Tandem

Raechel Harchey

"I wanted to thank you, in person, for what you did." 

"Thank me, why?"

The sun streamed through the wall length windows that surrounded the sofas. It all felt a little less sterile now and more bright and airy instead. The sunlight illuminated Jack's eyes even more so that they looked like two glowing turquoise pools gazing back at her.

"Because my family always knew that my grandfather was hiding something but I never quite found out what his secret was. My grandma always knew that there was somebody else and as a result, I grew up knowing that too. Now though, the idea that he was just sleeping with another woman seems pretty tame compared to what he actually was hiding."

"I'm sorry, it must be awful to know that he did something like that. I can't imagine how you feel."

"Even worse for that poor girl's family though. All that time they never knew what had happened to her. They just put her in the ground without ever knowing the truth. I can't imagine that. They had absolutely no closure and they spent every day knowing that the person responsible was out there living their life. For all anyone knew he was killing even more people. "

"They told me that the grief killed her grandmother. The night after the police told her family that Arina's body had been found, the grandmother passed away in her armchair."

"That's awful."

"It is. That lady never saw justice for her granddaughter. The whole island where Arina lived before moving to England was in mourning. They are a very small community, more like a family than a village and every single loss is felt on a personal level there."

"I want to meet Arina's family. I'd like to apologise to them."

"It's not for you to apologise for your grandfather's actions. You weren't even alive hen he murdered her. Whether you'll listen to me or not, this is not your burden to bear."

"I know. I just can't help but feel that someone owes it to them. I can't imagine what they'd think of me though, the son of the man that murdered her. It doesn't help that I'm practically a carbon copy of my grandfather either."

"It doesn't matter what relation Bertie is to you. You didn't murder her Jack. Nothing you said or did caused his actions. The only person who had any influence on his actions was Bertie himself."

"I know," he said. "Sometimes I feel so guilty though it's as if I killed her myself."

"Your grandfather doesn't feel remorse for what he did. All he thought about was protecting his reputation and instead of going about it the right way, he felt his only way out was to kill those who threatened him. He couldn't get what he wanted without violence and corruption. If people had found out the truth about Arina and Don it would have ended everything for him. He'd have lost his entire career, all of the money he'd invested in the project and most importantly his family. There was just too much to lose."

"My grandmother would have run a mile if she'd any idea just how much he was hiding. She'd have taken my dad somewhere he wouldn't find them and tell the whole world exactly what a vile human being he really was. She would have wanted to see him brought to the ground. "

"And who can blame her. She would have wanted to protect your dad. Bertie was a toxic man."

"It's still strange hearing you call him Bertie." "Bertie, Nick or Reggie, take your pick."

Jack smiled.

"Using a name not many people would recognise was just another way to stay under the radar. It wasn't so obscure that he'd forget to turn around if somebody called out to him but it wasn't too distinctive either."