Page 78 of The Player

Adam was the first to break it.

“Why didn’t you tell us this yesterday?”

“I promised Bryony I’d give her more time before I told you. It’s not just my story to tell. It’s hers too.”

Adam’s head fell forward. “You were waiting for us to come for you while you were locked up in there, weren’t you?”

I didn’t speak, just nodded, and he glanced up at me with regret, anger, and guilt.

“Fuck. I feel like shit. I can’t believe you went through all that and we weren’t there to help you.” Adam clamped his mouth shut, his jaw twitching as he gritted his teeth. “But we’ll find him. We’ll make that fucker pay for what he’s done. We won’t let you down again.”

“That’s why we were scouring the forest yesterday, wasn’t it?” Devon asked. “That’s where he kept you.”

“Yeah.” I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face. “But trying to find the hole he let us out of was like searching for a needle in a fucking haystack.”

“We’ll find it,” Adam assured me. “And him.”

“I knew something wasn’t right.” Colton shook his head and clenched his fists. “I should’ve trusted my gut. I always trust my gut, but this time… fuck. I’m so sorry, mate.”

“No apology needed,” I replied solemnly.

I knew they always had my back. None of this was their fault.

“I need to apologise though,” Tyler piped up. “I gave you shit yesterday for bailing and for me covering your shifts in the club. I’m sorry, mate. I feel like a complete asshole.”

“I don’t want anyone’s pity,” I stated, standing and pacing the living room, feeling restless and exhausted all at once. “All I want is your help in finding who took us.”

“I can check the CCTV,” Tyler said, but I shook my head.

“It was hacked. Set to run on a loop. You won’t find anything.” I gestured to the laptop. “Did you find out anything else about the victims?”

“We did,” Adam replied, tapping the keyboard to show me another photograph. “They all worked at Clivesdon House children’s home at one time or another. That’s the only link we have.”

“Tell them the rest, Adam,” Devon urged.

Adam stopped to compose himself, steepled his fingers together and added, “I was at that children’s home.”

“How long ago?” Tyler asked.

“About nineteen, twenty years ago.”

“Do you remember any of them?” Tyler asked him, but Adam shook his head.

“I don’t remember much about the place. Only a few scattered memories, but nothing solid. It wasn’t the kind of place you’d want to remember.”

They all turned to look at me.

“What about you, Will? Were you there?”

I tried to recall something from my past, anything that might trigger a memory, but the name didn’t ring a bell.

“When my dad died, we spent some time in care, but I don’t know if it was spent there. I’d have to ask my mum. Even if I was at that place though, I wouldn’t have been there long. And I certainly don’t remember any of those men. I hadn’t heard any of their names, not before I was taken, anyway.”

At that moment, Jake came into the living room, stepping cautiously towards us, holding his hands up to apologise for interrupting.

“I’m sorry to walk in on your meeting,” Jake said. “But I have someone downstairs who’s here for the bar job.”

“Not now,” Adam snapped.