The Ties That Bind: A Chilling British Crime Thriller by M. R. Armitage

Author:M. R. Armitage [Armitage, M. R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zenarch Books
Published: 2024-01-24T00:00:00+00:00

30

Drake peered over the banister at the top of the stairs, gripping it tightly. The ornate chandelier shone in the entranceway, a circular table aligning with it at ground level, the cold, hard floor beneath. He considered the distance, unwelcome thoughts entering his mind; of how falling from this position would surely break his neck. He shook them away.

There had been a time when he was jealous of where his sister-in-law lived, the extravagance her career had afforded her compared to that of his own wage. Now, he just felt nothing. They were all baubles and trinkets, nothing of substance. Nothing resembling love and family. Maybe that was why Eva had become increasingly distant.

Rather than returning to him, perhaps she was taking on Rachel’s strength of personality, becoming more and more like her and less like Becca. Harsh, cold and clinical – unforgiving even. He sorely hoped not. He was probably just looking for someone to blame, he realised. His sister-in-law was an easy target. Much easier than himself. He was driving her away. He was prolonging the situation, not easing his daughter’s feelings of loss. Him. No-one else.

Drake turned, hearing familiar music thrum softly through the hard oak door of Eva’s bedroom. For a moment, he was back at their old house, wanting to come in and ask her how her day had been. Becca cooking downstairs. Eva listening to music too loudly, avoiding her homework. It made him realise for the first time in a long while how much he missed his downtime. Listening to old records, watching the films of his younger years. Sharing his music with his daughter.

He knocked gently on the door, probably not hard enough to be heard over the music. He recognised The Cure, just as it was abruptly turned down.

‘What?’ Came an indignant voice.

‘It’s me,’ he said, his voice catching. ‘Can we… can we talk, please?’

A pause. ‘You can. Doesn’t mean I’ll listen to you.’

‘Can I come in, at least?’

He took the silence to mean “yes”, and slowly entered the room.

The room was twice the size of her old one and seemingly twice as dark. Eva was sitting on her bed, her back up against the wall. Her phone was cast to one side, a laptop resting on her lap. When she’d moved to her aunt’s, she’d taken her desk and most of her belongings with her. The furniture looked diminutive in the sizeable space. Drake noted the family photo on her bedside table. The silver-framed photo usually showed Eva when she was just two years old, alongside him and Becca. He’d since been carefully folded out of the picture, Becca now holding sole ownership of their child, the brown backing support of the frame in place of him. Drake’s heart dropped.

He gestured to her desk chair. ‘May I sit?’

‘You were already going to, so why ask?’ Eva snapped.

He pulled it out and sat, the chair creaking beneath his weight.

‘Eva… please, don’t be like that.’

‘Like what?’

He spoke plainly. ‘Angry.’

‘Why not?’

She had a point; she had every right to be angry.

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