Charlotte

 

"It has to be Ben's stag do this weekend because they've sent this silly fake ransom note. I bet they're about to drag him off to an airport tonight!"

"If it was real they'd have like a severed toe and ask for a hell of a lot more than 2 grand, they've not done a brilliant job really ahve they?!" Katie joked. Alice laughed own the phone as she absentminded folded the fake ransom note several times in her hand. 

"I bet the boys will be coming over later with a blindfold and huge amounts of booze!" Katie said. 

"Well, I can't wait to tell them how their little note hasn't fooled me one bit! But I suppose I should play along to make it more fun for Ben. He should be home soon, the guys will be glad I helped out." 

"Good idea, let me know how it goes, speak later!" 

 

Alice hung up and unfolded the fake ransom note with a smile. She popped it back in the envelope and left it on the living room table in clear view for Ben to find, then texted his best friend Lewis: "Got your note - very funny! I've left it for Ben to find as soon as he gets home :)" 

 

As Ben put his key in the front door, Alice quickly tiptoed to the kitchen with a smile on her face, eager to hear the excitment from Ben as he realised his stag do was about to happen.

 

"Fuck!!" 

 

Alice popped her head into the living room just as Ben screwed up the ransom note and shoved it into his jeans pocket. Ben looked up at her and she saw panic in his eyes. This was not the reaction she had expected. 

 

"Alice, I need to..." Ben's sentence trailed off as he hurried out of the living room and took the stairs two steps at a time. There was suddenly a block of ice in Alice's stomach. The ransom note wasn't a joke. Ben had done something, something he didn't want her to know about. Her ribcage started to ache as she struggled to know what to do next. She finally settled for a casual call up the stairs: "are you okay darling?", but her voice came out hoarse, like she was about to cry. 

 

"Fine, fine, sorry - I um, I forgot there was something I needed to do at the office before the weekend. I have to pop out again, I might be a bit late. Round 8 o'clock or so!" Ben came running down the stairs and thew open the front door. It slammed behind him and left Alice in deafening silence. She stood still in their hallway, staring at the door for what felt like eternity when her phone received a text with the familiar upbeat message tone. It was from Lewis. 

 

"Haha, amazing! The lads can't wait, we'll pick him up around 8 - don't worry, we'll take good care of him this weekend, promise!"