Family Secrets

‘Good, you are awake.’ I traced the wisps of blue smoke to Carl, sitting against the far wall. He ran his cold, malevolent eyes over me as he took a long drag on his cigarette. ‘What do you want?’ My voice croaked. My mouth was filled with dust and the coppery taste of blood. Pain radiated from the back of my head where it hit the floorboard. Every bone in my body was screaming in pain. ‘What do I want?’ He chuckled. ‘I want a lot of things.’ He removed his phone, swiped at it. He stared at something onscreen with a tenderness that was as creepy as it was surprising. I wouldn’t have thought a man like him was capable of tenderness. ‘Don’t worry.’ He got to his feet, flicked the cigarette butt away. ‘I’m not going to kill you. Not yet.’ He was pale and drawn and looked tired out. Life on the run could not have been easy on him. ‘You rammed our car,’ I said. He lifted an insouciant shoulder, an acknowledgement. ‘How did you know where we were?’ ‘The wedding was broadcast live,’ he said.