Indefensible by Pamela Callow

Author:Pamela Callow
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Mira
Published: 2011-05-10T22:00:00+00:00

35

Monday, 2:29 a.m.

Kate stared down at the blond, sweaty head of Randall’s son. Her eyes blurred, then focused.

She’d stunned him, not killed him. He swayed. His fingers still held on to Randall’s throat.

“Lucy, call the police. Now!” Her voice was shrill, unrecognizable. She raised the bottle again, her fingers trembling. Her sluggish brain was trying to comprehend the scenario: Randall lying beaten and bloodied against the wall; Nick choking his father, his face contorted with rage. “Nick, let go of your father.”

Nick turned his gaze to her.

The expression in his eyes made Kate’s heart shrivel: the acknowledgment of his damnation.

And worse, the resolve.

She raised the bottle over her head. “Let go, Nick!” She was panting now. Her arm shook with effort.

Nick’s nostrils flared. She braced herself. He was taller than she, but she had the bottle. She could protect herself. But could she protect his sister, too? She darted a glance at Lucy. The girl pressed against the wall. Her eyes were huge with confusion. Fear. Disbelief at the sight of her brother trying to murder her father.

Nick’s fingers tightened around his father’s neck.

Randall was semiconscious now, his breathing ragged.

“Nick, let go!” Kate smashed the bottle down on Nick’s arm. Then she threw herself on his back.

He twisted violently, trying to throw her off. She wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled. His head jerked back against her shoulder. She could smell the rank odor of boy-turned-killer.

Before she could react, he smashed his fist into the side of her head. Her head snapped sideways, her ear exploding with pain. She bit down on her jaw, tears springing to her eyes, clinging to him. She’d managed to get him off Randall. She couldn’t let him go now.

Randall rolled over onto his hands and knees. He gasped for breath, struggling to stand. Blood gushed down his cheek. Kate’s eyes met his and she saw his fury that his son had attacked her, his fear that Nick would hurt her. He wanted her to get away. He swayed, his head drooping.

Then Nick swung his fist again.

Kate acted on instinct. She kneed him from behind, between the legs. He yelped, dropping to his knees and rolled, cupping himself.

She snatched the bottle off the floor, raising it over Nick’s head. If he moved, she would hit him again, so help her.

“Freeze! Police!” Two patrol officers stormed into the hallway, weapons drawn. Kate started, whirling around to see one of the cops pointing his gun at her.

“Facedown. Now!”

Kate froze. Who, me? I’m not the one you want, her brain protested.

“Drop the bottle!” one of the cops shouted, lunging toward her. “Facedown on the ground!”

The bottle slipped from her fingers and hit the ground. It rolled by Randall’s feet.

She lowered herself to the floor and stretched out, her cheek pressed against the wood. It was cool and hard under her skin. It seemed like the only thing that was real. Everything tilted. Was the sleeping pill screwing with her brain?

Maybe this was all a dream. A hallucination.

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