with me?' River says. 'Come with me if you think that'll make you happy.'

'Will it make you happy?' Maddy says.

'I already told you my secret', River says. 'I've shown you my vulnerability.'

'Show me another', Maddy says. 'Tell me what you really think.'

'What I really think?' River says.

'Yes', Maddy says.

'Alright', River says. 'Here goes. Yesterday morning I robbed a bank. I thought what I'd find inside there would make me happier than anything else in this good for nothing world. And do you know what Madeleine Parker, I was right too, only it isn't this bag of money that's done it, it's you. When I woke up this morning and I saw that you'd gone, I felt a hole, bigger than all of the others I've got myself used to over the years, begin to develop inside me, that I thought I'd never be able to fill again. I can't tell you how good it makes me feel to see you back here.'

Maddy can't stop smiling. 'That's what you really think?' she says.

'Cross my heart', River says, crossing it with his free hand. 'That's what I really think. You think I've opened your eyes, well I figure it's the other way round too. You've gone and opened mine.'

Maddy wipes away a tear that's tickling her cheek.

'You know though', River says. 'This isn't a game. The police'll be looking for us, and pretty soon they'll find us too. I don't know how healthy that is for a burgeoning relationship.'

'And if we go into hiding?' Maddy says, excitedly.

'Well that depends', River says. 'How good are you at hiding?'

'I'm so good at it that some people don't notice me, even when I'm standing right next to them', Maddy says.

'You'll lose everything you already have', River says, seriously now. 'Can you cope with that?'

'What do I have to lose compared to what I have to gain?' Maddy says so quickly it's as if she's already thought about it. It's as if she's been thinking about it for the whole of her life.

'That's not really for me to decide', River says.

'And what do you have to lose?' Maddy says.

'You', River says. 'I don't have anything else. You do though. You have a whole life here. A family, a business.'

'You don't want me to come with you, do you?'

'Listen Maddy', River says. 'I want you to come with me more than anything else, but I need you to understand that this isn't a game. If we decide to stay together, you'll have to change your life. You can never go back to the life you leave behind. That may seem like an easy decision to make now, but believe me, it's going to be much harder than you realise. We've had one night together, that's all.'

'So what?' Maddy says. 'Didn't it mean anything to you?'

'Maddy, it meant the world to me', River says. 'I just need you to be sure, that's all. For you and for me. I need you to know the rules of the game you are playing, and what it means for your life. This is a one way ticket, and there aren't any refunds.'

'I made my decision years ago', Maddy says. 'I just didn't take it until now.'

'You look sure', River says.

'I've never been surer of anything in my life', Maddy says. 'This morning, when I woke up, it was like the mist had cleared and I could see the truth. I could see what it was all about.'

'That sounds pretty deep', River says.

'Deep feels good', Maddy says.

'Well then', River says, smiling. 'I know not to argue with a lady who's made up her mind. I guess that's us.'

'Really?' Maddy says.

'Really, River says, and Maddy leaps towards him almost before the word has left his mouth, hugging him so tightly she squeezes the wind out of his lungs.

'What do we do?' Maddy says excitedly.

'The police don't have my name yet', River says when he's got his breath back, 'but as soon as they do, they'll have my picture. When they have my picture, it's game over for me. I can hide here in the US, but only for so long. If I get across the border to Mexico, It'll be much easier for me. I know people there who can help me start a new life. They can help you too.'

'Tequila and tacos?' Maddy says.

'Something like that', River says, and smiles, 'but we can't go together, not immediately. Your name will be like a flashing beacon in the night for them. If we cross together, we'll get burnt, no two ways about it. I'll have to go alone, and you'll have to come and meet me there. That's the only way it'll work.'

'And what do I do in the meantime?' Maddy says, a little deflated.

'In the meantime, you go back to your old life. You tell them what happened, apart from the bit about where I went and the plan we have about being together of course, and then you begin to wind it down. You tell people the experience has affected you, and you can't readjust. And then you take a holiday to Mexico City, we meet up, and like characters from a fairy story, we live happily ever after.'

'Just like that?' Maddy says.

River runs his fingers through her hair and then lifts her chin so he can see into her eyes.

'Just like that', River says.

'Do you think it'll work?' Maddy says.

'Of course it'll work Princess', River says, confidently. 'If it's meant to be, it'll work. If there's anything I believe in, it's that.'

'How much time do we have?' she says.

'Now, not much. The rest of today maybe, at the most. The quicker I get to the border, the sooner I know I'll be safe, and the sooner we can be together again. Afterwards, we'll have all the time in the world', River says. 'With you back safely, they'll soon forget about me.'