Page 16 of The Circle

Why would he lie about it? Why would he deny taking Andra? Why? Why? Why, why, why? Must be the sheer number of “whys” I can’t answer that are why I let him continue talking.

“Third, now that I know you’re all together? And you’ve apparently killed my fucking uncle?” He grinds that out with such tension in his voice that I’d be shocked if he didn’t lose a filling. “I’m going to come kill you all. The only question you have to answer is how painfully you want to die. And you have a choice in the matter. Rory? Angus? You both there?”

After a moment’s hesitation, both laaities utter a feeble, “Aye.”

“If they don’t both stay alive, woe be unto you, van den Berg. Woe be unto feckin’ you.”

Very dramatic, this one. But I suppose I’m not really one to talk.

“Where are you right now, Lynch?” I ask.

“I’m in Dublin. You’re in Belfast?”

Danny chimes in, “We are. We’re—”

“I see where you are.” He’s surely tracking his cousin’s phone. They’re probably all on the same Vodafone Criminal Family Plan. God, life was so much easier back when we started. Once upon a time, only those with substantial means and bad intentions could do things like geo-track someone. Now, every petty chop-shop owner-cum-human trafficker can do it. I miss the old days.

“I’ll be there in two hours,” he continues.

Eliza shouts, “With my daughter, you fucking cunt!”

There is a brief beat before Brasil repeats, “I’ll be there in two hours,” and hangs up.

Now, for the first time since we got to this place, there is silence. True silence. Real silence. Not a pause, or a breath, or some other momentary hiccup. Silence.

It goes on for long, long moments. If there is any sound at all it might just be the labored panting of the two Lynch laaities as they sit, wondering if they’ll make it out of this situation or not. Finally, when the silence has endured long enough, it is Russell who breaks the spell. He gives voice to what all of us have likely been contemplating in the quiet.

“What. The fuck. Is happening?”