Series Wednesday: Family game night Page 13

“Well what does it say?” I ask hoping that it is something to get Percy back. Grace clutches on to the note. My dad seeing the panicked look on her face grabs the note out of her hand.  "To the beloved older sister, I will start with you. Do not worry you won't be the last just the first step in getting your pervious baby brother back. All you have to do is tell your secret. You know the one. Follow the pictures if you need a little motivation. Remember what you have to lose. But don't worry if you're not strong enough to tell your secret and what Enrique does for you. I won't kill Percy just cut his arm off. You have one week. After that it will be your beautiful mothers turn."  My dad looks at Grace. "Well what's your secret?" My dad says.  Grace looks at my dad and then my mother and just turns and starting running out of the house. "Go get her!" My dad yells at me. I start to run after her. I probably shouldn't even try as Grace is a cross country runner and number one in the state.  Grace is so far ahead of me there is no way of me catching up. I finally stop trying and she is still going. I should work out more I can barely breathe. I start to walk back to the house.  Both of my parents are standing there at the front door waiting for me. I walk past them down the hall to the kitchen to get a glass of water. "Well." My mother says to me.  "I am sorry I don't see you running after her." I say as I guzzle down the glass of water. "What kind of secret could she have that would make her run like that?" my dad asks me. "You're really asking me? It's not like she and I do lots of sharing. But if you're asking my opinion in a family of serial killers, yeah I have no idea what kind of secret she could have that would make her run." My mother's face looks unamused by my statement.  My mother lays out the pictures on the counter top. "Maybe these will help us."  I look at the pictures.

                We haven't said anything in almost 30 minutes; we have just been here staring at these photos. "So any idea what any of these could mean?" I ask my parents. My dad picks up the picture of him and Grace.  "Do you remember this day?" He asks me. "No why would I?  That is a picture of you and Grace." My dad laughs. "Grace was about 8 here. It was take your daughter to work day. So I naturally brought both of you. We were in a merger meeting." My dad paused and put the photo down and looks at me. "You really don't remember any of this?" My dad asks me. I shake my head no at him. "Well we were in the middle of this meeting talking about the new company we had just bought out. We were having problems with some of the old managers that had stood with the company and you looked up from your drawing and said daddy I thought you were the boss? When I said yes I am. You said then fire them and pull up the next in line. When they start to cry for their jobs back,  daddy give them a job but with less with power and lower pay. That way you have their knowledge and now they will know who is boss.” My dad looks at me with such pride. “So because I told you to fire people and hire them back for less money and power you were proud of me?” I ask. “Yes you had such a mind for business even at a young age. You were so smart and logical, well were.” He looks so disappointed. “What does any of that have to do with Grace and this picture?" I ask him. "Everything, they asked me to take a picture with my beautiful daughter and you pushed Grace toward me. You gave me a look and I saw how sad Grace was that we all were admiring you when she was the one who got all dressed up to come to my job. You on the other hand fought your mom for hours just to get you into a dress that you instantly put your leather jacket over. That was one of the few things that didn't change after the coma was your sense of style." my dad chuckles. "So this picture was to make Grace feel better?" My dad nods yes. "I told her you couldn't be in the picture because they asked for my beautiful daughter not my headache daughter.  She had the biggest smile and so did you. That was the only thing that made you smile back then was Grace being happy." My mother picks up the picture of her and Grace. "This must be why this picture was picked as well." My mother is holding her picture of her and Grace before handing it to me. "When was this?" My mother sits down. "This was only a few weeks before the accident. It was my rose contest. I had some of the most beautiful roses in the community garden but stupid Stacy Anne's roses were just a little bigger than mine." I look at my mother trying to figure out where she is going with this. "So...???? Why would this picture have anything to do with what I and dad were talking about?" My mother smiles. "You poisoned her roses for me to win."  My mother says so proudly.  "Okay? So tell me about  this picture?" I ask her. "Well that was your one thing you asked for.  You told me to have Grace help me in the garden and wanted to credit her for the help. So I did and we took this picture for the paper."  I look down at the picture and realize all of them are times I did what it took to make Grace happy. What does that have to do with a secret??

Series Wednesday: Family game night Page 12

“Is it blood?” I ask as my dad turns off the machine playing Percy scream. “This is clearly way too thin to be blood.” My mother says like this is something I should know. “I am sorry I am not a murderer and don’t see blood all the time.”  My mother just gives us a look and pulls the broken bag that the fake blood came out of off the top.  There is a box wrapped in plastic under it. “It’s for you Grace.” My dad says as he looks at the top of the box. “Is that?” I ask Grace shocked by the fact that I instantly recognize the box. “Yeah, it’s our secrets box from when we were kids.” My parents stare at us, not knowing what we are talking about. It’s a wooden box that my dad had custom made for Grace when he was in Paris on a business trip. It was the most beautiful wooden box with a lock. It was the only thing that as kids we had that we felt our parents couldn’t touch. “Do you still have the key?” I ask Grace. “Of course I do.” Grace says as she runs upstairs to go get it.
                She comes running down the stairs with the tiny key is hand. “So this has to do with Grace?” My mother asks my dad. I roll my eyes not surprise that my mother would throw this on someone else. What if this has nothing to do with Grace but I can admit this does look bad like it has something to do with Grace. “I highly doubt Grace could have made an enemy that has this kind of money without your help Mother.” I say to my mother with a smile. Grace looks at the box with the tiny key in her hand. “How sure are we that this is not a bomb?” Grace asks my parents. “Hand me the key and box. I’ll open it.” Grace looks at me. “Do you think our old secrets are in here still?” She asks me. I can’t help but laugh at the fact that is what is on her mind right now. “Honest I cannot even remember the last time we put a secret in that box.” I tell Grace. “It was before the coma back when we told our secrets to each other and no one else.” I know Grace is referring to Chance. The coma changed everything in my life including my relationship with Grace.  “What secret could you have as kids that would be so bad you couldn’t tell us?” My dad asked, Grace and I both shrug.  My dad just shakes his head at us and opens the box.  I step back just in case there is a bomb.  My dad pulls out of the box pictures. “What is it?” Grace asks, he passes the pictures to Grace. I can’t see the picture so I get closer to Grace. She sees me trying to look and hands them to me. There are 5 pictures, the first is a picture of me and Grace as kids. We are in front of a ride at a carnival smiling. We had seen the lights from our old house. Grace told me she wanted to go see the clowns and join all the other kids. My parents weren’t much into carnivals or doing things with us, they did things with us for appearance sake. So because this one wasn’t thrown by our school and no one would be there to watch we knew they would not take us. I remember Grace begging them to take us. Our parent said no of course but as Grace begged I stole money from my mother purse. I waited until they fell asleep and woke up Grace. I still remember her face as I stole their car to take us to the lights. We were only 6 years old  at the time. I could barely touch the pedals but I somehow got us there. We spent all 200 dollars I had stolen from my mother and rode all the rides and ate everything we could find covered in candy. Grace seemed so happy that night. It was perfect until our parents and the cops showed up. My mother was so pissed she beat me so badly I couldn’t go to school for a whole week. She claimed I had the flu but really she needed my bruise to heal. Wait who took this picture? “Grace do you remember taking this picture?”  Grace stops to think. “No I don’t I Just remember riding the rides before mom and dad showed up.”  I don’t remember taking this picture either.  I hand the picture to my mother. “Oh I remember this day. Cahira you were in rare form. I remember asking you why you thought it was okay to steal from me. Do you remember your response?” I look at my mother and shake my head no. “Of course you don’t. You said it’s not that I thought it was okay, I just don’t care enough not to do what makes Grace happy. I don’t fear you so just do your worse.” I look at my mother because that just doesn’t sound like me. “I did not say that.” I tell her. “Oh yes you did. You were very different before that coma ruined you. You were so much disconnected from everything and fearless. You were so beautiful. I beat you and you asked for more that was just who you were.” My mother sighs as if I was dead or something. She would love the kid who defined her and disrespected her. Wow I am surprised she doesn’t still love me.  I look down at the second photo and it’s of my dad and Grace at a work event. He is so handsome and so regal. The third is of my mom and Grace, the forth was of Enrique. Not sure why he keeps popping up. The fifth is of Percy tied to a chair. “There is an envelope here with your name on it Grace. My dad hands it to her.  Grace opens it and pulls out the letter inside.

Series Wednesday: Family Game night page 11

Grace pulls me back by my arm. “He won’t respond to that kind of attitude. Trust me I know him.” I look at Enrique sitting in the back of the cop’s car. “How do you know him?” I ask Grace. “I would rather not say.” She says as she heads over to the cop car.  Grace leans over the cop car and talks to Enrique. He turns his head away from her and looks out the other window. I walk up slowly to hear what Grace is saying to him. “Enrique just tell me what you know. This is my little brother’s life in the balance. We can talk terms later.” I am not sure what terms Grace and Enrique would even have to talk about. “Terms?” I say. Enrique’s head turn to look at me. “What are you doing here?” He asks me. “What do you mean Grace is my sister and the information you are so hell bent on keeping to yourself is about my baby brother.” Enrique tries to readjust himself to sit up straighter. “It was a planned job. The people who grabbed your brother were clearly hired.” He says as he looks me straight in the eye. “How do you know that?” Grace asks. “I have been casing that store for weeks. Your little brother walks past it almost every day like clockwork. I have seen the van on the street as well. I thought they were trying to case the store next door but I was wrong they were following your brother. I am sure how long they have been following him though, but it’s defiantly longer than a few weeks. The van was there before I started casing the store.” Grace looks at me and I see her wheels turning. “That does explain why you think they were hired.” Grace says to Enrique.  He makes a face while shifting his head back and forth. “Who has the time to follow a kid for probably months without getting paid? Plus they had stop watches on their wrist the exact same kind that were synced. That right there says it all they were pros, kidnap for hire type.” Grace rubs my shoulder. “Thank you Enrique.” She says as she turns to head back to the house. “I didn’t know Grace was your sister.” I look at him. “Why would you need to know something like that? Are you and her friends or something?” Enrique starts to laugh at me. “Your Grace’s sister so you know better than anyone Grace doesn’t have friends. We share a business relationship.” I look at Enrique. “We are in high school what business relationship could you two have?”  I ask. “Cahira!” I hear my dad calling me. “Maybe I’ll tell you another time, you know under better conditions.” I roll my eyes at him and start to head back to the house.
                “Cahira good job on getting that kid to talk.” My dad praises me. “Who would have hired someone to take Percy?” My mother asks my dad. “I have no idea. It would have to be someone with both money and time. The kid said they had been following Percy longer than he had been casing the store. This means that they were hired months ago.” My parents just stare at each other for a while. “I can’t think of anyone I pissed off a few months ago.” Grace says as my parent break eye contact. I see Chance sitting in the living room on his phone. If I pissed off anyone Chance would know about it. I walk over and sit next to Chance; I put my head on his shoulder. “I still can’t believe someone took Percy.” Chance says. “You don’t think this could be someone I pissed off right?” Chance pushes me off his shoulder to grab my face. “Cahira there is no way in hell this is your fault. I don’t think there is any way you could have pissed off someone this bad or with that kind of money.” I hug Chance hoping he is right. “What is your family going to do?” Chance asks me. I shake my head for two reasons, one because I know whatever they decide to do I would not be able to tell anyone and second I really have no idea what we are going to do now. I can’t believe this day, finding out that someone took Percy is just too much to bear. The cops slowly start to fade away and even Chance has to go back home. I lie in Percy’s bed and wait for him to come home.  I am not sure when I fell asleep but when I opened my eyes Grace is lying next to me. Grace holds my hand in her sleep just the way she use to when we were kids. After my coma I use to have nightmares about what I had done. I couldn’t sleep without Grace holding my hand. I start to sit up and look around when I hear the doorbell ring and a car speed away. Grace wakes up at the sound of the doorbell. “Was that a car?” She says to me. “Yeah I think so.” We both get out of Percy’s bed and start to run down stairs. Dad brings in a box from the front door. “What is it?” I ask. “It looks like a present.” It’s a box wrapped in black paper with a big red bow. My dad pulls the bow open and rips through the paper. It’s a plan brown box with a lid. My dad pulls off the lid and red liquid pours out and we hear a scream. It sounds like Percy’s scream.

Series Wednesday: Family Game night Page 10

                  Cops are everywhere. They are asking all of us 1000 questions. "Do you remember his behavior before he left for school??? Was he acting different?" The cop asks me. "He was very short with all of us that morning. We had all gotten in a disagreement the week before. So we have all been acting out of character."  Grace responds to the cops for me. I look at her and she holds my hand. "What was the argument?" The cops ask us. "Religious differences, you see our parents and I share one religious belief while my sister has another. My parent recently decided to let our brother pick his own religion and it has been a topic of debate in our house." Grace speaks with such ease as she lies. I just walk away I feel as if I am in a haze. I walk outside to see all the cops on our front yard. "Cahira!" I hear from a distance. I see Chance running towards me; I start to run into his arms. "He is just gone, no one knows anything. I don't know what to do." I am crying my eyes out in Chance's arms. A cop car comes driving up very fast and a tall cop comes running right into the house. Chance lets me go as I follow the cop. "He was taken." The cop tells my dad with and IPad in his hand. "Here is the video footage sir." He says as he hands the IPad to my dad. I get right next to him to watch it with him. It’s Percy just walking home from school when a van pulls up. Two people jump out of the van and grab Percy; it looks like they stuck him with something. I think they drugged him, his whole body goes limp and they carry him into the van. The van takes off out of frame.  "Is this all we have?" my dad asks the cop who ran in with the IPad. "Yes sir, at this time this is all we have, they had no license plate on the van and the van seemly disappears from street cameras a few blocks later." My dad throws the IPad. "Not good enough!! Someone has my son!!!!We need to be doing more!"  I hold my dad's hand and he looks at me. My dad instantly calms down. "I am sorry. Please just keep us in the loop." My dad says to the cop while his eyes are locked on me the whole time.

                My mother stands up off the couch where we are all sitting. "Chance honey, if I give you some money do you mind going and grabbing us a few pizzas?" She is so fake. "No need to give me money I'll just go grab some pizza for you guys." Chance kisses me on the cheek and heads out the door. My mother looks around at all the cops. "Can you guys give us a minute please?" My mother says as she clear the living room.  She waits until all the cops are out of ear range before she starts talking. "We need to kill who ever took Percy." My mother says. I just look at her in shock that she cares so much about Percy. "Why would anyone take him?" Grace asks. "It doesn't matter we just need to get him back. I will tear through whoever I have to, to get my son back." My mother says.  "We will find him." My dad says as he hugs my mother. "I want blood for this," my mother responds. "What is this more about Percy or your need for blood?" I ask. My mother whips around to look at me so fast I got whip lash. “I am not a vampire, Percy is my son and NO one messes with family.” My mom says with such conviction. “We need to put our differences and beliefs a side right now. At the end of the day Percy is all that matters to all of us.” Grace says to my mother and I. “So how do we find out who took Percy?” I ask. “We need to go through our list of enemies and make sure it’s not a power move against me or your mother.” My dad says while looking at my mom. “You both should do the same.” My mother says to Grace and I. “Who would we have pissed off that would take Percy in a van?” I ask my mother. “I have 5 people in mind.” Grace quickly follows. “Oh wow really??” Grace shrugs. “People love to hate the best. I compete every chance I get. I have made a few enemies.” I just stare at Grace who was looking at me. “Well unlike you guys I have no enemies. I don’t talk to anyone so I am not sure how I could piss anyone off to the point of taking Percy.” My mother looks at me and tilts her head. “Something tells me you could.” I roll my eyes at her comment. “Cahira just make a list of anyone you have had any bad or less than friendly interactions with in the past year.” My dad says. I see Chance walking past the cop with the pizzas. I clear my throat and look in his direction so my family will shut up. Chance has a strange look on his face. He puts the pizzas down on the coffee table. “Cahira you’re not going to believe this,” Chance says. A cop walks up to my dad. “We have a witness who saw Percy being taken. We have him out front there is just one thing.” We all run outside to talk to the witness. The cop runs fast behind us. I stop when I see him handcuffed in the back of a police car. “He witnessed the kidnapping while robbing a nearby store. He will only talk if we let him off.” I look at Chance and instantly know what he was going to tell me. “I know him.” I say as I walk out to the cop car.