Unknown Number Read online

  Unknown Number

  Victoria Hyder

  Copyright © 2020 Victoria Hyder

  All rights reserved

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Cover design by: Victoria Hyder

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgement

  Prologue

  ~0~

  It was a generic Wednesday evening when it happened. That's what he told himself at least. The sun was hanging low in the sky already and the hum of the TV was the only sound that helped to fill the comfortable silence that he reclined in.

  No matter that it was Christmas Day as well as his birthday.

  Turning a page in his book, he let out a soft sigh. He had a stack of papers to grade for two weeks’ time, far too many really, but he didn't have the energy to even glance at them just yet. Outside the window of his living-room the sky darkened with the promise of rain. He let out another sigh, scowling a little at his book. It was going to be a pain tomorrow morning. He would need to leave early to make-up for the delay the rain would cause.

  "Perfect," he grunted as he marked his place in the book and set it on the coffee table. Glancing at the clock on the mantelpiece he decided that it was too early for dinner. Maybe he would have to grade those papers, just to have something to do.

  The small kitchen was 'claustrophobic' to most people, but he often found himself feeling cosy enough in the small, clean environment. It was easier to maintain, and he lived alone so he didn't need a huge, extravagant kitchen as it was. The few times he did entertain his medley of moronic friends, they ordered take-aways.

  Turing the hob on he poured oil into the frying pan and let it heat up.

  Beyond the wall in the hallway, people shuffled back and forth as they returned home from work. He felt a twinge inside him, but he brushed the feeling aside. He wasn't much of a people-person. The fact that he had managed to find a job with a decent salary as well as a small, tight circle of friends was nothing short of a miracle.

  The pan sizzled, flecks of oil staining the hob. He wrinkled his nose in distaste. He'd have to clean that up later. Frying up diced peppers, pork, and bacon, he made a basic fry-up and served it within ten minutes. In his small flat, he barely had room for his dining table, but he had insisted upon moving-in that he needed one. The TV was playing a documentary that he'd wanted to see for a long time. As he ate, he paid careful attention, his lips quirking every now and again as the new knowledge sank into his brain. Once he'd eaten, he decided to do some grading.

  He drew the stack of essays toward him.

  The TV dulled to a faint buzz to his ears. He hunched over a little as his eyes scanned through the inexperienced words of teenagers, his red pen resting idly in his right hand, ready to strike words out at a moment’s notice, when his phone buzzed shattering his little bubble.

  'Who the fuck is ringing me?' he thought, frowning over at the lit-up screen.

  He tried to ignore his phone. However, the second time it buzzed he growled, throwing his pen down and storming over to swipe his phone off the table. It was two text messages. Gritting his teeth, he opened the messages and read them.

  (19:12) These gits are such masochists!

  (19:57) Dude seriously?! Answer your phone!

  Cocking an eyebrow derisively, he scrolled up who had sent him the message. Number unknown. His fingers hovered over the pad for a moment before another message came through.

  (20:03) So how many teachers will I have to kill before I can get out of this assignment?

  ~0~

  (20:07) I'm not about to lecture you on how writing an essay is much easier than murder but … I feel like I should.

  (20:08) Huh? You literally bitched and whined about the assignment the entire evening!

  (20:09) Regardless, murder requires a lot of brain power and you've already shot yourself in the foot.

  (20:10) In … what way?

  (20:11) Paper trail? Texts can be read by police.

  (20:12) The fact that you know this makes me worried about your dedication to this.

  (20:13) There's no reason we both have to go down for it.

  (20:15) Now what you need to do is make sure that you don't have a paper trail. Code-names were invented for a reason. Just like morse code. Create a system that only the criminals can understand.

  (20:16) I'm not about to learn morse code!

  (20:17) It's probably easier than speaking Chinese.

  (20:17) That's –What?! That's not even the point!

  (20:18) I feel like you're over-complicating your evening.

  (20:20) There's nothing complicated! It's either figuring out how Pythagoras' Theorem actually works or the possible massacre of my teachers. It seems like a simple decision.

  (20:21) Then maybe triangles aren't for you?

  (20:22) Dude, seriously, what's up? You're being a douche.

  (20:23) OMG! This isn't Arthur is it?

  (20:23) Your perceptions skill are astounding.

  (20:23) No, this is not Arthur.

  (20:24) Why the hell would you let me prattle on like that?

  (20:25) You were talking about murdering some innocent teachers. I felt as though I should try and talk you out of jail.

  (20:26) I am mortified!

  (20:27) Good. Maybe this will teach you some censorship in regard to that brain of yours.

  (20:29) Are you … Are you calling me stupid?!

  (20:30) I thought we already established that you were. Or was I not clear?

  (20:31) You didn't outright say it!

  (20:32) Was the paper trail comment not enough?

  (20:33) Hey, fuck you! I'm not stupid!

  (20:34) You just begged a strange for advice on how to kill your teachers. That doesn't sound like a genius from my end of things.

  (20:35) It's a new phone!

  (20:36) Hardly a reason.

  (20:37) It is!

  (20:38) Is not.

  (20:39) IT IS!

  (20:40) Oh dear, you caps-locked me. You've put me right in my place.

  (20:42) … You know, I can feel the sarcasm from here.

  (20:43) Considering you could be in Scotland for all I know, I'm fairly impressed with myself.

  (20:44) God, I'm so embarrassed.

  (20:45) Don't be. You've been thoroughly entertaining.<
br />
  (20:46) Um … I'm glad?

  (20:46) Do you get off on misery and embarrassment or something?

  (20:47) So what if I do?

  (20:48) … Suddenly I want to throw my phone at the wall.

  (20:49) I don't recommend it. New phone’s are expensive.

  (20:53) To set your mind at ease, I do not get-off on your embarrassment, though you have managed to make my night more bearable.

  (20:56) I feel like everything you say is getting me stuck between a rock and a hard place.

  (20:58) That's most people's impression of me.

  (21:00) As amusing as you've been, I have work to finish.

  (21:03) Okay. I'm sorry I bothered you.

  (21:06) It's okay. It could have been a lot worse for you.

  (21:06) In what way?

  (21:07) No wait! I don't want to know.

  (21:10) Good choice.

  (21:13) Word of advice? Don't bother with the murdering. Stick with the essay-writing. You'll find you have to burn less clothing that way.

  (21:19) Wait … have you had to do that?

  (21:21) Another time. Goodnight.

  (21:25) Yeah … Night.

  Chapter 1

  ~0~

  TWO WEEKS LATER

  ~0~

  Friday PM

  (18:33) Hi … again.

  (18:37) Hello.

  (18:38) Wow okay. For a moment I wasn't sure if you would reply.

  (18:40) You text my number. What did you think was going to happen?

  (18:41) To get a message that my number had been blocked?

  (18:42) Do you want me to block your number?

  (18:43) No?

  (18:46) I don't really know. I've gone over our last conversation and –I don't know –you seem cool.

  (18:51) Above all things, kid, I am not 'cool'.

  (18:52) You kept messaging me after I made an arse of myself. That's pretty cool to me.

  (18:53) And hey! I'm not a fucking kid!

  (18:56) Sure you're not, kid.

  (18:57) So why are you suddenly messaging me again? More elaborate crimes you want me to incriminate you for in court?

  (18:58) Haha um no? I'm just home by myself. It's rare and I don't really deal well with being bored.

  (18:59) I can tell. You're by yourself, in a dark house, texting a stranger.

  (19:01) How do you know I'm not watching you right now?

  (19:02) OMG NO! ARE YOU? I'M SERIOUSLY FREAKED OUT RIGHT NOW!

  (19:04) Jeez, kid, I was joking.

  (19:05) WERE YOU?

  (19:07) YES NOW STOP USING CAPITAL LETTERS OR I'LL GIVE YOU THE HEADACHE OF YOUR LIFE.

  (19:08) Okay, damn! I’m calm, okay? Bloody hell, who pissed in your cheerio’s?

  (19:10) It's night-time. Anyone eating cereal at this time of night is either a moron or a child. Which would you like to be?

  (19:11) Neither?

  (19:12) Wrong answer.

  (19:13) Douche.

  (19:16) Your words hurt me.

  (19:17) I can tell.

  (19:20) So you really have no plans tonight? No friends to come over and rave?

  (19:21) I'm not much of a raver. Partier, sure, but rave's are a little beyond me right now.

  (19:22) And no, my friends all seem to be busy tonight.

  (19:25) They didn't invite you?

  (19:26) Well my sister has a date and Arthur stays with his granddad every other weekend.

  (19:27) How about you? No plans.

  (19:32) I'm actually out right now with some colleagues of mine. We go for dinner every Friday night.

  (19:33) You could have told me if I was distracting you.

  (19:36) You aren't.

  (19:37) You just said you were out having dinner.

  (19:40) Relax. It's a Chinese restaurant. Beer, rice, chicken and sticky surfaces.

  (19:41) If you don't like it, why go?

  (19:45) My friends claim to put up with a lot from me. This is my way of evening-out the playing field.

  (19:46) Imagine that.

  (19:54) Ah, are you sad that I'm not as sad as you?

  (19:55) I won't lie, a little.

  (19:56) So …You don't mind me texting you?

  (20:00) You're entertaining I'll give you that.

  (20:01) That's not an answer.

  (20:02) It wasn't meant to be.

  (20:03) So how bored do you have to be to be texting a stranger?

  (20:04) I'm not bored. My current company … leaves a lot to the imagination.

  (20:05) Describe them.

  (20:06) A mad-woman and my boss.

  (20:07) Wow! And you say my Friday night sucks?

  (20:08) Sorry that was rude.

  (20:10) Are you mad?

  ~

  (20:17) Okay, if you're mad you can just say. I wouldn't exactly blame you.

  ~

  (20:46) Okay, I've ordered a pizza and I'm guessing you're still out with your friends, so I hope you have a fun night!

  Saturday PM

  (12:01) I figured since you probably went out and got drunk last night that this was the safest time to message you.

  (12:02) Who the fuck is this?

  (12:03) Oh right, we didn't excEleanor names.

  (12:09) Go away.

  (12:10) Now that's not very nice.

  (12:11) Fuck the fuck off!

  (12:12) Wow rude. Okay, enjoy hangover HELL.

  ~

  (14:10) You are a persistent little shit, you know that?

  (14:11) Well hello to you too.

  (14:12) You can stuff your hello's.

  (14:13) What happened to you, potty-mouth?

  (14:16) Drinks happened.

  (14:17) And?

  (14:18) More drinks.

  (14:19) AND?

  (14:22) There may have been a karaoke incident.

  (14:23) No way? You did karaoke?

  (14:25) No. I was head-locked on the karaoke stage and had a mic smashed against my cheek.

  (14:26) Oof, that doesn't sound like fun.