A Dread So Deep by Anita Rodgers

Author:Anita Rodgers [Rodgers, Anita]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Noir crime fiction, police procedural, woman in peril, Murder mystery, women's psychological crime fiction, domestic thriller, domestic suspense
Publisher: A. Rodgers
Published: 2019-07-06T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS both upstairs and downstairs Christine had gathered all of Phillip’s pricey booze into the kitchen. She lined the bottles and decanters on the counter and emptied every one of them—letting out a little victory yelp with each bottle. She was literally pouring money down the drain and thought it was hilarious. How Phillip would have raged if he’d been there to see it. The thought only made her laugh more.

It would take her a day, even two, to find all his drugs but she’d gladly spend the time to rid her home of the stuff. All the poison he’d digested that had fostered his rage would follow the booze down the drain. And be gone forever.

Melanie swung through the kitchen door as though the mistress of the manor. Christine clenched her jaw, thinking it was time to change the locks and the alarm code. Her heels clicked against the hardwood floor and Christine wanted to jam those down the disposal with the other garbage. “What are you doing?”

Christine scowled. None of your business. “Getting rid of it. I don't want it around. It's poison. It kills people.”

Mel leaned against the counter and watched the booze going down the drain. Her stare like a hot breath on the back of Christine’s neck. She ground her teeth, as though Christine was torturing her. With a sugared voice, she said, “You should lie down.”

Christine shrugged off her hand. “You should go home.”

Melanie clutched the designer scarf knotted artfully around her neck. “I wouldn't dream of leaving you.”

Christine nudged her sister out of her way. The hovering was too much. Why couldn’t Mel just leave her alone? Was she there to spy? What had she told the police before she’d gotten home? Melanie was a born snoop and never hesitated to get in the middle of any situation. Christine was damned if she’d let her get in the middle of this one.

Melanie played with the knob of the junk drawer—that still contained the dirty pictures of Christine and Michael. She bumped Melanie over. “I don’t need you here.”

Mel threw up her hands. “Would you stop acting like a robot? You’re giving me palpitations.” Christine continued in her task, intoxicated with the power of destroying things Phillip loved. More than her. Certainly. Absolutely. Melanie got in her face and gawked. “What’s the matter with you?”

Christine didn’t answer to Melanie. She didn’t answer to anyone anymore. She nudged her sister out of the way and loaded the empty decanters into the dishwasher. She set the machine on power scrub and turned it on.

No matter how much she ignored Melanie she continued to her around the kitchen like she was afraid she’d miss something. Christine couldn’t stand it anymore. She clutched her hands into fists. “Will you please sit down? You’re driving me crazy”

Melanie drew back. “I'm looking out for you.” Christine glared her into a seat at the table. “Okay, okay. I’m sitting, see?”

Christine scrubbed the sink with bleach and cleanser. The pungent smell reminding her of Violet and the things she taught her when she was a child.

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