Deep Water by Mark Ayre (best free ebook reader txt) 📗

need to show off. It was unprofessional, stupid. I'm to blame too."

"What about my mum," Tony pressed. "Tell me what she said to you."

"She didn't say anything," Abbie lied. "Anyone can see she's in a dark place. Nothing can bring Aurora back, but you could have lifted her spirits. You could have—“

She stopped. Every word was a blade that sliced Tony's heart. What would Abbie gain by breaking him? How would he feel, following her speech, if his mother died tonight? His feelings shouldn't have been her concern. She found she couldn't stand seeing misery written so plainly into his features.

"Forget it," she said. "We have plenty of time, but we should use it wisely. I have to go inside."

Abbie pushed the door and was pleased to hear no creak, no sound at all. She continued to push until the gap was wide enough to admit her, then stopped.

Behind her, Tony said, "Are you going to kill him?"

"I doubt it," said Abbie. "Depends how our conversation goes."

"Conversation? What's the point in that?"

"What a strange question."

"I mean, he won't admit to having killed Aurora. Will you torture him?"

"Gosh, I don't know. If exposing my breasts doesn't work, I guess I'll have to consider the thumbscrews."

"Don't take the piss."

"Then don't ask stupid questions. I don't have a firm plan. I'm going to talk to Louis and see what happens. Not happy with that, fine—“ from her jacket, she grabbed Tony's gun and shoved it into his chest “—you deal with him."

Tony stared at the gun as though it were a poisonous and angry snake, writhing on his chest, searching for his flesh. He took a quick step back. Almost tripped and collapsed. Steadied himself.

"I trust you," he said. "Just please, now I'm here, let me come inside."

Closing her eyes, Abbie considered the request. If she let Tony enter, he would no doubt be clumsy and loud, and he would almost certainly ignore her orders when they came face to face with Louis. In other words, letting him come along would be an idiotic decision.

When Abbie opened her eyes, Tony's head was bowed in that mopey pose again. Feeling her resolve slip away, she sighed.

"You touch nothing, you remain silent, you keep at my heel. From these rules, you do not deviate without my expression permission." Abbie replaced the gun in her jacket. "Only exception: some nutter comes out firing at us, you’re welcome to play human shield to keep me alive. Understand?"

Like a child, excited to be involved and determined to prove they can follow the rules, Tony bobbed his head but kept his mouth tight shut.

"Good," said Abbie. "Let's do this."

They stepped inside.

Beyond the side-door was a corridor which ran the length of the house. Closing the door through which she had entered, Abbie paused, listened. But there was only silence.

Four internal and two external doors offered exits from the corridor. There was also a staircase leading up.

Stepping along the corridor, Abbie stopped at the first door, pressed her ear against the wood, then opened it.

An empty kitchen containing a huge fridge-freezer and the sink from which Jacob had drawn his water earlier the same day. Abbie closed the door and moved on.

Ensuring Tony stayed a couple of steps back, Abbie continued down the hall. Against each door, she placed an ear. As with the kitchen, when silence greeted her, she opened the door and entered the room.

As expected, every downstairs room was empty. But as Abbie reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard muffled sounds emanating from above. Possibly a conversation, maybe a telly. From downstairs, too hard to tell.

With a silent warning to Tony, who had followed her orders but was none the less irritating her with his nervous energy, Abbie made her way up the stairs, taking each with slow caution to prevent the familiar creaks and groans of old wood.

As she rose, the voices came into clearer focus. It wasn't the telly, nor a call with one side on speakerphone. These were two distinct adult talkers in one of the rooms upstairs.

By the time Abbie reached the top step, she knew she was listening to a man and a woman and was almost sure which door they were behind. She needed only a few more words to be sure.

Naturally, that was when they fell silent.

Abbie froze, waiting, listening. There were four doors in sight and two more around a corner at the end of the landing. Close as she now was to the speakers, Abbie did not want to risk getting the wrong room in case Louis, or whoever, heard her opening the door.

Abbie closed her eyes. Willing them to speak again.

Something prodded the small of her back. Abbie almost screamed.

Spinning, she remembered Tony, who recoiled as she turned, lost his balance, and began to fall.

Abbie grabbed his arm. Grabbed the head of the bannister post. Pulled.

Tony swung, almost crashed into the bannister and went over. At the last second raised a hand and prevented the accident.

There was a thunk as his palm hit the wood. Abbie froze, turned her head towards the doors in her view.

Had they been heard?

Silence. Silence. Then...

A creak. Like someone getting off a bed or a chair. As though someone had heard a noise on the stairs and was coming to investigate.

Abbie's eyes shot back to Tony. Having grabbed hold of the bannister, he had reclaimed his balance. Abbie released him and went for her gun, hoping to scare whoever appeared on the landing.

No one did.

There was a creak, loud enough that Abbie could pinpoint from which room it came.

It was followed by a moan. Which was followed by another, then another.

It was apparent what they were hearing. Abbie turned to see Tony's ears redden with embarrassment.

Abbie rolled her eyes. Had speed and silence not been of the essence, Abbie might have explained to Tony that this was good. If Louis was busy enjoying the company of a young lady, he was far less likely to be prepared to