A Daughter's Duty

Chapter 15

Michael interrogated me for a good fifteen minutes before we finally retired to watching the television, with a very strong hand gripping my arm, as if he was making sure I didn't run away.

But I didn't say a word about the letter. I very simply told him that I went to get the paper and was petting the neighbor's dog before I came back.

Tomorrow night. Tomorrow was Michael's birthday. His mother would be coming here, so would Mr. I and Delilah, which would make it thrice as hard to leave for the Moonlight Cinema, which was three miles away.

How could I get them to let me go? Useless ideas came to mind: I could jump down a window when they weren't looking, I could go to the cinema with the excuse of forgetting to buy a cake for Michael, I could lock the people in the bedroom and rush out of the house - none of these ideas made any sense.

At times like these, I really wished my parents were here to advise me, even though they never did before. I wondered what they would have done if I were them - if they had to save Gran, without letting anyone know about what they had to give up for her life.

My key - the only legacy that was left from my parents - had to be given up. How could I give up my key? It was incredibly important to me - it was incredibly important to the Queen of England!

Ugh, I had to tell someone - but who could I tell? Michael? I couldn't do that. The cameras had caught the fact that I had told him and the others about Gran being missing. The police? Of course not. The kidnappers would be spying on that place too.

They would be spying on everyone they thought I would go to - they wouldn't go to someone they think I have no connection with. Someone like...

I turned to Michael. "Mike, how long has it been since we talked to Mrs. N?"

He didn't think much of that sentence and replied absently. "N? I dunno... been a while, eh?"

"What do you say we go visit her?"

Now he turned to me. "Hmm, maybe we could, but why?"

"No reason, just to make sure whether she is fine."

He studied me carefully, and I maintained my most innocent face. I even raised my eyebrows slightly, when he was staring at me too long.

"Fine," he said, giving up on his scrutiny. "Let's go tonight,"

"Tomorrow," I said immediately. He looked at me again.

"I mean, it is your birthday," I said, keeping my voice as steady I could. "Why not go see her then? Maybe we could give her a birthday treat from you."

He thought for a minute. "Well, that does seem proper." He said slowly. "Mum won't be able to come though. She said she would only be stopping by here for a few minutes. She's got that new job at school as assistant teacher, remember?" I nodded as he considered the idea for a couple of more seconds. "Alright, then." He concluded, sparing a smile towards me as he leaned comfortably on the sofa. "Tomorrow afternoon it is."

The car ride to her house took barely a hour, but for me, it seemed like eternity. I snapped twice at the driver to drive faster, earning reprimands from Mr. I and Delilah and concerned looks from Michael.

I tried to plan out my sentences, but to no luck. If anyone from Dunaway's side had been notified, I had to tell her what my problem was without anyone suspecting. I knew I had to get three points across - my grandmother had been kidnapped, Jenkins was asking for my key, and I had to somehow get Jenkins and Dunaway arrested without actually giving him the key.

We reached her house, a tiny, dull one-storied house that looked like it hadn't been painted in a long time. Mike, Mr. I, Delilah and I walked to the door and knocked. Even though we were standing outside, we could almost hear the echo of our knock.