Deeper Than the Dead by Webb Debra

Author:Webb, Debra
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2024-08-01T00:00:00+00:00

22

Twenty-Two Years Ago

April

Boyett Farm

Good Hollow Road, Fayetteville, 11:38 a.m.

Paralyzed, Vera stood in the doorway, staring at Sheree, who was obviously dead. She hugged the baby tighter to her chest.

What the hell happened here?

“It wasn’t my fault, Vee,” Eve urged. “You have to believe me. I was in bed, sick.”

Vera turned her head to look at her sister. She was still wearing her pajamas. She was soaked to the bone.

“Why is Luna naked?” she demanded. The baby’s little body shook with sobs but at least the wailing had stopped.

Of all the things that came to mind to ask, that seemed the least important, yet it was easier than asking how the hell their stepmother had ended up on the floor . . . dead.

Eve took a long, deep breath as if needing to steady herself. “I was asleep. Luna screaming woke me up.” She gestured to her bedroom door. “I got up and came out here to see what was going on.” Her face turned an even whiter shade. “Sheree was . . . giving the baby a bath. I . . . I thought, but as I watched, I realized she was trying . . . to drown her.”

“What?” The idea took horrifying shape in Vera’s head. “Are you sure?”

Eve’s head popped up and down so fast it was a miracle it didn’t break her neck.

“What did you do?” Vera’s stomach tied into knots. Luna wailed again. Vera bounced her up and down and made shushing sounds in her ear. Her heart thundered in time with the baby’s. This couldn’t be real. Please let it be a dream.

Her gaze landed on Sheree again. But it was real. The wicked witch was dead . . . but how did they explain this to Daddy? She glared at Eve. “Tell me what you did,” she growled as quietly as her temper would allow.

“I ran to the bathtub and started trying to take Luna away from her. We struggled, and she fell backward and . . .” Her voice trailed off, and her gaze settled on the scene in the bathroom. “She hit her head. Real hard. I tried to pull her up, but she just lay there. She blinked a few times and then . . . she just stopped.”

“Okay.” Vera nodded. Took a breath. “We . . . we should call Daddy.”

“No!” Eve rushed to her side. Luna whimpered. “You know he’ll blame me. Sheree has him believing I’m always doing things to make her unhappy. Everything that happens around here is my fault.”

Studiously bouncing the baby and smoothing a hand up and down her back, Vera tried to think. Her sister was right. They would be blamed for this—no matter that Vera hadn’t even been home. Her heart twisted. Eve was the only family she had left. Their daddy had a new family since Mama died. He would probably be happy if they were sent away to reform school or some sort of prison.

“Okay,” Vera said, then she took a deep breath.

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