You Belong To Me by Mark Tilbury

Author:Mark Tilbury [Tilbury, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tilbury Publishing
Published: 2020-11-09T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

Danny had spent most of the night imagining all sorts of scenarios involving Calum – the worst of which being they’d found him dead underneath the bath with flies buzzing around his corpse.

At one point, he’d thought he could hear noises coming from Calum’s room. Something creaking, as if someone was walking across floorboards. He’d sat up, listening. Nothing. A thought, born of paranoia: Calum had died and come back to haunt him.

Danny had often heard his brother sneaking out of the house in the early hours of the morning. Sometimes as early as 2am. God knows where he went – perhaps it was best not to know.

Rose was sitting at the kitchen table polluting the room with smoke when Danny ambled into the kitchen at ten past eight. She didn’t look as if she’d had much sleep either.

‘Your brother never came home last night.’

Danny filled the kettle and switched it on. Avoided eye contact. ‘Oh.’

‘Do you know where he is?’

For one terrible moment, he thought she could see into his mind. ‘No.’

‘It’s not like him to stay out all night.’

‘Maybe he’s got a girlfriend.’

‘Something’s wrong.’

‘He’ll be all right.’

‘What if he’s had an accident?’

Danny’s mind treated him to a picture of Calum being dragged across the basement floor and shoved under the bath. ‘Try not to think the worst all the time, Mum.’

‘That’s what Auntie May said when your father didn’t come home. Told me not to worry. That he was probably held up in traffic.’

Danny made a cup of coffee. Strong and black. He needed his wits about him today. ‘Have you called Auntie May?’

‘No.’

‘Why don’t you give her a ring? He might have gone to see her.’

Rose snorted. ‘No chance. She doesn’t even like Calum. God knows why. Likely because she’s never had children of her own. Doesn’t understand them.’

Perhaps she’s just a good judge of character. ‘Maybe he stayed over at a mate’s house. Had too much to drink and didn’t want to risk driving.’

Rose seemed to like this idea better. ‘Yes, well, he is a sensible boy.’

Danny sat at the table and blew steam from the top of his mug. ‘I’m sure he’ll be home tonight.’

‘I hope so. I couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to him.’

What about me? Danny thought. It’s all Calum this and Calum that. What a good son he is. Jesus Christ, if it wasn’t so damn serious, it would be funny.

Rose said, ‘If you ask me, this family’s been cursed.’

A knock on the front door freed Danny from his mother’s pessimism. He opened it to find Josh looking as if he’d spent the night in a hedge fighting demons.

‘You all right?’

‘I feel like shit,’ Josh said. ‘You gonna invite me in or leave me out here forever?’

Danny moved closer to his friend and whispered, ‘My mum’s not in a very good way. She’s upset because Calum never came home. So tread carefully.’

‘Got it.’

‘No wise cracks, okay?’

‘On my life.’

Rose seemed to brighten when she saw Josh. ‘Hello Josh.’

‘Morning Mrs Sheppard.’

‘Don’t

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