Desperation Point by Malcolm Richards

Author:Malcolm Richards [Richards, Malcolm]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storm House Books
Published: 2018-08-09T22:00:00+00:00

25

CYNTHIA CLOSED THE door and slid the lock into place with trembling fingers. Sensing movement, she turned, ready to give Lottie a scolding. The child had been told time and time again: never to open the door to anyone! It was the boy’s fault. His defiance was causing ripples. Ripples that would soon turn into waves.

But it wasn’t Lottie standing behind her.

It was Cal.

He stared at the door with round eyes, fists clenched at his sides. Before she could stop herself, Cynthia raised a hand and brought it down hard against his cheek. Cal staggered back as the slap echoed through the hall.

“This is your fault!” Cynthia cried, her body trembling. “This is what happens when you ignore the rules!”

Even in the dim light, she could see the print of her hand tattooed on his skin.

Cal straightened. He grew very still, his eyes burning into her.

“Do you know that man?” Cynthia demanded. She glanced over his shoulder to see the younger children had gathered in the hall behind. “Well, do you?”

Slowly, Cal shook his head.

“He seemed to know who you are!”

Somewhere upstairs, a door opened. A figure appeared on the stairs, a young man in his early twenties, who was broad and muscular, his face handsome in a boyish way. But there was nothing youthful about his eyes. Or kind.

“What’s happened?” he asked.

Cynthia stabbed a finger at Cal. “Trouble, that’s what. Don’t let him out of your sight, Heath. I need to speak with Jacob.”

Pushing past Cal, she marched along the hall, shooing the younger children out of her way. With each step, anger turned to deep-seated fear.

She couldn’t remember the last time they’d had a visitor at the farm. No one was supposed to know they were here.

It was possible that the man was simply going door-to-door, hoping someone had spotted Cal, but what if it was more than that? What if he knew? What if his pretence was part of a larger plan to put an end to everything Jacob had built up?

She had tried to remain calm. To appear brusque, even. But now, she wondered if she’d been convincing enough.

Who was this man, anyway? He hadn’t acted like a police officer. Perhaps he was a private investigator, hired by Cal’s family, or perhaps some sort of bounty hunter, looking to hand him to the authorities in exchange for a cash reward.

Either way, Cynthia was convinced trouble was coming. She felt it, deep down in her gut like a tumour. It was the same feeling she’d had the first time she’d slept with Jacob. Of course, back then, she had been confused and scared, her feelings misguided.

She reached the office door. In her panic, she forgot to knock. He was sitting at his desk. Morwenna was leaning over him, one hand slung over his shoulder, the other reaching down his front. The desk masked what the girl was doing, but Cynthia was no fool.

She stood, frozen in the doorway, watching Morwenna’s arm move up and down and Jacob’s eyelids flutter.

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